Amongst the Giselles and the Nutcrackers that will grace Oslo Opera House’s Main Stage with Norwegian National Ballet this season sits a vital slice of Norwegian history from two emerging choreographers, Elle Sofe Sara and Hlín Hjálmarsdóttir. Lost seeks to evoke memories of the Kautokeino conflict from 1852, a religious-political uprising by a group known as Sámis, reindeer herders from Northern Scandinavia, against local Norwegian authorities.
The narrative that emerges is less a literal retelling and more a physical and emotional echo. Whether you’re familiar with the history or not, the sentiments are relatable for all in today’s divided world; fighting for survival, oppression and resignation, demonstrated through moments of chaos contrasting with sudden reflective stillness.
It’s clear that great care has been taken with every aspect of Lost. The world premiere saw a colourful audience, many of whom wore traditional Sami dress, and the subject matter is treated with great respect by both cast and creatives. Henrik Vibskov’s costuming and set design, together with Øystein Heitmann’s light design are cinematic in the drama they evoke, connecting the different echoes smoothly throughout the journey.
Dressed in fur coats, Yoshifumi Inao and joiker Lávre Johan Eira perform a mournful vocal chant before dancers dressed in traditional Sámi-inspired costumes of red, black and white, quietly assemble to sit on the front edge of the stage. Their underlying anger is subtle, but brooding as we enter a series of fast paced vignettes.
Slowly, Valgeir Sigurðsson’s score intensifies and the group beat the stage with ribboned whips to a percussive score. The women repeat mechanical choreography in time with the pulsing beat of the music and I am reminded of Akram Khan’s Dust.
The elements of pure dance in limited supply but what there is, is fluid and highly skilful. The work is punctuated by a handful of duets. Anaïs Touret slinks serpent-like around her partner, Jim de Block, legs wrapped around his torso, twisting and turning, arching her back before upping the physicality in uninhibited throws and lifts.
A male group in hooped skirts dance in synchronicity, slick and combative. They are followed by an elegant female group now in pointe shoes and the same grey dappled leotards, who bourée delicately, their mime and gestures suggestive of fear and retreat. It’s a brief interlude and the only hint of classical influence in a work that is being marketed as ballet, this should perhaps be rethought for future showings.
Amongst the building drama, a screen sits to the side of the stage showing black and white footage of the dancers, their faces in profile, windswept and sombre, it’s effective as a mood enhancer but the wider purpose is unclear.
The group’s energy becomes more chaotic and disordered, the choral chants are breathy and urgent, dancers run haphazardly and in circles. Later, Touret returns with Samantha Lynch, the pair dance with a blue beam they must keep balanced on their shoulders while contorting themself into different positions and poses showing impressive core strength.
Stillness dominates the later sections, these slower moments are perhaps too slow to maintain engagement. Visually, there are still rich offerings, the vivid red lantern-like shapes hang from the ceiling. The group stands looking outwards, oh so gradually their bodies folding into themselves.
Eventually, they come together again. Stepping out from the crowd, there is a moving final duet featuring Touret and Jonathan Olofsson. She floats with silky smoothness through the lifts and balances, there is one moment where she is held above her partner's head, her body draped gracefully in the air.
The creatives involved in getting Lost to the stage (a two year process, I understand) have done a good job at making the short work largely accessible to this International visitor. It’s no less abstract than anything you might see at Sadler’s Wells. Whether it has (or needs) appeal outside of Norway remains to be seen, nonetheless the dedicated cast attack it with the wholehearted commitment required.
Vikki's trip was sponsored by Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
