Reykjavík Grapevine - 21.06.2019, Síða 23

Open That Mother-
Fringing Curtain
The Reykjavík Fringe Festival is back
and wackier than evern
Last year’s Reykjavík Fringe Festival
blew the roof off of Iceland’s alternative
theatre scene, and this year, it’s back—
bigger, and fringier, than ever.
“We have around 100 shows spanning
265 hours of performances happening
over just six days,” beams Jessica LoMo-
naco, production manager of the festi-
val. “Yes, in just one year, we’ve doubled
in size,” adds festival director Nanna
Gunnars. With big smiles on their faces,
the two talk like kids waiting to blow
out their birthday candles. They’re sim-
ply bursting with excitement as June
29th, and the first day of the festival,
approaches.
The more, the merrier
While last year’s Fringe was extensive,
this year’s iteration is even more broad,
including not only traditional theatre,
but burlesque, stand-up comedy, dance
performances, silent discos, puppet
shows, digital art, and so much more.
It’ll also include special workshops and
the premiere of Reykjavík’s Youth Fringe
Festival, which will see teenagers take
over the Tjarnarbíó stage to show their
stuff.
“We realised no younger teenagers
were applying, but we know that they are
out there making art,” explains Jessica.
“We wanted to make it easier for them
to become part of the Fringe, now and in
the future. We are putting them on our
biggest stage with professional tech and
professional lighting. It’s a full profes-
sional production,” she says, glowing
with pride about the close-to-her-heart
segment.
Political theatre
Each year is different, Jessica and Nanna
emphasise, not only in terms of per-
formers but also subject matter. This
year proves to be even more political. “It’s
interesting seeing what themes come up
each year,” says Nanna. “Now everyone
is really concerned about plastic use and
saving the environment, and we’re get-
ting theatre that addresses that.”
Jessica nods. “There’s one show, ‘Liq-
uid States,’ which addresses issues of
water in the world using video, acting,
and shadow puppets,” she explains.
“That’s the thing about Fringe,” Nanna
interjects. “It’s so current. For example,
there’s a video performance about asexu-
ality, called ‘A Sexual Series,’ and people
might not be aware of what asexuality is.
It’s exactly what’s happening right now.”
Love onstage
Picking shows they are particularly ex-
cited out proves to be an impossible task
for the duo. Bouncing off each other,
they immediately name more than ten
they can’t wait to see, starting with last
year’s audience picks ‘Goodbye Gunther’
and ‘American Single.’ The latter is a live
date, which turned out to be a hoot and
a half onstage.
They also name ‘Bleach,’ a story about
a gay man in the sex industry, Kimi Tay-
ler’s silent disco, Nordic House’s interac-
tive Romeo & Juliet performance, and
‘Mojave,’ a show about a phone booth
in the middle of the Mojave desert, as
particularly not-to-miss performances.
“Ok, we should stop,” Jessica says. “We
could go on forever.” The women break
out into giggles like best friends at a
sleepover party. “We just love Fringe!”
Words:
Hannah Jane
Cohen
Photo:
Art Bicnick
Words:
Alexander Le
Sage de Fontenay
Photo:
Daníel
Þorsteinsson
CULTURE
NEWS
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DREAMS
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Neither of these people have bangs. Are we at the right festival?
TRPTYCH’s Techno Trilogy
Local techno project TRPTYCH’s second album, it’s more
melodic direction and blending together music and design.
Around five years ago, veteran Icelan-
dic techno label Thule Records caught
the attention of well-respected Rus-
sian DJ and трип Records founder
Nina Kraviz. Since then, трип Records
has included Icelandic techno artists
Bjarki, Exos and Biogen on their their
LPs, EPs and compilations and held
three unforgettable dance-events
out in Icelandis nature. These efforts
have been a welcome boost for the
local techno scene, aided Icelanders
to further contribute to it and helped
new producers to come to the fore.
Recent additions to the scene in-
clude TRPTYCH—the techno project
of local drummer-designer Daníel
Þorsteinsson—whose second album
Festival
The Reykjavík
Fringe Festival
runs from June
29th-July 6th.
Festival passes are
9,900 ISK. Prices for
individual shows
vary. Get more info
at rvkfringe.is
Music
Listen to and
buy TRPTYCH’s
new album
‘Anarchist’s
Adjustment at
trptych.com
and trptych.
bandcamp.
com. For news
and updates,
find TRPTYCH on
Instagram and
Facebook.
‘Anarchist's Adjustment’ was re-
leased on June 7th. Before dedicat-
ing his time to techno, Daníel was
known as a key member of well-
known rock band Maus and electro
pop group Sometime.
TRPTYCH’s first EP, ‘V.1’, was
released in 2016, two EPs were re-
leased on Spanish techno label Dif-
ferent Is Different in 2017 and its de-
but LP ‘Tempt Me’ was released last
November. ‘Anarchist's Adjustment’
is the project’s fifth release and part
two of a trilogy started with ‘Tempt
Me’.
In a written statement, Daníel
speaks of ‘Anarchist's Adjustment’
as a new chapter in TRPTYCH’s his-
tory, where he ventures into more
melodic territory. The production
presents a warmer approach to
techno—while still retaining the
project’s undeniably frosty vibe—
than heard on previous releases.
Daníel works as a designer and
is in control of the visual aspect
of TRPTYCH, as well. Resulting in
very “designed music” or “musical
designs,” as he puts it. The album
cover is a self portrait of the musi-
cian half-hidden under a veil of dig-
itally-manipulated facial and body
features. Which is in-tune with the
lawless techno songs which have an
underlying-melodic pop element.
The third installment of the TRP-
TYCH trilogy is in the early stages
of development
Cool Cuts
Bíó Paradís Summer Schedule
Various Days/Times/Prices -
Bíó Paradís
This summer at Bíó Paradís,
Reykjavík’s premier arthouse
cinema, you can look forward to a
smorgasbord of depravity, romance
and slightly silly costumes as they
screen a variety of classic Icelandic
films. ‘When The Raven Flies’, widely
regarded as the best Icelandic film
of all time, displays ‘the brutality of
the Iceland of yore’, while ‘101
Reykjavík’ offers romance, snow
and a very attractive flamenco
dancer. Don’t worry—that’s just the
beginning. FR
Disability, Unrestrained
Bára: INvalid / ÖRyrki
July 1st, 2nd, 3rd - 21:00 -
Listastofan - Free!
Bára Halldórsdóttir, hero of Iceland,
instigator of Klausturgate, and
bearer of orange hair, is disabled
and unashamed of it. In this
installation, which is part of the
Reykjavík Fringe Festival, she’ll let us
in on her daily life as a disabled
individual by putting herself on
display. The goal is that those
without an illness or handicap can
understand the everyday struggles
of the ill or handicapped. Follow her
on Snapchat, Facebook, or
Instagram for a preview. HJC
Pls respond...
American Single
July 1st, 3rd, 5th - Various Times -
Hard Rock Café - 1,000 ISK
Imagine this: A girl travels to a
new country, downloads Tinder,
invites someone on a date, and
subsequently has that titillating
romantic experience onstage
in front of a live audience. Well,
welcome to ‘American Single.’ The
show, by Olivia Finnegan, took the
Reykjavík Fringe Festival by storm
last year, and now Olivia is back
and single-er than ever. If you’re
interested in getting in on the date,
download Tinder and start swiping.
HJC