Icelandic actor and director Gísli Örn Gardarsson of the theater group Vesturport will direct the Christmas play at the Royal Shakespeare Theater, which is one of the largest and most respected theaters in the UK, this year.
Gísli Örn Gardarsson. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The play will be David Farr’s dramatization of the story of the legendary Robin Hood, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, Fréttabladid reports.
“I had to reflect on it because there are many things happening at Vesturport. But then again, this is one of the most respected theaters in the world,” Gardarsson said. He is currently busy rehearsing Vesturport’s new play, Húsmódirin (“The Housewife”), which premiers in Reykjavík City Theater on April 27.
Gardarsson has asked Börkur Jónsson to design the sets for Robin Hood and said other Icelandic artists might participate in the show as well. “One has to take advantage of such an opportunity to give people the chance to promote themselves abroad and try new things.”
Robin Hood will be an extensive production with 12 actors and a band. The theater will put a lot of effort into it because it will be the first play staged after a radical restoration of the theater, which will make it the best technically equipped theater in Britain. “It gives me an entire playground to play with,” Gardarsson commented.
The play is thought of as a show for the entire family and Gardarsson said Farr’s script is very entertaining. “Robin Hood is presented as a thief. Heads will fly and it could become a little rough,” he described. “We worked on The Metamorphosis together,” he added of their past collaboration.
Preparations for Robin Hood will begin as soon as Húsmódirin has been premiered. Robin Hood is scheduled to premiere December 1.
Gardarsson accepts the Optimism Award from former President Finnbogadóttir. Photo by Páll Kjartansson.
Gardarsson received the Icelandic Optimism Award last month, an inscribed trophy and a prize worth ISK 1 million (USD 8,800, EUR 6,200), presented by former President of Iceland Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, mbl.is reports.
The award was first granted by Danish entrepreneur Peter Broeste in 1981. After he retired he urged Icelandic companies to continue granting the award and it has been backed by Alcan Iceland since 2000.
Click here to read more about Gísli Örn Gardarsson and his projects.
