Manusforfattere fra «Makta» til Kilden Teater
Screenwriters from “Makta” to Kilden
In the fall of 2026, Kilden Theatre and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra have the pleasure of presenting the story of the Arendal Crash on the main stage in Kilden performing arts centre. The play, which is currently untitled, dramatizes the landmark economic collapse of Arendal in 1886. Citizens, seafarers and farmers lost their jobs and money, and the bankruptcies that followed sent one of Norway's richest cities of the time over the edge, with ripple effects that affected the city, the region and Norway many decades later.
- This is a short story about betrayal, embezzlement and megalomania from our own region, an event that contributed to the founding of one of Norway's largest political parties," says theater manager Valborg Frøysnes.
In the aftermath of the Arendal crash, workers gathered at Barbu outside Arendal and founded one of Norway's most powerful and largest political parties of all time, the Labor Party. And the Labour Party is no stranger to the duo who will write the script for the production. The TV series Makta tells an engaging story about the power struggle in the Labor Party around 50 years ago and is written by Kristin Grue, Silje Storstein and Johan Fasting, an effort for which they won Best Script at Gullruten in 2024. Of the three, it is Kristin Grue and Silje Storstein who will make their script debut for the theater, about a story that until recently was completely unknown to them.
Never heard of the Arendal crash
- We had never heard of the Arendal crash before Kilden contacted us, and were immediately fascinated. Little did we know that a grand swindler with an enormous whiskers was partly to blame for the founding of the Labor Party! So this was a story we were very curious about, and we think it will be very exciting to write for the stage," says Kristin Grue.
In addition, the experienced theater director Ole Andreas Tandberg has agreed to help breathe new life into the story of the Arendal crash and bring Grue and Storstein's text to life.
The story has been told before, including by Johs. G. Torstveit in the book Storsvindel, bankkrakk og ny politisk part i Arendal 1886-88, and recentlythe novel Krakk, penned by author Guri Idsø Viken, tells the story of the spectacular financial collapse surrounding bank manager Axel Herlofson and Arendal Privatbank. The launch has brought new focus to a crisis that has probably been swept under the carpet for a long time.
Working for a long time
- "We've been working on realizing this idea for a long time, and we weren't aware of Idsø Viken's novel. Our production will not be a direct dramatization of the book, but we have a good dialogue with the author and we're looking into how we can work together," assures theatre manager Frøysnes.
The play, which premieres in September 2026, will be Kilden biggest production of the season.
The theater director is looking forward to seeing the play take shape.
- "This will be a magnificent production with a large ensemble of actors and musicians on stage. We can't wait to get started with such talented and exciting forces both on the script and on the direction.
The production about Arendalskrakket is supported by Sør-fondet, a gift foundation from Sparebanken Sør