The famous Disney story of Elsa and her sister Anna has created one of the most commercial family concepts of our time. Two feature films, a number of short films and an all-night musical have been made. The song “Let it go” has been playing hot on most music streaming services. Now the tones from “Let it go” can be experienced on a Norwegian stage, when Det Norske Teatret stages the musical. This time in Nynorsk and in a completely new version. Elsa, Anna and Kristoff from the sequel “Frost 2”. Photo: Disney / Walt Disney Animation Studios It is the Icelandic theater director Gísli Örn Gardarsson who has been asked by Disney to create a more Nordic version of the musical. The story of Elsa is basically inspired by Danish HC Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The films have several Nordic elements. Gardarsson himself contacted Det Norske Teatret and wanted to stage the performance there first. The musical, which premieres in October, will be played in several places in the Nordics in the coming year. – Wrong prioritization Producer at the private theater Folketeateret, Karianne Jæger, believes it is wrong for a state-funded theater to stage such a commercial title. Director Knud Dahl and producer Karianne Jæger at Folketeateret. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein, news – This does not belong in a theater that receives many millions in tax money. They should prioritize differently, for example new Norwegian drama. Titles such as “Frost” belong in private theatres, says Jæger. She admits that they have been trying to get “Frost” set up at their place for a long time. – We need these titles, partly because we are nowhere near being able to compete on ticket prices, she says. – Important for the New Norwegian Theater Manager at Det Norske Teatret, Erik Ulfsby, does not agree at all. – It is important for Nynorsk that it can also be commercial, he says. Erik Ulfsby is theater director at the Norwegian Theatre. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein, news The Norske Teatret, which receives around NOK 175 million from the state budget, will promote Nynorsk by only performing theater in this target form. – We cannot take Folketeateret into account here. We have been doing big musicals for many years and we will continue to do so, replies Ulfsby. Looking forward to playing Elsa It is not the first time Folketeateret has criticized Det Norske Teateret. In 2018, they reacted to the Nynorsk theater staging the successful musical “The Book of Mormon”. Which was a great financial success for the institutional theatre. Whether “Frost” does as well remains to be seen. Mimmi Tamba, who will play Elsa, is looking forward to playing one of the world’s biggest film idols anyway. – It will be a real challenge. Many people know this role well. But I intend to do my version, she says.
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The “Frost” musical is coming to Norway – news Culture and entertainment
