Engaging fiction for body and mind

THE SUSIE WANG THEATER GROUP CREATES UNCONVENTIONAL, GROTESQUE, AND FUNNY THEATER THAT CHALLENGES AUDIENCES IN NEW WAYS. MEET DIRECTOR TRINE FALCH.

You are directing Susie Wang’s new (as yet untitled) production, which will have its world premiere at Kilden on October Kilden . What can the audience expect to see?

– A story about a couple on a long-awaited vacation, in search of sunshine. It begins as a happy vacation idyll, but through a series of unfortunate circumstances, the characters become entangled in an absurd nightmare. We want to show that we humans are connected to everything around us, and that we do not necessarily control all the forces within us or in nature. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where, through no fault of our own, we become victims of given circumstances. In our plays, therefore, weather, wind, sun, earth, plants, and objects can play just as significant a role as the people.

Does Susie Wang think rationality is rather overrated?

– Yes! We challenge the notion that humans are rational beings who act sensibly. We are probably much more driven by emotion than we like to think. Our plays explore the primal forces and instincts that reside within the human animal, and how, in certain situations, they can break through the civilized facade.

– We try to create theater that resonates with people physically as much as it does mentally.

You often use special effects, exaggerations, and strong theatrical devices that can trigger physical reactions in the audience. Why?

– We try to create theater that resonates with people physically as much as it does mentally. We often start with everyday situations and stretch them as far as our imagination will take us. It often gets pretty out there, sometimes grotesque, but always funny—at least that’s what we think.

Are you experimenting with genres like melodrama and horror?

– We’re inspired by film, which is, of course, a medium for powerful emotions. A good film can leave you feeling exhausted after engaging your senses, emotions, and intellect. Just like in film, music is a very important element in Susie Wang’s performances. Our composer, Martin Langlie, creates music that evokes emotions in an incredibly effective way—emotions it’s impossible to shield yourself from.

You were a member of the performance collective Baktruppen, which, over the course of 25 years, challenged traditional theater through its ironic, playful, and avant-garde approach. How did this influence you when you founded Susie Wang in 2017?

– While Baktruppen created realistic performances without linear narratives or defined roles, Susie Wang seeks to find new paths into fiction, crafting theatrical narratives with a beginning and an end. Our lives are so chaotic, and we use fiction to create a small sense of coherence in a world that doesn’t make sense.

ABOUT TRINE FALCH

• Performing artist. In 2017, she helped establish the theater group Susie Wang, which also includes Martin Langlie, Mona Solhaug, and Bo Krister Wallström.
• Helped establish Verdensteateret in 1986 and later became a member of the performance collective Baktruppen (from 1988 to 2007)
• Resident Playwright at Dramatikkens Hus /2016–17

Text: Ingrid Anthonsen