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• I am - Unge Viken Teater

I am - Unge Viken Teater

One day, as Erlend and Alma celebrate the fact that they're alive (they're real! How wonderful!), they suddenly receive a message from the King. The message is: "Congratulations on your existence! Welcome to life! I command you to be your true selves! Greetings from His Majesty the King"

So that's what Erlend and Alma are trying to do. But what on earth does it mean to be yourself? Is there such a thing as being yourself? Is there a core within themselves? Is it something they can create? Something they can decide? A special outfit? A characteristic they have? What does the King mean?

Target group: 3-6 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Venue: Sentralen, The Vault

"I am!" is a playful performance that celebrates identity and self-worth. The performance will encourage the young audience to use their expert skills as playmates, to become people who are all-encompassing! We can take on many different roles and costumes, play at being more than we thought we were and dared to be - while always being ourselves. And we can be all of this without having a luminous core inside us that shows the way. Only by groping, trying, playing can we be ourselves, always.

I can be just me
Think of a hundred nice ways
Don't find, don't look
We are all beautiful riddles
Quite similar, quite unique
You are you
I am me
You are you and I am me

- Lyrics by Mariko Miyata-Jancey, to a melody by Marte Røyeng -

The material for "I am!" was gathered from kindergartens in Akershus and Oslo together with researcher Johanne Ilje-Lien at the Department of Early Childhood Education at OsloMet. An extra thank you to the children and adults at Etterstad barnehage and Kjeller barnehage.

Playwright and choreographer Mariko Miyata-Jancey has also written the children's book "Mieko dances", which revolves around the same theme.

Cast: 

Playwright: Mariko Miyata-Jancey
With: Erlend Auestad Danielsen, Alma Bø
Direction and choreography: Mariko Miyata-Jancey
Set design and costumes: Frankie (aka Ida-Marie Højris)
Dramaturg: Lina Killingdalen
Researcher: Johanne Ilje-Lien
Composer: Marte Røyeng
Artistic consultation: Karstein Solli
Produced by Unge Viken Teater
Photo: Tale Hendnes