Milos Forman´s  famous film with Jack Nickolson in the lead is set in the 1950´s in a mental asylum. I recently read it was his settlement with the former communist leadership of his native country. The theatre-play is equally important and sharp in it´s critique, but filled with humor. Bømlo Teatre staged this production with an all amateur cast. Still, I honestly have to say that it was, hands down, a very good production, in my opinion, much due to the quality of director. Some of the best actors were the ones without lines at all. Being on stage more or less for two hours, not saying a word, and still stealing the show. Now that´s good acting!
My assignment in this production was as scenographer and I wanted to make a sustainable production as possible.
For the set we built two small stairs, used stage-elements as a base for the “office”. The two major visual features are two big metal-frames, which was especially made for another Bømlo teater production. The back frame was filled with TV screens. We borrowed a big one form a local shop, and the smaller ones I got from a marketing-firm who had a ware-house clean-up and gave them to me for free. The three big benches are already at the culture-house, but we upholstered them with white fabric. The floor was covered with white dancing-mats we borrowed from the local dance-group. Apart form the fabric for the benches, the only new investment was white fabric for the side-carpets. And long, white strands fabrics can be used again and again for several productions.
The costumes were reused costumes from our production of Chess (2006) for the patients. The hired hands were dressed in official uniforms, all borrowed from the municipality.
Credits:
Director – Runa Våge Krukhaug
Scenography/costume-design – Janne Robberstad
Lighting-/video-design – Axel Sundbotten