The Basement - a living tribute to forgotten women's fates

When we release our early bird festival passes today, 30% off at 1:00 PM, we can also lift the veil on one of next year's great festival experiences: The Basement , by Jo Strømgren - one of Norway's most renowned choreographers. The performance takes us into the darkness - both physically and historically - and lets us meet four women who don't quite belong in our world, but who are not willing to disappear from it either.

Kjelleren av Jo Strømgren. Foto: Jubal Battisti

The basement opens as a kind of delirious tribute to the millions of women who throughout history were condemned to early death and oblivion, for no other “crime” than that they were women. Strømgren lets these figures emerge again in a space where dream, nightmare and reincarnation blend into each other. If we wake up from death as someone else – who will we become? And who will we be?

While the men continue the party upstairs, the four women try to orient themselves in their new realities. Or their multiple realities. Here a world emerges that is both morbid and beautiful, confusing and deeply human, where body, narrative and identity merge in Strømgren's distinctive expression.

The performance is an independent sequel to Loftet (2022), which focused on love between women. In Kjelleren, love revolves around those who are long dead and forgotten, but whose stories still refuse to let go. The certainty of their suffering gives them a kind of eternal life – and at the same time reminds us of how patriarchal the world still is.

Strømgren once again highlights love between women as an underrepresented theme in Norwegian performing arts. Although the theme is no longer seen as radical here at home, it is still important to highlight – both for society and for the individual who sees themselves reflected on stage.

Watch the trailer for the show here:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79d535_1357816ffdce4e8dbbe3596f9e7d6b8e/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Kjelleren is presented in collaboration with Dansenett Norge, and will be performed during the In2IT International Dance Festival in Kristiansund, March 8th , in Normoria.

Cast:

Choreography, scenography design: Jo Strømgren

Dancers: Henriette Hamli, Nora Svendgaard, Anna Benedicte Andresen, Malika Berney/Angela Dematté

Composer: Bergmund Waal Skaslien

Costume design: Bregje van Balen

Lighting design: Jan Harald Ovrum

Co-producer: The Norwegian Opera & Ballet

Photo: Jubal Battisti

Supported by: Ministry of Culture and Equality