MYSTERIES (1 F / 2 M) (1996). Drama. Inspired by the novel of the same name by Knut Hamsung, this play is a result of a collaboration between the actor Jens Albinus and the director Daniel Wedel. It is ideal for a theatre company skilled in physical theatre. Using Hamsun’s novel as their source, Albinus and Wedel have created a tantalizing play with scenes ranging from the realistic to the highly abstract. The play tells the story of Nagel, a man of a somewhat uncertain background, who arrives in a small, unnamed town to give a speech. Upon his arrival he discovers that no one is expecting him. He meets Dagny, the town’s most beautiful woman, who is organizing an annual event, the specifics of which never become clear. She is assisted in this by Groegaard, a pathetic but enigmatic cripple. During the play, Nagel attempts to discover what is going on around him as well as to seduce Dagny before her impending marriage. The play constantly forces the audience to reassess its opinion of each of the characters. Using elements of a well-plotted detective story, it leads the audience to believe that if they just listen very carefully, the clues in the text will provide a solution to the mysteries. Yet the true attraction of the play is the roller coaster ride it takes the audience on as it constantly creates a new picture or a new perspective only to dash it a moment later. Ultimately, the play is an exploration of the nature of truth. as it quickly becomes clear that the characters are not what they seem to be. However, this is not a simple case of people lying for some sinister reason. Instead, there is the suggestion that they lie because they do not know the truth about themselves, for the truth is inevitably subjective and no final answer or explanation can ever be given. MYSTERIES is a teasing, lyrical delight of a play.
