Theatre Isenkram to visit the Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary

Director Nils Petter Mørland and Theatre Isenkram will perform with their show Lekene Slår Tilbake! (The Toys Strikes Back!) – which is an improvised theatre for children aged 5 to 10. The stories are based on the improvised games that children perform between themselves, therefore the stories change from one day to another.  Still the theme remains the same; - creation and transformation. From what -  and when does theatre become theatre,  is the underlying question of the exercise. The actors enter the unknown, exciting and funny stories with the children, who assist in the progress of the stories as they unfold through their suggestions and participation. The children are welcomed to bring their own toys to the show, which will then be used in the show. Theatre Isenkram takes children’s play seriously and celebrates the deep interconnection that exists between theatre and children's play.             

Musician David Pagen of theatre NIE is part of the tour. This performance has toured extensively abroad at festivals in Germany (Mannheim/Stuttgart), Latvia (Riga), Estland and Lithuania and the Cultural Rucksack in Norway.

The 10 day festival is a combination of performances and workshops where participants come together to share and critique each other’s skills. For many years, the Pulver festival in Oslo partnered with the Canadian embassy to offer financial prizes that many of the winners of their improvisation competition used to further their performing training - often coming to Calgary.  

Norwegians have been coming to Calgary to train at the Loose Moose International Improvisation Intensive every summer for nearly 20 years.  17 years ago the famous Norwegian comedian Harald Eia was one of the first students. In 2009 there were five students from Oslo and Bergen mixed in with students from eight other countries.

Theatre Isenkram's visit to the Festival is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Embassy in Canada.