So, here I am on a plane leaving Alesund and my Norwegian adventure is drawing to a close. I have had an amazing month here and have been made to feel very welcome by everyone at the theatre and their friends. I am sad to be leaving. Also, for the last few days we have had the most amazing sunshine and I had the chance to get about in the beautiful countryside surrounding the city – it’s astonishing. We went to Trollstigen about three hours away from Alesund and admired the incredible view which has been enhanced by a beautifully designed visitors centre. A really brave piece of architecture that really suits the dramatic landscape.
Hvit opened on Saturday and the show couldn’t have been received any better. The audience loved it. Everyone at the parent theatre in Molde loved it too. Jonas and John were great and the show has been given two glowing reviews. In Norway instead of stars they give numbers, like the sides of a dice, and both reviewers gave the show 6’s – hoorah! The group of teenage girls that regularly come to the theatre, otherwise known as ‘Eva’s girls’, did an amazing job of decorating the foyer space before and after the show. As the audience walked into the building they were met with white objects everywhere and by the girls dressed in white with platters of white food. When the children came down again the foyer had been transformed. The girls, now dressed in colour, helped the children to open white eggs inside which were coloured crayons and the children happily drew on the huge banquet table that had been set up for them. It was a total delight.
On my final night in Alesund we had a meal together at Eva’s house. It was lovely. Eva has discovered Jamie Oliver so I was treated to a British dish of Shepherd’s pie by my Norwegian host. I have had a brilliant time here and it was great last night to realize that i have made new friends here in Norway and to all of them I would like to say “Tusen takk.”