GUNNAR in the SERPENT PIT

A MetamOrphic Ritual Theatre Production

TICKETS for Final European show -Copenhagen Denmark Sept.23rd 2017- at the bottom of this page

A musical dance-theatre performance by Orryelle about the Viking Gunnar who was thrown into a pit of serpents for his misdemeanours.

Above: Still from the performance in Seattle USA (June 17th 2017)
Photo by Riqui Brujo Castellanoz

Below: UPDATED Video of selected foot-age from performances in Antwerp Belgium, Seattle USA, Castlemaine & Melbourne Australia and Oslo Norway (Emmanuelle Vigeland Museum):

Gunnar in the Serpent Pit from Orryelle on Vimeo.

The end of the video features the dual didgeridoos of Crysopa Occulta from Belgium, in the Antwerp production. The duo will also be coming up to Copenhagen to provide live sound for the show there, and perform a short opening set also.

According to the ancient Saga, Gunnar's sister Gudrun threw a harp in to the pit to save him, but he could only play it with his feet as his hands were bound.

To entrance the serpents without, he must find the serpents within

Above: Pearl Solara Zule in Portland; and Tonje Stabell & Kristine Halmrast in Norway, as Valkyries weaving a warrior's Fate with his intestines.

This new Metamorphic Ritual Theatre Production was previewed in the devising artist's (then) hometown of Castlemaine, Australia and was then returned to its mythic homeland, in the spectacular ambience of the Emanuelle Vigeland Mausoleum in Oslo Norway (image below) on the 5th August 2016.

In 2017 it was performed in Seattle (WA, USA) and Portland (OR, USA) in June, and Antwerp (Belgium) 13th July.

Tickets for the final European show 23rd Sept.2017 in Copenhagen Denmark are at the bottom of this page.

The Vigeland Mausoleum was a fantastic venue for the production, being reknowned for both its incredible acoustics (30 second reverb) and its beautiful frescoes of life and death by the artist entombed there, which cover the walls and high ceiling, and whose low-lit swirling figures echoed the serpentine movements of Gunnar and the Valkyries in the dance-theatre...

The Sold Out Norwegian performance also featured a musical performance by local artists Alwanzatar and Wepwawet, with disembodied voices in feedback loops, guitar, flute, electronics and chanting. Alwanzatar and Wepwawet used the mausoleum reverberation to confound the origins of sound.

‘Beware those who speak with forked tongue
Such as I, whose words weave a fabric of lies
Even truth, twists and turns with my tongue, and departs
When I try to bring meaning To the sum, of the parts

For no meaning is one-pointed, absolute
With a single tongue I weave duality
When with forked langue-age I try to translate my epiphany'

Above: From the Australian debut of the production (May 2016):

Mark Noulton and Scott Sanders as serpent-charmers, Orryelle as Gunnar.

Alex Clovenfeather on double-bass and Barb Sparks as a Valkyrie

TICKETS for GUNNAR in The SERPENT PIT in Copenhagen Denmark Sept.23rd 2017 below. They will be available on the door, but cheaper to buy here:

Special pre-sale price 60 DKK.
(Rather than receiving a physical ticket in the mail, your name will go on a door-list)

The performance also features a short opening set by Chrysopa Occulta from Belgium, who are providing further live music during the play.

There will also be an exhibition of a Dionysos bronze sculpture, eight recent oil paintings and new drawings by Orryelle, and tarot prints by Craig Martin Wood.