In December, Oslo City Council will adopt next year’s budget. The city council has plans to cut NOK 37 million from the annual support for Oslo Nye, which means that the theater will have NOK 53 million to spend in 2025. The almost hundred-year-old theater is one of the largest in Oslo. Such a cut will have consequences, according to theater manager Runar Hodne: – For us, 53 million is the same as the entire program falling apart. All the titles in 2025 are in danger of not being realized with a grant of 53 million. It is absolutely impossible. Among other things, Hodne points to the production of “Påklederen” after New Year, which may be canceled due to budget cuts. Theater manager Runar Hodne is betting on being able to run next year’s program as planned. Photo: Håvard Greger Hagen / news But Oslo Nye does not want to scale back next year’s programme: – We are planning and running at full capacity, says the theater director. Selling tickets despite an uncertain future In fact, the theater is already selling tickets for next year’s performances. – From now until December, we will sell a lot of tickets, it is our peak season. It is largely for performances in 2025, explains Hodne. But the theater director admits that it is more difficult with such an uncertain future: – You don’t buy a ticket for an experience you think you won’t get, he says. – Yes, why are you selling tickets for something that might not come to fruition? – This cut is, after all, a proposal. The final budget will not be adopted until December. It’s not all smiles and laughter at Oslo Nye during the day. The theater is fighting to survive. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Before December, the theater wants to show that they have binding agreements that far exceed 53 million. – Twelve performances have been contracted. We have legally binding agreements with all artists and freelancers. We have employees at the house who must be paid, says Hodne. – The theater must go through a restructuring In the future, the theater must cooperate with a brand new board, which has been put in place because of the special situation. – We are clear that the theater must go through a restructuring because it is by far one of the largest grant recipients in the cultural field, but despite that they have not been able to stay within the budget, says Anita Leirvik North (H). She is the Oslo city council for culture and industry, and is behind the cut proposal. – I understand that employees at the theater experience this as dramatic, but my job is to assess the effect of the funds we dispose of, says the city council. Anita Leirvik North (H) believes the theater must change. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Disagree about liability What happens to the sold tickets if next year’s performances are cancelled? – Our owner, Oslo municipality, has a responsibility for compensation. After all, we are wholly owned by Oslo municipality, says theater director Hodne. City councilor North (H), on the other hand, says this about liability for compensation: – I don’t understand how the theater has arrived at that, all the time the theater is an AS. – Don’t you as owners have a responsibility in this? – We have a responsibility, and that is why we have appointed a new board. It is up to the new board to continue that dialogue with the theatre. We have pointed to a lower grant level. There is a need for the theater to be restructured. Oslo Nye Teater believes it is impossible to realize next year’s program with a cut of 37 million. Photo: Julianne Aspen Kleiven / news Published 20.09.2024, at 17.56
ttn-69
Oslo Nye Teater sells tickets to shows they don’t know if they can stage – news Culture and entertainment
