Culpa

“We have turned the earth into a slaughterhouse!”—a line taken from Jens Bjørneboe’s famous poem “Mea Maxima Culpa” (My Great Guilt) made a strong impression when I read it as the pandemic broke out. Bjørneboe questions duty and responsibility—and points the finger directly at all of us when he says, “what one has sinned, all have done.”  The poem serves as the starting point for the text Culpa! by slam poet Taro Vestøl Cooper, based on an idea by director Mine Nilay Yalcin. The text was developed in collaboration with young people from Kristiansand and was one of Kilden contributions to the Bjørneboe anniversary in 2020.  

When Covid-19 hit, we quickly realized that we wouldn’t be able to hold Culpa! as originally conceived—namely as a street theater performance where we would address young people directly, on their turf in the schoolyard, at the youth club, in urban spaces, between high-rises, and in parks. We had to find an alternative way to convey the text that functioned as an integral part of the artistic expression, and not merely as a stopgap solution. It would also be a different performance than what was originally planned. That is why Culpa! became Culpa! in a state of emergency.  

In the performance, the actors performed directly in front of a 360-degree camera at Kilden was streamed to the audience via YouTube. By moving their phone, tablet, or mouse, audience members could choose where to look. After the performance, they could chat live with the actors.