You are invited to a new KunstFest at Østfold International Theatre! KunstFest Vol. 3 is inspired by the modernist salons: The guest list includes, amongst others, Kate Pendry – joining us with her critically acclaimed monologue My Dinner with Putin.

KunstFest combines great art experiences and good atmosphere. The event occupies the entire first floor of Østfold International Theatre (always with an open bar). The program will consist of both announced and unannounced events.

Please note that audience for My Dinner With Putin needs to be present by 18:00!
Doors will be closed until the end of the performance at apr.19:30, when the program continues.

Saturday, April 15th, 17:30-24:00
17:30 Doors open
18:00-19:30: My Dinner With Putin
19:30-24:00 Center of the Universe, 27 Rue de Fleurus, Netanel Seri, Polyphonic life
Tickets here >>

EASTER UPDATE: We regret to announce that the ongoing war and changes in Ukrainian traveling restrictions have put a stop to Foa Hoka’s physical participation in this event. The movie FON created in collaboration with Samled Pictures will still be shown as part of the program.

Kate Pendry: My Dinner With Putin

My Dinner With Putin is a monologue performance about how Pendry almost had dinner with Putin because she befriended a close friend of the Russian leader.

The monologue tells the story of how an unknown actor was suddenly offered the Hollywood dream: Shooting a film with Robert De Niro and the world-famous director Nikita Mikhalkov – a close friend of Vladimir Putin. But then comes pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine..

The performance is a demonstration in hypertextuality of our modern life, jumping seamlessly between the working class Vienna in 1933, Moscow in 2022 and Los Angeles in 1955. We meet Pussy Riot, Robert De Niro and Putin – in the form of a doll. At the same time we meet an actress playing herself playing an actress auditioning for the role of an actress being herself.

This true story is tied together by a Hollywood drama with dark humor and an analysis of the media’s fetishization of war and how the West reacted to the invasion of Ukraine. The performance examines how power structures affect us, and how we as individuals put blinders on when serious events stand in the way of personal achievement.

Kate Pendry has written and produced over 50 plays. My Dinner With Putin is based on her own story and was partly developed at ØIT during a residency in spring 2022.
The performance premiered at Vega Scene in Oslo on 16 March 2023 to unanimous critical acclaim:

“In her skillful and delicious monologue My Dinner with Putin, Kate Pendry unpacks the manifold ways in which we ethically reason ourselves into making wrong decisions.“
Norsk Shakespearetidsskift

NB! My Dinner With Putin is performed in English.

Center of the Universe

Center of the Universe, a.k.a. Jørgen “Sissyfus” Skjulstad, er en kunstner som jobber innenfor både video, filmmusikk, teater og lydkunst – men hovedsakelig innen musikk.  Enmannsbandet har gitt ut nesten 20 album, sist COU (hvor alle låtene er forkortelser). Nylig oppsummerte han fjoråret med låta og videoen 2022. Nå jobbes det med den neste plata, “Long Player”. Men kan virkelig danse til denne musikken som er inspirert av house, disko, orientalsk musikk – og diverse folkemusikk!
www.centeroftheuniver.se/

Foa Hoka: Fon – an experimental musical short film

Foa Hoka is a Ukrainian underground band and multimedia project, perhaps one of the most extravagant, experimental acts on the Ukrainian alternative scene ever. Their music is described as “folk industrial”, experimental rock combined with post-industrial electronics, minimal techno, current funk, psychedelic ambient and new and cold-wave elements. Launched in the beginning of 90’s, Foa Hoka still­ holds its position as Ukraine’s most consistent and up-to-date underground project.

Foa Hoka’s favorite sounds and instruments include flutes, distortion effects, brass instruments, retro analogue synthesizers & drum machines, sub bass, guitars, hypnotic samples, abstract beats & dub vibrations. They have released a number of CD & bootlegs, toured extensively and done numerous appearances on various modern art festivals.

KunstFest vol 3 will be screening their short film FON  created in cooperation with Sampled Pictures aka. Oleg Chorny & Gena Khmaruk. https://foahoka.com/

Damon/ Holte: 27 Rue de Fleurus

27 Rue de Fleurus was the address of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas’ home in Pari. It was also the scene of their famous salons – where radical young artists and intellectuals in Paris gathered to discuss and experience avantgarde art. 27 Rue de Fleurus is also a performing arts project under development by Ingrid Damon, Vera Holte and Irene Lecomte. During KunstFest Vol 3, they will present a performance lecture about art, literature, geniuses, love and desire for change, for food and for power.

Berkeley/ Behrens: Polyphonic life

Polyphony is an ancient song tradition and a modern way of life: we are always surrounded by multiple voices each ‘singing’ their own melodies and they interweave into the fabric of our world. In this short interlude, Ditte Berkeley supported by Electa Behrens will explore ways of tuning and harmonizing our polyphonies towards healing and empowerment. Ditte will sing from her extensive repertoire of songs from polyphonic traditions and the event will open out towards audience interaction and meeting through sounding and being present for the voices around us.

NB! While in Fredrikstad, Ditte Berkeley will also be leading her workshop Voice Tale (Speaking Song)! More info about the workshop here:
>> Workshop Voice Tale. Speaking Song

Netanel Seri

Performer and N.T.A. student Netanel Seri had great sucess at KunstFest Kulturnatt in september 2022. At KunstFest Vol 3 he will focus on sound, and the sound’s impact on the human body. The audience will be invited to participate!

Credits:

My Dinner with Putin
Author and performer: Kate Pendry
Director: Mads Sjøgård Pettersen
Musician and composer: Audun Aschim Steffensen
Producer: Camilla Svingen, Syv mil
Camera operator: Benjamin Mosli
Costume adviser: Elisabeth Nøkland Johansen
Effects maker: Steinar Kaarstein
Lighting designer/ technician: Martin Maisch Brandvoll
Audio-video technician: Thomas Hildebrand
Photographer: Tormod Lindgren
Dramaturge/ Dramatikkens Hus: Mari Moen
The production is financially supported by the Norwegian Culture Council, Fond for lyd og bilde, FFUK,
Dramatikkens Hus, Bergesenstiftelsen, Fritt Ord and Østfold Internasjonale Teater.
Collaboration partners: Dramatikkens Hus, Vega Scene, Hamar Theatre

FON
Video: Oleg Chorny & Gena Khmaruk a.k.a. Sampled Pictures
Music: Vladyslav Dikhtiarenko & Dmytro Kurovskiy a.k.a. Foa Hoka
Sound design and mix: Andriy Ryzhov
Additional footage shooting: Andrey Tartishnikov, Gena Khmaruk, Oleg Chorny

Polyphonic life
Electa Behrens is a performer, deviser, and Program Responsible of the BA in Acting at the Norwegian Theatre Academy with a focus on the emerging field of vocal composition for the deviser. She holds a Practice as Research (PaR) PhD from Kent University (UK), a PaR MA from Exeter University (UK) and a BA from Vassar College (US).

Ditte Berkeley (Denmark, UK) is a vocal and performance artist as well as a voice supervisor and trainer. working with a.o. Teatr ZAR, Studio Matejka, the Grotowski Institute in Wrocław, CPR  in Wales and Source Material in the US.

More

>> KunstFest Kulturnatt 2022 – Frank Znort Quartet, Vadmelsbanden, Durga Bishwokarma m.fl
>>KunstFest HalloWeen 2022 curated by T.I.T.S. performancegroup

Press photos