Jørgen Moesvei no 13
Today I watched "Jørgen Moesvei nr 13", which is an imaginative play where a house and his "friends" are demolished. This is a story about friendship, modernization and selfishness, with a great message for young people!
The show started with two ladies telling the audience that they're going to tear down Hjertnes and all the other theaters in Norway. I thought this was an exciting twist, i.e. to include something that could have happened and "trick" the children a little. It was an interesting start, which I also think the children enjoyed.
The action in the play was very imaginative and creative, and seemed well thought out. However, it seemed that the children didn't quite understand the plot, as some advanced words were used. Furthermore, the humor in the performance was not entirely successful, as it was mostly the adults who laughed. The only time the children laughed was when violence and exaggeration were included, and that wasn't very often.
Personally, I found the storyline a bit childish, and I felt like I was watching two children "playing", and not a performance. Of course, that might just be because I'm not a kid anymore. In any case, the children seemed to be enjoying themselves as there was noise and chaos on stage. It may not be the smartest thing to show children violent acts, but it turned out that this was what captivated them the most.
Another thing I'd like to comment on is the background of the stage, which was dressed in gloomy colors. This worked really well in relation to the action and where they were. The simple background put the house and the props in the center, which I liked very much. Still, I don't think gray colors are what captivates young children the most.
I also felt that the plot could be unclear at times, and it was sometimes difficult to follow. All in all, the story was creative and exciting, but there was a lot of exaggeration used which made it a bit grating. The dialog was quite good, but at times I felt there was little flow, which made it less authentic.
If there's one thing I'd like to praise more than anything else, it's the message that comes across in the play. That it's more important to have friends than to have money, and that it doesn't pay to be selfish. It was also made clear that things that are old and boring can be just as great as the new. The children also got a glimpse of the modernization that took place in older times.
In short, this show is quite an interesting performance, showing many aspects of modernization today, and modernization in the past. It might be challenging to understand for the younger ones, but they might find it fun. In addition, the play includes the important messages I mentioned earlier. That's why I recommend this show to children first and foremost, but it can also be great for older people.