The White Falcon - 12.02.1971, Blaðsíða 6

Page 6
THE WHITE FALCON
February 12, 1971
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Icelandic National Theater:
“Svartfugl” in rehearsal stage
by OT3 Ken Burrows
The Icelandic National Theater, which emerged from an amateur group
in Reykjavik, has been active for over 20 years. It is a state sup-
ported theater, appropriating nearly 50 percent of its funds from the
government, while the remaining funds are drawn through annual box
office sales.
Gudlaugur Rdsinkranz, who came to the National Theater from the
Northern Theatrical Society, is currently managing director. In this
capacity, he acts as coordinator between the theater and the state,
deciding both theatrical policy and the plays to be performed.
Icelandic theater is,in the highest sense of the word, profession-
al. Membership is severely limited with approximately 17 members.
They have undergone training in the theater-affiliated drama school
which runs a three-year program. Entrance into this school is quite
difficult, for although no previous schooling is necessary, entrance
requirements include readings, acting sequences and general knowledge
exams. About 30 applicants are initially accepted, but only eight or
nine are screened into school. Resultant salaries upon graduation
are considerably comfortable, ranging up to about 40,000 Kronur a
month.
The National Theater has not been narrowed to its native culture,
for although it boasts some extremely prominent playwrights, such as
Halldor Laxness, it has performed many plays by Ibsen, Brecht, Miller,
O'Neill and Shake- __................-..
speare. Iceland-
ic people prefer
strong drama, as
can be evidenced
by the long run-
ning performan-
ces of "Death of
A Salesman" by
Arthur Miller or
" A Long Day's
Journey Into
Night" by Eugene
O'Neill.
Plays at the
theater run as
long as there is
apopular demand.
Annually,attend
ance runs well
ARNASON
over 80,000.
The musical, "Fiddler on thi
Roof," and "The Icelandic CL
by Laxness, both held over
performance s.
The troupe puts on about ten
plays, operas or musicals a year.
Generally, performances are in
Icelandic, however Italian and
other foreign operas are often
sung in the original language.
There is about a six-week pre-
paration in which rehearsals run
four hoursa day, six days a week.
Sunday and Monday evenings are
the only times that are left free.
Tuesday through Saturday evening
is spent putting on live perfor-
mances of a play that had been
rehearsed several weeks prior.
Occasionally, the troupe tours
Iceland and has performed in Scan-
dinavian countries. Their tours
are not, however, regularly plan-
ned, but are often the result of
invitations.
Rehearsals this week are beini
directed by Benedikt Amason, fi
the production of "Svartfugll
It is a play based on an actu<
murder case that occured in a
mote area on the west coast of
Iceland over 170 years ago. The
story is a love affair ending in
tragedy, with the execution of
the man and the eventual death in
prison of the woman. The man was
executed in Norway because no
Icelandic felt the case or the
punishment was justifiable. It
is far from melodramatic, involv-
ing conflicts of conscience and
religion.
The theater has a 661-seat ca-
pacity and average prices run
about 160 Kronur for the balcony
and 290 Kronur for the main floor.
Prices vary with specific per-
formances. Shows usually begin
at 8 p.m. and
reservations can
be made by call-
ing 1-1200 in
Reykjavik, be-
tween 1:15 and 8
p.m. weekdays.
Tickets are also
available at the
box office.
This weekend
there will be a
ballet perfor-
mance featuring
Helgi Tomasson
and Elisabe
Carroll. Sh<
are Saturday
8 p.m. and Sun-
day at 3 p.m.

son
W
ROSINKRANZ