Eanu — Underground House
2006
Baivas Sami Theather, The Kautokeino Cultural Centre, Guovdageaidnu, Norway
Eanu, Underground House is a theatre performance built on Anton Pavlovitsj Tsjekhov’s “Uncle Vanya”. In 1899, Uncle Vanya was staged at the new Art Theater in Moscow by Konstantin Stanislavski. Chekhov’s text is transformed from Uncle Vanya’s time to the present day.
Director Harriet Nordlund saw Inghild Karlsen’s sculpture and was challenged by the artist to consider what might happen within it. After some thought, Nordlund concluded that the sculpture would be the perfect setting for Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya”.
The stage sculpture draws inspiration from the Koryak people’s building traditions, traditions that live within the Russian Empire.
The story is set on a small coastal Sami farm that, along with fishing, provides a livelihood for a family in the northern regions.
The play’s director witnesses Chekhov’s text taking over and the rehearsal turning into a performance, in which the characters attempt to piece together fragments of their life stories.
Scenography and costumes: Inghild Karlsen
Director: Harriet Nordlund
Photo: Marit Anna Evanger
