Quiet but hysterical

Some might find the performance "Troll" a bit childish. But I thought it was fun. A play doesn't need a message to be good.

By Nathaniel Karstensen Hauger

"Troll" is a performance that was performed at the Market for Music and Performing Arts at Hjertnes Kulturhus in Sandefjord. It is performed by the duo Marie Kallevik and Anna Marie who clown around on stage and create a lot of life. During this performance, we were told the trolls' side of the story. Trolls are often described as dangerous and scary, but here we saw a completely different side of them. These trolls were happy, funny and silly. 

I sat at the front of the small room. There was little light in our room, but there were some bright lights on the stage. When everyone had sat down, they started playing the music “No church in the wild”. And then two ladies came on stage. They were wearing green tights and green sweaters, they had long noses and orange wigs. They didn’t say much, but they danced to the music. The tempo was fast, but they moved their arms slowly. When they first spoke, it was in a deep voice. I found them very happy, which I also got from watching them.

Some people might think the show is a bit childish because they joke around a lot. But I still thought it was fun. A play doesn't need a message to be good. And the way they included the audience was really cool to see. Like when one of the actors walked off stage, right up to us in the audience and walked from person to person and looked us in the eyes, it felt like she was looking right through me. I got a feeling that my stomach was a little queasy, and I myself don't want to have to go on stage so I was afraid of it. There was someone who had to go on stage, it looked a bit fun and she was really into it, she enjoyed it because she had to help one of the actors who had gotten stuck in a chair out of it. At the very end of the show they took questions from those in the audience, which was actually a bit nice. 

It was funny that there was always something happening, it was never boring. They kept a very fast pace throughout the entire show, and that was something that kept me following the whole time. But I actually think they could have had more content in the show. They did a lot of the same things over and over again, for example when they talked about the set design, they talked about it several times. It was kind of funny the first time, but the more times they talk about the same thing, the less funny it becomes. The show could have been a little longer with a little more new content. 

Still, "Troll" is a very funny play. A bit childish, but I still think it's a fantastic play. I think it should be rated 13+ because there's no harsh humor. Everyone around me thought it was funny, and I felt the same way.

From being skeptical to having a fit of laughter

Walking into a room with an expectation of what the next 40 minutes will be like, and then walking out with a completely different experience, is a strange feeling. That's what happened with "Troll." 

By Lina Hammer Blix

What made the biggest impression on me during the performance was that the actors on stage managed to tell a little story while maintaining the audience's interest through laughter and clowning. For example, when they were in the middle of telling the troll's version of the famous story of Bukkene Bruse. They kept their focus on the audience the whole time and included us as much as possible. Sitting and just watching can be fun, but being included as much as we were here was something completely different. 

If I had to describe the performance in one word, I would have chosen clowning, which the actors clearly express that "Troll" should circulate around. The actors Marie Kallevik Straume and Anna Marie Simonsen built every part of the performance on humor and kept the humor up throughout the entire performance. Even though they were in the middle of telling a story, they did so with both physical and a little verbal clowning so that laughter filled the room from all sides.

The performance took place on one of the smaller stages at Hjertnes during the Market for Music and Performing Arts. The target audience was youth/adults aged 16-19. To be completely honest, I thought the target audience was a bit unnecessarily high. I think that all young people from the age of 13 and up could find this performance fun. I see no reason why the age group should be so high. There were no points during the performance where I thought that this is something younger young people cannot see or understand. 

Before the show, I was a little unsure of what to expect. I knew that it would focus on "storytelling" and a "good dose of nonsense," because I had read what the show was about beforehand. But I was still skeptical about whether the humor of the show would resonate with me. I actually thought that the humor might be a bit "kindergarten humor," since it was about trolls, after all. But it went beyond all expectations. As long as I sat in the room, I couldn't stop laughing at all the funny things the actors were doing on stage.

Some might say that the show was a bit childish since they repeat things many times and that they use minimal words and an extreme amount of body language, but I didn't think so. The fact that the actors rehearse and use more body language than words is just part of the charm of the show. Without these things, the show wouldn't have been the same.

When I read about what Troll was going to be about in the brochure both before and after the performance, it said that it was going to be about physical comedy, storytelling, scapegoats, long noses, clowning and a good dose of nonsense. All of this was present in its own way, but when it came to storytelling, it seemed a bit weak. I think perhaps the storytelling was overshadowed by all the comedy. If I were to change one thing, it would probably be this. I would have maybe added a couple of minutes where the storytelling in the performance could have been in the spotlight. Which would have been perfectly fine and not made it too long. Since it only lasted 40 short minutes, after all.

The impression I have now after seeing “Troll” is that things may not always be as you think. As I said, I went in with a completely different expectation than when I left. Troll surprised me in a positive way and I recommend everyone to see it if you have the opportunity.

Crazy funny 

Do you love to laugh? Or haven't laughed in a while? Then this is something for you. The performance "Troll" masters the delicate balance between telling an important story and making the audience die of laughter. 

By Aurora Eftedal

This performance was performed at Hjertnes Kulturhus in Sandefjord during the Market for Music and Performing Arts. The actors Marie Kallevik and Anna Marie Simonsen have performed the performance "Troll" over 70 times abroad. It seemed so, because they were very confident in their roles throughout the performance. 

According to the program, "Troll" is intended for 16-19 years old, and it fits in some ways. There is a lot of repetition that I think 14-year-olds could also find funny, but at the same time I don't think all younger children would have understood all the humor. For example, when they took up some posters in English. Then it went a little fast. 

The performance opened with the two trolls running onto the stage wearing green hoodies, tights and some kind of black panties underneath. They were wearing long troll noses and blonde wigs. The audience immediately burst into laughter, and it set the mood right away. The actors came jumping onto the stage while shouting “Sandefjord!!”. It made me feel included. They had incredibly good energy throughout the performance, which brought a smile to everyone in the audience. 

Troll is a performance that wants to involve the audience as much as possible. The actors both walked around the hall and stood on stage while staring at you as if they were staring into your soul. They had a tight gaze when they looked at you. It felt like you had taken something from them or had done something wrong.  

The play lasted 40 minutes. It was a good time to end, because then they had time to have a round of questions while still in their roles. It was really fun when the audience could also make suggestions that the actors had to take on board. 

When it comes to sound and lighting, I have nothing to complain about. There was good sound throughout the concert and a lot of light changes that meant it didn't become flat or boring. The costumes and set design were also important. The actors used the set design actively by pretending they didn't know that the things on stage were set design, but later they "figured out" it. The performance was played in a relatively small hall, which made you feel closer and more involved.   

The impression I have in the end is a message that you don't need to take yourself so seriously. In a society where there is a lot of pressure on young people and to fit in and be A4, these show that you don't need to, it's okay to be a little weird, maybe as weird as a troll? It's important to have some role models, and I think these ladies are some great examples.