Incorporating extracts from the translation of Ibsen's Peer Gynt by May-Britt Akerholt
Prelude to a performance of Frederik Brattberg's play, Virus: en Fugue (translated by May-Britt Akerholt), world premiere Sydney 2020
MR IBSEN:
(calling loudly)
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Where are you?
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Who are you?
Damn rascal! Never around when it matters
Your mother was right:
He who lived
by lies and make believe, his tongue the only
limb he ever exercised? Called it hard work
to open his eyes in the morning!
Bah! Peer Gynt - you’re a liar
A dreamer
A fantasy seeker
You want to float
down the river of time, as yourself,
without getting your feet wet.
Be warned!
Whoever you meet
Shall deceive you
As you deceive them!
Beware!
Boy now:
Soon you will be an old man
Unchanged
Untutored by your choices.
Come now, close your eyes – and we will see:
Castle rises upon castle!
Look! What a glittering gate!
The mountain has closed its face. ……
Peer Gynt, from greatness have you come,
and to greatness are you born!
You who are incomplete!
(a) 8. In the Hall of the Mountain King (I Dovregubbens hall) [2.55]
Half way round the world
Peer Gynt – the sorcerer
Revels aloud in each new disguise
Each new deception:
In Arabia the women dance for his soul!
For Peer the Prophet!
Blow flutes, beat the drums now!
The Prophet, our Lord, the All Knowing Master.
To us he has ridden over deserts!
The Prophet, the Lord, the Immortal Commander,
Such surrender
Such intoxication!
(b) 15. Arabian Dance (Arabisk dans) [4.45]
In some fantastical Arabia
A shipwreck of life
Peer awaits the dawn
And his next fleecing:
a sorry, faithless creature,
devoid of courage, soul and spirit.
Alone, but not quite alone:
the monkeys chatter their greeting
(c) 13 Prelude: Morning Mood (Morgonstemning) [4.25]
In another time
And another place
Faith and constancy
Like an ageing beauty
Wait for him:
There, outside in the sunshine
Solveig – sits alone
Spinning the weft of love’s rich hope:
Eternal mother and bride
Gathering the threads of his being.
(d) 19. Solveig's Song (Solveigs sang) [5.25]
Oh, where is Peer Gynt now?
With his ice grey hair
And wizened beard
Worn and old
Weather beaten by the winds of time?
Death stalks him
Love hides him.
No longer devoid of courage, soul and spirit
He rests in Solveig’s arms.
And yet
Somewhere
Alive and kicking
That damnable boy
Still dances with the girls
Flinging caution to the wind.
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Who are you?
(e) 5. Peer Gynt and the Herd-Girls (Peer Gynt og seterjentene) [3.55]
Silly creatures!
Off you go!
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Will anyone remember you?
I set you loose
So long ago.
Gone.
Will anyone remember me?
The little Norwegian!
I remember my death:
I was speechless!
And yet
I know that Norway still listens
That Norway gives
New voice to old thoughts.
Tonight
Ladies and Gentlemen
Herre Fredrik Brattberg
Follows my line
With his dark comedy
Fit for the times.
Keep awake – there!
The curtain shall fall
A drink for all
And soon you will see
Your own times
Your own fears
Your own demise.
Ash, fog, dust on the wind
Enough to build a dream on!
[with a courtly wave]
Farval
COPYRIGHT - [email protected]
Prelude to a performance of Frederik Brattberg's play, Virus: en Fugue (translated by May-Britt Akerholt), world premiere Sydney 2020
MR IBSEN:
(calling loudly)
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Where are you?
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Who are you?
Damn rascal! Never around when it matters
Your mother was right:
He who lived
by lies and make believe, his tongue the only
limb he ever exercised? Called it hard work
to open his eyes in the morning!
Bah! Peer Gynt - you’re a liar
A dreamer
A fantasy seeker
You want to float
down the river of time, as yourself,
without getting your feet wet.
Be warned!
Whoever you meet
Shall deceive you
As you deceive them!
Beware!
Boy now:
Soon you will be an old man
Unchanged
Untutored by your choices.
Come now, close your eyes – and we will see:
Castle rises upon castle!
Look! What a glittering gate!
The mountain has closed its face. ……
Peer Gynt, from greatness have you come,
and to greatness are you born!
You who are incomplete!
(a) 8. In the Hall of the Mountain King (I Dovregubbens hall) [2.55]
Half way round the world
Peer Gynt – the sorcerer
Revels aloud in each new disguise
Each new deception:
In Arabia the women dance for his soul!
For Peer the Prophet!
Blow flutes, beat the drums now!
The Prophet, our Lord, the All Knowing Master.
To us he has ridden over deserts!
The Prophet, the Lord, the Immortal Commander,
Such surrender
Such intoxication!
(b) 15. Arabian Dance (Arabisk dans) [4.45]
In some fantastical Arabia
A shipwreck of life
Peer awaits the dawn
And his next fleecing:
a sorry, faithless creature,
devoid of courage, soul and spirit.
Alone, but not quite alone:
the monkeys chatter their greeting
(c) 13 Prelude: Morning Mood (Morgonstemning) [4.25]
In another time
And another place
Faith and constancy
Like an ageing beauty
Wait for him:
There, outside in the sunshine
Solveig – sits alone
Spinning the weft of love’s rich hope:
Eternal mother and bride
Gathering the threads of his being.
(d) 19. Solveig's Song (Solveigs sang) [5.25]
Oh, where is Peer Gynt now?
With his ice grey hair
And wizened beard
Worn and old
Weather beaten by the winds of time?
Death stalks him
Love hides him.
No longer devoid of courage, soul and spirit
He rests in Solveig’s arms.
And yet
Somewhere
Alive and kicking
That damnable boy
Still dances with the girls
Flinging caution to the wind.
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Who are you?
(e) 5. Peer Gynt and the Herd-Girls (Peer Gynt og seterjentene) [3.55]
Silly creatures!
Off you go!
Hey! Peer Gynt!
Will anyone remember you?
I set you loose
So long ago.
Gone.
Will anyone remember me?
The little Norwegian!
I remember my death:
I was speechless!
And yet
I know that Norway still listens
That Norway gives
New voice to old thoughts.
Tonight
Ladies and Gentlemen
Herre Fredrik Brattberg
Follows my line
With his dark comedy
Fit for the times.
Keep awake – there!
The curtain shall fall
A drink for all
And soon you will see
Your own times
Your own fears
Your own demise.
Ash, fog, dust on the wind
Enough to build a dream on!
[with a courtly wave]
Farval
COPYRIGHT - [email protected]
Gar Jones
