Levende Dukker

The independent performing arts company Levende Dukker was established by Agnes Schou and Knut Alfsen in 1987.

Levende Dukker works with puppetry and live music. The ensemble collaborates with various artists on a per project basis.

Information

(Objekt ID 409)
Object type Organization
Organization type Artist company
Main focus Puppetry, Education, Children and youths
Established 1987
Email knut.alfsen@levendedukker.no
Website Levende Dukker
Expressions Puppetry

Contact information

Address Eventyrvn. 2, 0851 Oslo, Norway
Email knut.alfsen@levendedukker.no
Telefon 22469871
98478594

Other information

Legal entity Limited liability company/AS or ASA
Member of The Norwegian Association of Performing Arts/NAPA
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Levende Dukker explores the magic made when artists blow life into dead things through animation. In particular Levende Dukker has focused on creating good theatre for the very youngest children and on combining puppetry with live music.

In addition to performing, Levende Dukker educates beginners, pedagogues and routine puppeteers, The company takes part in TV programs and contributes puppets, stage design or direction to performances made by others.

From the history of Levende Dukker:

1984: Knut Alfsen and Agnes Mowbray Schou collaborate for the first time in Opera Mobile's production of The Magic Flute at Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum).
1985: Knut Alfsen directs Agnes Mowbray Schou's production Prinsessen og frosken* (The Princess and the Frog). Agnes Mowbray Schou creates puppets for and performs in Knut Alfsen's production Humla* (The Humblebee).
1985: Knut Alfsen and Agnes Mowbray Schou create the production Nesten: jomfru på glassberget* (Almost: Virgin on the Glass Hill). Alfsen creates the production Vekkeklokka* (The Alarm Clock).
1986: Knut Alfsen and Agnes Mowbray Schou for the first time receive public funds - for the production Bak Trappen* (Behind the Stairs). Christiania GlasMagasin commissions the production The Mice Sewing the Mayor's Coat.
1987: The theatre receives public funding for its daily activity for the first time, and is established as a limited liability company, using the name Levende Dukker AS.
1987 - 1991: The theatre produces a number of grand-scale puppetry performances and goes on tour all over the country for The Norwegian Touring Theatre as well as Concerts Norway. In addition there are several TV productions made. Among these are The Nutcracker, Katterullade* (Cat Roll), Kondoren* (The Condor) and the newly written opera by Per Ottar Gjerstad and Helge Andersen called Dansende sko* (Dancing Shoes).
1991 - 1999: Knut Alfsen goes on leave from Levende Dukker to lead Nordland Visual Theatre (at the time still called Nordland Dukketeaterverksted/NDV) and the culture centre at Nøtterøy, Nøtterøy Kulturhus. During this period the theatre is run by Agnes Mowbray Schou, who produces Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!, Gi meg en A* (Give me an A), O'jul med din glede* (Oh, the Joys of Christmas), Trylling i Trollskogen* (Magic in the Troll Forest) and Noah.
1999: Knut Alfsen returns to Levende Dukker and brings the production Alle gode ting er tre* (All That is Good Comes in Threes) from Nordland Visual Theatre.
2000: Levende Dukker produced four TV programs for children on assignment from Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Sami division, later adapted into the stage production Håkon fire* (Haakon four).
2001: Levende Dukker receives support from Arts Council Norway to the production Baobab and Bushbaby. This production is part of the Glitterbird project, Arts Council Norway's platform for art dissemination to children aged three years or less.

Sources:

Levende Dukker, levendedukker.com, 01.08.2010, http://www.levendedukker.com/

Levende Dukker's private archive, donated by Levende Dukker 20.05.2009

*Not yet translated into the English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.

Co-productions (2)
Title Premiere
Tryllefløyten – June 4, 1986 – Opera Mobile AS
Tryllefløyten – April 16, 1985 – Opera Mobile AS
Contributors (2)
Knut Alfsen – Manager (fra 1987)
Agnes Mowbray Schou – Puppet maker (fra 1987)