Graduation performance of Østfold University College / Norwegian Theater Academy students.
In 2002 Michael Laub began adapting portraiture to the stage, using no narrative pretext other than his subject. The Portrait Series project was originally initiated by Tom Stromberg, then director of the Hamburg Schauspielhaus who decided to commission a series of six-minute pieces (Portraits 360 Seconds) presenting Schauspielhaus actors and employees (an usher, a cleaning woman, a chauffeur, extras). For the Roma Europa Festival, Laub created a portrait of Performance artist Marina Abramovic. The concept was broadened by auditioning casts in various cities, identifying specific groups of people. The Portrait Series projects eschew almost all theatrics and strip the performer’s role down to oftentimes-intimate biographical details. The series have proven popular, in part due to the concept’s adaptability. From a theoretical point of view, The Portrait Series is an endeavor wherein Laub tests theater’s global vocabulary. The idea being that virtually any entity comprising interesting characters can be formatted for a Portrait Series show.
Performed by graduating students in acting and scenography at HIØ/Akademi for scenekunst. Directed by Michael Laub.