Are Kalvø has been one of the sharpest minds in Norwegian humor for the past 30 years. About that. Kåsør, satirist, ironist (in the sympathetic way), re-poet and author – Kalvø is far from a pony with one poor trick up his sleeve, to use an Anglicism that will certainly irritate his wits. Just like the level of ambition in this show boggles my mind. Playful text musician I have become used to Kalvø as a versatile and ambitious communicator who is primarily characterized by his unique relationship with our language. Are Kalvø is a Nynorsk man in his own right, and Samlaget even calls him one of the world’s foremost Nynorsk humorists. There is certainly a tough competitor somewhere in Croatia that Kalvø has kept at arm’s length for a number of years. (No, but it would have been a fantastic rivalry.) He has managed that by playfully challenging our relationship with text and the text’s inherent musicality. The same playfulness and zeal is only partially transferred to the stage in his new solo show “Berre bønder lengtar heim”, which has also been released in book form. Hear Are Kalvø talk about the book in “Open book” with Cille Biermann: Thematic gold mine Kalvø is brave – he claims to have found the facet of what is really the best of village and city. The relationship between village and city has (presumably) been polarizing for Norwegians since the last ice age, and an examination of the steep fronts could then be a bountiful garden of humour. In the rural part of the garden, there is, for example, criticism of power, class struggle, and oppression in the form of academic arrogance (perhaps three sides of the same coin.) I can’t actually think of many sharper satirical gardeners than Are Kalvø in this country, so if someone were to get this garden to bloom, it was he. The problem is that this is yet another performance seen through Oslo eyes. A LONG TIME AS A HUMORIST: Are Kalvø was born in 1969 in Stranda, Møre and Romsdal. He has worked full-time with humor and satire since 1994, mainly as a comedian, copywriter and presenter at news, but also as a newspaper columnist, stand-up comedian and author of satirical books such as “The art of being black” and “Hyttebok frå hellevte”. Photo: Stand Up Norge Analytical absence “Only farmers yearn for home” is in the first half a review of how the villages of Sunnmøre, preferably Kalvø’s home municipality of Stranda, looked like in the 70s. We sit at Aker Brygge and laugh at naive and trusting newspaper headlines from the local newspaper, we see pictures of fields empty of people, and we get stories about tractor youth on a city trip to Ålesund. Suddenly everything feels very familiar. But my unshakable faith in Kalvø’s considerations means that I am still sitting on the edge of my seat and waiting for the village’s perspective on the city. At some point I glimpse the light. The text states that there are three important points that town and city are in dispute about: motor, food and sex. The village drives a Chevy, the city bikes. The village eats stew, the city sushi. The village has two genders, the city has an insatiable appetite for gender identity. Here the hope rises for a playful, Kalvøsque analysis of why it is so. Instead, there are only more, not particularly innovative, observations about the simple life in the village. Could it not be expedient to poke around the vulnerable part of the villages’ inveterate local patriotism? Which perhaps originates in the inferiority complexes townspeople step on their heads? Failing the premise The premise for both book and performance is to find a conclusion on what is the best of the village and the city. To manage this, Kalvø has settled for one month in Norway’s smallest municipality, Utsira, and then one month in London. The method provides excellent conditions for pointing out the most important differences in the most extreme contrast. But nothing ever comes of London. There is very little about the city at all, and the most we get from explanation is that everything is implied. Therefore it is not interesting to hear that there are many people in London and that you can go to the cinema at night. But must a country boy’s views on the city be so banal? Everything is not implied, Are! Just look at the brilliant short film “Bjarne vil nik på film”. The scenes where the aging villager Bjarne is in London masterfully show why everything is not implied. Never boring, Kalvø has always managed to combine sharp analysis with good satire and good comic language, but in this show there are unfortunately too many shortcuts and easy tricks. Of course, the presence on stage and the routine Kalvø possesses make it naturally never boring. He is always charming, has good timing and knows where the pressure should lie. The performance is well rehearsed and is absolutely worth seeing if you love BAdesken and want to reminisce about your upbringing in the village. Which is better, city or country? Are Kalvø answers in “Nitimen”: Perhaps I have been spoiled with strong Kalvø texts over several decades, because he is actually one of my favorite comedians. Here, everything was ready for a new classic with a precise conclusion on one of the most polarizing questions of all time, but there was a standstill all the way through. Perhaps tonight’s Oslo premiere was just adapted to the city audience? Do me a favor if Kalvø is in your clearing: Go and see it, and send me an email. news reviews Photo: Stand Up Norway Title: “Only farmers yearn for home” Comedian: Are Kalvø Place: Latter, Oslo Time: 18 September 2024 to 5 April 2025, various venues in Norway Duration: Approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes Hi! I’m Espen. I am a freelancer who writes about music and humor for news. You’ll find all the latest at news.no/reviews. Published 19.09.2024, at 15.34
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“Only farmers yearn for home” with Are Kalvø – news Culture and entertainment
