In Search of Ancient Treasures from Romeo and Juliet
In Search of Ancient Treasures from Romeo and Juliet
(THE PERFORMANCE OF ROMEO AND JULIET HAS BEEN CANCELED)
— When we use words that have already been spoken, it feels natural to use costumes that have already been worn, explains the set and costume designer for Romeo and Juliet, Sanna Dembowski. She is currently rummaging through Kilden’s storage—in search of old treasures she can use to create the show’s universe.
As Kilden prepares to stage Shakespeare’s classic *Romeo and Juliet*, everyone involved is delving deeply into the material, rediscovering the words, the emotions, and the story. This is also true for set and costume designer Sanna.
“I spend a lot of time with the actors and the director, and I’ve been involved in rehearsals from the very beginning. I see how the play develops, and I select both the costumes and the set design as the process unfolds,” she explains, adding:
— It can be somewhat limiting to decide too much before rehearsals begin. When director Laurent Chétouane takes us so deeply into the text, we sometimes arrive at conclusions that are completely different from what we had initially thought. In that case, it feels completely natural to me that the costumes and set design also take shape along the way.
— I find things I could never have thought of myself
The collaboration with director Laurent Chétouane has been going on for over 20 years.
“We’ve been working together on about one production a year ever since around 2000, and even though we’ve changed as people over the past 20 years, the dynamic between us has remained the same the whole time,” says Sanna.
Since rehearsals began, she has spent a lot of time in Kilden’s storage room, searching for treasures she can use to create the show’s world. Whether it’s costumes, set design, or props—Sanna wants to use what’s Kilden available at Kilden .
— I find it very inspiring to workpeople . When I search through the archives I findI things I could never have thought of myself – things that fits even better than anything Icould for myself. And I really have to say that working with Shakespeare is incredibly fascinating. It’s a whole universe of its own, and the complexity of the characters makes the work incredibly exciting, she smiles.
She has loved theater for as long as she can remember
For Sanna, her interest in theater stemmed from her main hobbies as a child.
“I’ve always loved drawing and reading, and when I got involved in theater, I realized that theater was actually a combination of my greatest interests. So theater has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she explains.
This is the second time she and director Laurent Chétouane have visited Kilden. The last time they were here was for Anton Chekhov’s *The Cherry Orchard* in 2021/2022. She says she loves working in Norway, and at Kilden :
“There’s a general sense of positivity here that you don’t find in many other places. Everyone involved in the production, all the workshops, and everyone else I meet here are very friendly and supportive, with a genuine desire to help. That makes it especially nice to work here,” she says.
9. On February 9, this world-renowned play will premiere at Kilden. We look forward to delving into the text together with the audience—and perhaps discovering some new aspects of this classic play.