Kafka feat. Röyksopp at the Bergen International Festival

‘As teenagers we were very interested in Franz Kafka. His texts contain a great darkness, anxiety and alienation, but they are very funny at the same time. As soon as we heard about this theatre project that expresses both these sides of him, we wanted to take part in developing it,’ says Svein Berge in Röyksopp.

The electronica duo has received many enquiries about making film music in Hollywood. The Matrix: Reloaded is only one of the projects they have turned down over the years. But when they heard that other Kafka fans in the theatre world were working on demonstrating the humorous sides of his literary work, it hit a nerve with the two musicians. They describe it as a kind of ‘fraternization’.At the moment, they are working on the performance Kafka feat. Röyksopp with actors Thorbjørn Harr and Jan Gunnar Røise and comedian Harald Eia. The world premiere is on Friday 29 May during the Bergen International Festival in Norway.

In Kafka feat. Röyksopp text and new music will be the path into a modern and hilarious version of the Kafka universe. Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland in Röyksopp are both on stage with the actors, and the music, acting and text will complement each other.‘The audience will certainly recognize the sound of Röyksopp, but this isn’t an expanded concert, but rather a theatre performance where the music is an important driving force,’ says Torbjørn Brundtland.

The two actors from Norway’s national theatre have presented a surreal staging of Kafka with great success a couple of years ago. Comedian Harald Eia, who is one of the project’s text editors, believes many people will recognize themselves in the material. He thinks the audience will be roaring with laughter.‘We got a great response on the first production, and it is fantastic to be able to present a new and expanded performance at the Bergen International Festival. Röyksopp are fantastic musicians and during the festival there is a unique energy and an international atmosphere that we are very happy to be a part of, says Harald Eia.