Meet Rune, Tinka's rescuer
The Play Tinka
Nearly 20 years ago, Norway first became acquainted with Rune Landås through the TV series *The Zookeepers* from Kristiansand Zoo and the NRK series *Folk*. Now, the show *Tinka* is coming toperforming arts centre Kilden performing arts centre by the story of the relationship between Rune and a tiger of the same name from the zoo.
Thousands of Norwegians watched on TV as Rune became the caregiver for little Tinka, who had been abandoned by her mother.
“Tinka’s mother was very young; sometimes a mother’s instincts aren’t quite there yet, so someone else had to step in,” says Rune.
It was a hectic time for Rune; Tinka was bottle-fed, and especially during the first two or three months, the bottle-feeding went on around the clock. Tinka grew, and soon became too big to fit in Rune’s arms. Eventually, it also became clear that the tiger cub Rune had been bottle-feeding would be moving on—specifically to Zoo de Servion in Switzerland.
As for Rune, he’s no longer a zookeeper at Kristiansand Zoo, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t surround himself with animals. “I need to have animals around me all the time; I’d struggle if I didn’t,” says the energetic Southerner with a smile.
Because even though Tinka the tiger is no longer a part of Rune’s life—at least not in the same way as before—animals remain a very important part of his life, both professionally and personally.
Today, Rune is a course instructor in animal and natural sciences at Kristiansand Folk High School and a farmer who raises sheep and cattle and manages a forest, to name a few of his activities.
From domestic animals to exotic species threatened with extinction, Tinka was born in captivity as part of a breeding program. For Rune, this is an important aspect of the story.
– It’s important to give the story of Tinka—and other animals, for that matter—a little more depth. After all, they’re here to ensure the survival of their species; we mustn’t forget that.
The production *Tinka* takes several artistic liberties, as is often the case with artistic and cultural expressions. On stage, traditional storytelling, song, and music are accompanied by elements such as sand animation and powerful audiovisual effects. While the drama unfolds on stage at Kilden , the Siberian tiger Tinka may Kilden relaxing in a zoo in Switzerland, completely unaware that a performance inspired by her life is taking place on stage in Kristiansand.
