Cirkus Cirkör: «Havfruen»

As a tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen anniversary, the Danish theatre Kaleidoskop and the Swedish contemporary circus company Cirkus Cirkör created “Havfruen“ based on “The Little Mermaid,“ one of HC Andersen‘s most complex (and autobiographical?) tales. Not as innocent as Disney would like us to believe, “The Mermaid“ is a story about sexual awakening, the courage to go against “nature“ and become something one was not intended to be – and the subsequent realisation of its impossibility.

In comparison to the over-the-top burlesque of “Romeo and Juliet,“ the first collaboration between theatre director Katrine Wiedemann and circus director Tilde Björfors, this is a very different kind of performance. “Havfruen“ is created in the post modern minimalist style of Robert Wilson that demands the audience to stay alert – with eyes and minds wide open – and those who do are richly rewarded. The imaginative set design by Martin Tulinius features a mezzanine stage that can be lowered, raised, turned and tilted to give the impression of an under- and above-water level, a meadow, a wall etc. Just as stimulating is the light design by Mikael Sylvest and composition by Mads Ljungdahl that ...