Economically pressed Västanå Theatre is betting on "Herr Arne's Money" this summer. The theatre is making contemporary connections to Selma Lagerlöf's tale, which takes place in a violent Marstrand where people lack faith in the future.
In January, the director, actor, and artistic leader Leif Stinnerbom told SVT that Västanå Theatre has never had such a strained economy during his 30 years as theatre manager. Inflation has led to increased costs of over 3 million kronor, but the government's cultural budget did not include an increase to meet the high cost level, Stinnerbom emphasizes.
Region Värmland did contribute 500,000 kronor, but the rest must be raised by the theatre itself.
This year, Västanå is betting everything on staying afloat, but ahead of next year, Leif Stinnerbom "really" hopes for increased state grants for regional culture.
We have 70 per cent self-financing, and we've already sold two-thirds of the tickets before the premiere, which is very good, he says.
Shakespeare echoes
When Västanå staged "Romeo and Juliet", Stinnerbom boiled the story down to one sentence: "in a world filled with violence and conflict, love has no chance" – in this summer's production, he sees Shakespeare's drama echoing.
As often, Selma Lagerlöf drew from real events when she wrote "Herr Arne's Money". The story takes place on Marstrand in 1586, during a dark time of war and continued conflicts between Lutherans and Catholics, but also with an unusually large amount of fish.
The fat herring shoals had attracted buyers and fortune seekers from all over Northern Europe, and around 15,000 people lived on the small island, mostly men. Taverns were crowded with brothels, and the level of violence was extremely high, Stinnerbom relates.
We talk about the level of violence today, but it's nothing compared to how it was on Marstrand at that time. It was also because the faith in the future was so weak, people were pretty convinced that doomsday was near and were looking for signs.
Brutal theft
The wealthy priest Herr Arne is murdered along with his family and robbed of money that he in turn brutally stole from the Catholic monasteries.
In the midst of all this, love stands as a counterforce, even in Selma Lagerlöf, emphasizes Stinnerbom, here through the young foster daughter Elsalill, who, unlike her beloved sister, survives by chance but still has the odds against her.
Shakespeare asked the question "do we want a world like this"?
And Selma asks roughly the same question.
Erika Josefsson/TT
Facts: "Herr Arne's Money"
TTTT
Scene: Västanå Theatre in Rottneros.
When: 22/6–7/9.
Director: Leif Stinnerbom.
Music: Magnus Stinnerbom.
Ensemble: Mirja Burlin, Niklas Ejnar, Britt-Inger Ekelund, and others.
