Mimesis Heidi Dahlsveen (Norway)

Who cares for Death?
– a performance about the inevitable concept of death (EN)

Saturday August 31st, 21 Uhr/9 pm:

Who cares for Death? – a performance about the inevitable concept of death (EN)

 This is a storytelling performance centred around the inevitable concept of death. As death is the ultimate consequence of life, the focus is on how one can prepare for life in the face of such certainty. The performance is constructed around the Norse poem, „Hyndlaljod“ (also known as the „Poem/Sound of Hyndla“), which explores how life and death should arm the individual.

In both the poem and the performance, there is an encounter between Freya, the goddess of love who rides a pig, and Hyndla, a Jotun woman and volva, who rides a wolf. In the performance, they meet in a world that is on the brink of collapsing, and together, they journey towards the realm of death.

The performance frequently features Hel, the Queen of Death from Norse mythology. Often perceived as a greedy and vengeful ruler, this performance presents a fresh perspective on the character of death. In addition to the Norse material, the performance also incorporates episodes of autobiographical content. The aim is to gain insight into the loneliness and care that comes with facing death. It also seeks to explore how one can construct their reality through narratives in a world perceived as fragmented and fraught with crises – a cradle of polarization – and how one can navigate these crises without losing hope for the future.