NARSARSUAQ//SLETTEN is a multiperformance project established and directed by Hanne Trap Friis. In five short performances the consequences of the urbanisation of the Greenlandic people are investigated. The performances portray destinies who were forced to move from the rural areas they called home into the estranged concrete building in the center of Nuuk, starting from the 1960's. While some had the strength to adapt to the new circumstances, others were lost. In SLETTEN these destinies are given a voice.
Narsarsuaq is the name of the concrete building the Greenlandic citizens living at the coast were forced to move into. It was also in these buildings the performance first premiered in 2019 as a part of Nuuk Nordic Art Festival. Friis has directed all the performances herself in collaboration with some of the best Greenlandic actors, dancers, writers and storytellers. Through a wide range of dramatic expressions such as monologue, drama and dance the many aspects of the issues are portrayed. The performances can be experienced all together or separately.
G60 was the major centralization strategy initiated by the Danish state, relocating residents from settlements to large cities - often in concrete blocks such as Sletten in Nuuk. It caused an identity crisis for many Greenlanders, which still affects them to this day. What was their role now, especially when hunters no longer had their livelihoods and hunting grounds?
All the performances are directed by Artistic Director Hanne Trap Friis. The trailer is edited by Michael Lindskov Jacobsen. All film properties belong Anorak Film. Ànorâk Film.
Block 4 is the award-winning author Kim Leine's first play. We meet Danish Søren, who resides in Sletten with his wife Marianne and their two children. Søren falls head over heels in love with the Greenlandic woman Aviaja, who also lives in the concrete blocks.
"Block 4" is written with Leine's sharp pen, and the performance is at the same time a love story, an erotic tragedy, and a poignant tale about the relationship between the Dane and the Greenlander.
By: Kim Leine
Performers: Helene Kvint, Karina Møller og Thomas Knuth.
Direction: Hanne Trap Friis
Translation: Karina Møller, the performers
The View The old lady sits in her apartment and leads us into the story of her when they had to leave their village during the 60’s to move into the concrete building. What did they have to leave, what happened to her and her husband,- and being blind she still has the most beautiful view. In this stunning strong solo performance Makka Kleist portrays some of the most important memories of what happened to the Greenlandic people in the 60’s and 70’s during the rapid change of the Greenlandic society. Read more here.
Writer and performer: Makka Kleist
Direction: Hanne Trap Friis
Translation: Makka Kleist
Remember Lisa In 1985 a woman was murdered in Blok 6,- and the murderer was never found. We meet Lisa again and she wants us to remember her. In a drama with different murderers, Lisa’s story, and the talk about how we must never forget people’s lives and stories we all get close to one of the unsolved and still known stories of Sletten.
Performers: Klaus Geisler and Majbritt Bech
Boy Meets Concrete is a dance performance focusing on the materials of Narsarsuaq/Sletten. The dance interprets the stories of Nuuk. How does the soft human soul and flesh meet the challenge of the concrete, of the city? The concrete will talk to you through the dancers moves and through the new composed electronic music.
Performers: Erlend Auestad Danielsen and Raphaël Eder Kastling
In Zombieland is based on stories from the short story collection Zombieland by Sørine Steenholdt. It is a hardcore, physical and poetic site specific performance filled with youthful dreams, fear and hope. An impressive sound scape has been created for the performance.
Performers: Hans-Henrik Suersaq Poulsen, Nukakkuluk Kreutzmann and Amisuna Berthelsen