17-year-old Theodor, William, and Dominic, students at Kuben Upper Secondary School, recently completed a placement at Scenekunstbruket and Kloden Teater. During their time there, they worked extensively on creating films and interviews about upcoming performing arts productions. They also attended three different theater performances at three different venues in Oslo: Vega Scene, Det Norske Teatret, and Det Andre Teatret. In connection with the EU project 3Place, they discussed how a theater can become relevant to them and, with the construction of Kloden Teater underway, how they would like to be welcomed there. Their experiences varied, but they all walked away with strong impressions.

Theodor has always liked improvisation and was particularly excited about Maestro Impro at Det Andre Teatret. “I didn’t even know that improv was theater,” he said. “For me, it has always been more about entertainment.” He found the first performance they attended, Kvit norsk mann, to be very different from anything he had seen before, while Unlimited Voidwas “definitely SOMETHING – but I don’t know if there are words for it.”

William remembers Unlimited Void best, simply because it was “completely insane.” However, it was Kvit norsk mannthat left the biggest impression on him. “It addressed important and relevant topics in an engaging way. Something about it just sticks with you,” he explained. He was already familiar with the book the performance is based on, as his Norwegian teacher in middle school was a big fan. When it comes to theater in general, his experiences during the placement have made him more open-minded. “I’ve never been against theater, but I see it in a slightly different way now,” he said, though he found it difficult to pinpoint exactly what had changed.

For Dominic, this was not his first encounter with theater. He watched a lot as a child and had also attended performances with school before. “I’ve been to Det Norske Teatret before, and I really like it. The building is beautiful, the lobby is warm and inviting because of the lighting and all the wood – it just feels cozy,” he said. Unlimited Void made an impression, particularly because of the way it explored artificial intelligence and love. “Before the performance started, we wrote about what love meant to us in a book, and at first, I thought it was unrelated. But then it turned out to be exactly what the play was about,” he explained. He also felt that the presence of anime culture in the performance made sense. “Anime can take you out of the real world and give you a break – it felt right that the performance had that element.”

Dominic made a sketch of how he imagined the lobby and café area could look like at the future Kloden theater. He felt it was important that the seats and lounge area was visible from the outside, to give passers by a reason to go in. To make it warmer, cozier and with better acoustics he suggested to add a curtain seperating the café from the lobby and entrance area.

The theater buildings they visited also shaped their experiences. Theodor described Det Norske Teatret as “beautiful and fancy,” while Det Andre Teatret had a more relaxed and down-to-earth vibe. William liked the grandeur of Det Norske Teatret: “It feels classic and elegant,” he said, but added that Det Andre Teatret was still the coziest of them all. Dominic agreed that the atmosphere in theater buildings plays an important role. “For people to feel welcome in a theater, I think it has to feel homey,” he said, pointing out a challenge with the area around their school. “Kuben students often feel that Kuben is isolated. There’s nothing nearby – no places to buy food, nowhere to just hang out and have a good time. During breaks, we order food because there aren’t any other options.” The lack of quiet or private spaces at school also affects how students experience their daily lives. “People don’t really hang out in the library because it’s open and not quiet. There’s a long line in the cafeteria, and it’s really noisy upstairs in the library,” Dominic explained. He wishes for a place that feels more relaxed: “I would love some kind of cozy den. Something homely.”

Making theater a natural part of everyday life takes time. Theodor believes that a theater near the school will at first feel unfamiliar, but it’s about letting it grow into the environment. “People need to talk about it, get used to it,” he said. “Those who enter Kuben through the main entrance don’t see Kloden Teater – they don’t go that way. That’s something that needs to be solved.”

As their placement comes to an end, all three agree that it has been a great experience. They have seen theater in new ways and perhaps gained a broader perspective on what theater can be.

In our latest 3place podcast episode, Seda Witt and Ingeborg Larsen share their experiences from Into the Performance. How can play and performing arts methodologies transform theatre into a shared third space for children?

Into the Performance! is a workshop and performance designed for children aged 10. Created by Kloden Theatre, Ingeborg Larsen, Seda Witt, and Kjell Moberg, and in collaboration with The Cultural Schoolbag Oslo, this program has been offered to several school classes in Oslo.

Witt and Larsen introduce children to the tools and mechanisms of the theatre, fostering a co-creative audience. Through storytelling within a simple framework, and by using the children’s own dramaturgical abilities, they manage to make the theatre a safe space for creativity.

Into the Performance! is learning by doing, a physical experience about what the performing art experience is, and what a theatre house can be for the young.

Please note, as of August 2024, this conversation is available only in Norwegian.