KLEMET
Environmental theater scene in Hemnes, Norway for a play about the dramatic life of a powerful shaman Klemet turning the whole valley into a shaman drum.
Around 1900 the shaman Klemet was living in between the glacier of the highest peaks of Okstindan and the farmers in the valley. He was a sami, torn between living the traditional samiway of life and the life of the farmers. His life is still very strongly in the memory of the farmers in the valley, where he was playing the role of an outcast. Not many years ago the heller was blown to pieces in a cultural sabotage. The play is therefore a psychological liberation of the valley. The whole community was playing a part, either through acting or producing the play.
During the iceage, the glacier covered the land and left big stones when the glacier withdrew. Below the glacier of Okstindan you can see these stones scattered around the hills. Under one of this, by the river originating from the glacier, the shaman Klemet Person built his home. Using traditional sami buildingteqniques, moss, trees, grass he made a nest for himself, his wife and his children.
The scenography is a mixture between land-art and theatre. All elements are made from natural or recycled materials originating from the valley and organized to fit the theatric scene.
Stage towers: Main purpose is acting as a tower for light and sound, but also as two eyes constantly overlooking the public, constantly reminding them that they are overlooked by some greater power. The stage towers are made of recycled wood from an abonded house.
Haystacks: The farmers natural habitat, growing the earth. They vary in height from 1 - 4 m, the size of houses, acting as curtains, making space for the actors choreography.
Heller: The stone were Klemet lived – a mixture between glacier, stone and traditional sami buildingteqhniques. This is the magical object where Klemet found his home, and which subsequently was blown to pieces in a cultural sabotage.
Sittingplaces: made of tree stumps from local sawmills.
Architecture & Scenography: Hans-Petter Bjørnådal
Art director: Ada Einmo Jurgensen
Idea: Kjell Joar Pettersen-Øverleir
Playwright: Stig Bang
Composer: Kjell Joar Pettersen-Øverleir
Orchestra: Tor Petter Aanes
Technical staff: Nordland Teater
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