The forest harbors a tale of a death ritual involving a magical beast.
The main character is a woman over 30 who has heard about this ritual. Obsessed and weary, she decides to seek out the beast. She journeys into the woods to meet this mystical creature—and with it, her fate.
Her encounter with the beast promises to unfold during her final hours, offering the most serene and blissful moments she will ever know. This profound connection vows to reveal empathy, genuine friendship, and love to her. When she feels ready, it assures her a peaceful rest in its embrace, drifting into a tranquil slumber. As she sleeps, the beast pledges to complete the cycle, consuming her in a final act of unity.
However, this extraordinary encounter can only occur if the woman is truly prepared for it.
Genre: experimental anti-horror live music performance and installation within a visual meta-narrative
Irina's MA in Scenography final production at the Norwegian Theatre Academy
First premiere produced by Norwegian Theatre Academy and presented as part of the §112 Fredrikstad pilot festival in Fredrikstad, Norway
May 31 and June 1, 2024
Full Credits
created and developed by Irina Komissarova
collective Muza de la Luz, Paulius Kilbauskas and Eugenijus Sabaliauskas
technical support: Rui Almeida, Ulf Knutsen
production manager: Sunniva Solberg
photo and video: ksswr, Mohammed Lehry, Oyvind Hansen, Ole W Moe Lund
produced by the Norwegian Theatre Academy
supportive talks, discussions: Sidsel Graffer, Philipp Schulte, Serge von Arx, Karen Kipphoff, Saul Garcia-Lopez, Jakob Oredsson, Solveig Ylva Dagsdottir, Lisa Birkenbach, Karoline Amalie Severinsen and Muza de la Luz
inspiration: Yuriy Kharikov and Gian Maria Tosatti
At the end of May, the project's premiere unfolded in two parts: one set in the forest, the other in the stark emptiness of the Black Box.
On the first day, audiences embarked on a walk into the woods where they encountered a girl in the beast's nest, nestled in the middle of a forest lake.
Each participant received a set of tools to experience the magical forest — special glasses and an electric torch that revealed hidden life around them.
Everyone was free to experience the forest in their own way, guided by a single simple rule — be a respectful guest of the forest.
photo by Oyvind Hansen
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photos by Ole W Moe Lund
On the second day, the same audience entered the empty Black Box. There, they encountered a performer seated in a nest, enveloped by an intricate soundscape and evocative lighting. Each spectator was invited to conjure their own forest within their mind's eye, guided by the unfolding narrative and the eerie atmosphere that permeated the space.
Here, the beast appeared...
photos by Mohammed Lehry
