Somewhere or Other is the fourth production by Øystein Johansen to be presented by Black Box teater.
Johansen has developed a stylised, physical language that triggers an instinctive quality in the performers. In this new work, Johansen and collaborators explore how an ordinary situation can be manipulated from within, leading one to doubt one’s perception of reality.
Short interview with Øystein Johansen:
How did this project start? “I read a draft of a manuscript by Malmfrid Hovsveen Hallum. She had gained access to documents in the Stasi archives and interviewed people with knowledge of the extensive surveillance that had taken place. She heard an incredible story about someone who unknowingly married a spy and ended up leading a falsified life.”
What is at stake in this piece? “The topical relevance of surveillance. Politically and financially motivated surveillance is on the rise and threatens the right to privacy. Information and power is being exploiting out of fear of losing control. Individuals can unwittingly get caught up in a power game.”
What drives you as an artist? “Isolation is a key concern. I work a lot with improvisation based on restrictions in order to trigger the performer. Isolation is also a theme in my work. What happens when individuals become outcasts imprisoned in their own lives? I want to create an experience for the audience, but art should also demand something of them. I want to make the audience aware of the significance of their presence to what is happening on stage.”
