Lungun (scenes from)

by Duncan Macmillan
Directed and dramatized by Magnús Thorlacius
LHÍ, Reykjavík (2021)

Ég gæti flogið til New York og til baka á hverjum degi í sjö ár en samt skilið minna kolefnisspor eftir mig en ef ég eignast barn.

Er rétt að fæða barn inn í hrynjandi heim? Er rétt að fæða barn sem mun menga álíka mikið Eiffel turninn er þungur? En hvað ef það er einmitt barnið sem bjargar heiminum? Ef gott fólk hættir að eignast börn deyja genin þeirra út, eða er það ekki það sem þú varst að segja? Ég er bara að halda áfram með það sem þú varst að segja.

Lungun (Lungs) is a play by the British playwright Duncan Macmillan, written in 2011. It’s topic shocked many audience members and play readers at the time, but the question of whether you should have a child due to it’s impact on the environment was a new angle to the topic of climate crisis. The play is even more relevant ten years later, since many feel that little has changed on the issue, and our chance to prevent a climate catastrophe gets more slim by the year. What is the freedom of the individual when we stand at the brink of world’s end? How much should personal choices about our individual lives take the future of mankind into account? Is the responsibility ours, or is it ridiculous to demand that you live for all life on earth, but not yourself?

Magnus’ update to the play ignores the first lines of instructions given by the playwright; for it to be performed on a bare stage with no costume changes, music, light changes, scenery, props etc. Lungun uses the characters and their conflict from selected scenes to create a visual theatre experience that narrows the original play’s themes into a single question: Should you have a child in the state of climate crisis or not?

Duration: 60 minutes.

Playwright: Duncan Macmillan (scenes from the play Lungs)
Director: Magnús Thorlacius
Actors: Hólmfríður Hafliðadóttir, Mikael Emil Kaaber
Music and sound design: Ísidór Jökull Bjarnason
Assistant director: Anna Kristín Vilhjálmsdóttir
Light design: Magnús Thorlacius
Scenography: Íris Eva Magnúsdóttir
Adaptation: Magnús Thorlacius
Translation: Anna Kristín, Magnús Thorlacius
Assistance in set design and carpenter: Egill Ingibergsson
Graphic design: Íris Eva Magnúsdóttir, Magnús Thorlacius
Instructor: Anna María Tómasdóttir
Technician: Tómas Þorláksson
Thanks: Sophie Schoonjans, Annalísa Hermannsdóttir og bekkurinn.
Photos by: Hafsteinn Snær
Performed at: LHÍ, Reykjavík (Nov 2021)

Jesú er til, hann spilar á Banjó

by Hákon Örn Helgason
Dramaturgy by Magnús Thorlacius
LHÍ, Reykjavík (2021)
Tjarnarbíó Theatre, Reykjavík (2022)

Haustið 2019 er Hákon Örn Helgason á barmi örvæntingar í Vesturbæjarlaug. Eyrum hans berast ljúfir tónar. Á bakkanum situr maður og spilar á banjó. Hver er þessi maður? Hvernig þorir hann að spila á banjó á almannafæri? Hefur hann svörin við stóru spurningum lífsins? Löngu síðar ákveður Hákon að leggja í stærstu svaðilför lífs síns og hefja ævintýralega leit að þessum dularfulla banjóspilara. Hann setur upp rannsóknarstofu og ræður til sín teymi. Hver er hann og hvar?

Jesú er til, hann spilar á banjó (Jesus is real, he plays the banjo) was Hákon Örn Helgason’s graduation project from ‘Theatre and performance making’ at Iceland University of the Arts. It was performed again in the winter of 22/23 in Tjarnarbíó, Reykjavík.

Author, director and performer: Hákon Örn Helgason
Dramaturg: Magnús Thorlacius
Music: Inspector Spacetime
Scenography: Rakel Andrésdóttir
Assistant set designer: Helena Margrét Jónsdóttir
Carpenter: Egill Ingibergsson
Light design: Stefán Ingvar Vigfússon, Magnús Thorlacius
Actors: Stefán Þór Þorgeirsson og Almar Blær Sigurjónsson
Graphic design: Margrét Aðalheiður Önnu- Þorgeirsdóttir
Photos by: Eva Ágústa Jónsdóttir
Thanks: Anna Kristín, Andre Negrier, Fjölnir Gíslason, Mio Storåsen, Sigurlaug Þuríður Ragnarsdóttir, Tryggvi Sæberg Björnsson, Vignir Þór Pálsson, Hilmir Jensson, Karl Ágúst Þorbergsson, Smeykasti bekkurinn.

Þöglar byltingar

by Magnús Thorlacius
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
Ungleikur - Tjarnarbíó Theatre, Reykjavík (2021)

Síðustu ár hafa þöglar byltingar gjörbreytt hversdagslífi borgarinnar. Sjálfsafgreiðslukassar í öllum búðum. Hjólastígar. Frisbígolfvellir um allt land. Algorithmar sem stjórna öllu sem við gerum og hugsum. Hopp hjól út um allt. Ætli síðasta þögla byltingin sé þögnin sem mun ríkja yfir hjónabandinu? Getur ógeðslegt fólk fundið hamingjuna á ný?

Þöglar byltingar (Quiet Revolutions) is an absurd play about unhappy people reminiscing about their lives on their wedding day. We dive into and under the silence that characterizes their relationship, while their five year old child snoops snoops around excited for the upcoming celebration. It was selected to be performed as part of Ungleikur Festival at The Reykjavík City Theatre.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Playwright: Magnús Thorlacius
Director: Magnús Thorlacius
Actors: Guðbjörg Skarphéðinsdóttir, Natalía Gunnlaugsdóttir, Sverrir Gauti Svavarsson
Special thanks: Annalísa Hermannsdóttir, Benjamín Kristján Jónsson, Kjartan Logi Sigurjónsson, María Jóngerð Gunnlaugsdóttir, Nikulás Tumi Hlynsson
Artistic director of Ungleikur: Guðmundur Felixson
Photos by: Gunnlöð Jóna
Performed at: Reykjavík City Theatre (Nov 2021)

Dýrabær

by George Orwell
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
LHÍ, Reykjavík (2021)

Dýrabær (Animal Farm) is a theatrical adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Where in the novel, the power imbalance between the animals comes clear as the story progresses, the power imbalances between the actors on stage becomes inevitable as they all have different visions on how to adapt the book. It was Magnus Thorlacius’ 2nd year final project in ‘Theatre and performance making’ at LHÍ, Reykjavík.

Duration: 80 minutes.

Director: Magnús Thorlaciusius
Assistant director: Melkorka Gunborg Briansdóttir
Actors: Álfrún Laufeyjardóttir, Fjölnir Gíslason, Jökull Smári Jakobsson, Starkaður Pétursson og Vigdís Halla Birgisdóttir
Based on the novel by: George Orwell
Theatrical adaptation: Magnús Thorlacius
Instructors: Karl Ágúst Þorbergsson, Ólöf Ingólfsdóttir, Pétur Ármannsson
Photos: Brian Fitzgibbon
Recording: Hafliði Emil Barðason
Special thanks: Hið íslenzka bókmenntafélag, Bónus, Annalísa Hermannsdóttir, Hermann Kristjánsson, Egill Ingibergsson

Fundurinn

by Starkaður Pétursson
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
LHÍ, Reykjavík (2022)

Fundurinn (The Summit) is a comedy about an unexpected friendship at fateful times. The only Icelanders at Höfði wait for their services to be needed while the meeting of the century happens in a room downstairs. The piece was originally conceived as Starkaður’s solo project in LHÍ’s acting program.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Concept: Starkaður Pétursson
Director: Magnús Thorlacius
Actors and devisors: Starkaður Pétursson, Kolbeinn Sveinsson, Jón Bjarni Ísaksson
Scenography: Pétur Gautur
Special thanks: Foreldrar Magnúsar, amma og afi Starka, Mamma Kolbeins, Egill Ingibergsson, Edda Ólafsdóttir, Jürgen Klopp, Lögreglan á höfuðborgarsvæðinu, RÚV, Bogi Ágústsson, Reykjavíkurborg, Mímir Bjarki

El Grillo

by Magnús Thorlacius
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
RVK Fringe Festival, Reykjavík (2021)

El Grillo is a radio play by Magnús Thorlacius. It was premiered with english subtitles at Reykjavik Fringe Festival in July, 2021. Now it’s available for anyone to listen on Spotify. ‘We don’t want to be written off as a small rock, far out in the North Atlantic, do we?’

Duration: 20 minutes.

Playwright and director: Magnús Thorlacius
Performers: Starkaður Pétursson, Unnur Birna J. Backman
Music: Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson
Sound design: Magnús Thorlacius
Recording engineer: Gestur Sveinsson
Graphic design: Björg Steinunn Gunnarsdóttir

Viva Verzló

by Magnús Thorlacius
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
LHÍ, Reykjavík (2021)

Viva Verzló is a monodrama based on the story of an ex-student of the only private junior collage in Iceland. The piece explores the school’s self identity by following the story of a character who dreams of being the lead actor in the school’s yearly musical, only to be rejected by the school’s community and eventually turning against everything the school stands for.

Duration: 40 minutes.

Playwright and director: Magnús Thorlaciusius
Actor: Mikael Emil Kaaber
Set design, light design and sound design: Magnús Thorlacius
Music performed by: Annalísa, Magnús Thorlacius
Photos by: Óðinn Ásbjarnarson

Þriggja rétta

by Magnús Thorlacius
Directed by Bjartur Örn Backmann
RVK Fringe Festival, Tjarnarbíó Theatre (2020)

Þriggja rétta (Three Course) premiered in Tjarnarbíó as part of the Reykjavík Fringe Festival in July 2020. An overwhelming audience reception demanded it be performed again and as a result, Þriggja rétta was put on stage again after the festival had ended with even better reception and even greater demand for another performance. The piece was devised by the group, inspired by the themes, setting and characters explored in Magnus’ absurd stageplay. The result? A satirical confrontation of the overwhelming truth; that unlike fairies and unicorns, gay people actually exist.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Director: Bjartur Örn Bachmann
Assistant Director: Anna Róshildur Benediktsdóttir
Actors/devisors: Hafsteinn Níelsson, Jóhanna Steina Matthíasdóttir
Scenography: Egle Sipaviciute
Playwright (inspired by): Magnús Thorlacius
Photos: Hafsteinn Snær

Endalausir þræðir

by Strengur performance group
Directed by Óðinn Ásbjarnarson
Community centres for senior citizens, Reykjavík (2020)

Endalausir þræðir (Endless Threads) is a travelling theatre performance devised and performed by Strengur performance group in the summer of 2020. It travelled around community centres for senior citizens in Reykjavík between waves of Covid-19 as an act to reinforce access to art and culture for older communities during the pandemic. Strengur hosted acting classes in some of the same community centres as well as performing the piece. The project was meant to bridge the gap between generations and promote cultural and social life of older citizens in Reykjavík with the tools that theatre has to offer.

The project was funded by The Welfare Department of the City of Reykjavík.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Director: Óðinn Ásbjarnarson
Performers: Katrín Guðbjartsdóttir, Magnús Thorlacius, Urður Bergsdóttir
Devisors: Óðinn Ásbjarnarson, Una Torfadóttir, Katrín Guðbjartsdóttir, Magnús Thorlacius
Graphic design and musical performance: Una Torfadóttir
Sound design: Magnús Thorlacius
Costume design: Katrín Guðbjartsdóttir
Technician and production assistant: Jónatan Victor Önnuson
Director’s assistant: Bolli Steinn Huginsson
Photos: Þorri Líndal
Funded by: Welfare Department of The City of Reykjavík

Gíraffinn

by Magnús Thorlacius
Directed by Magnús Thorlacius
Ungleikur, Reykjavík City Theatre (2019)
Tjarnarbíó Theatre, Reykjavík (2020)
Act Alone, Suðureyri (cancelled due to COVID-19)

Gíraffinn (The Giraffe) is a monologue performance that explores the temptation to escape the responsibilities of adulthood. The temptation to start life all over again. The temptation to climb up a giraffe and ride into the sunset. The temptation to stay a child forever, and never deal with the like of changing diapers, working late, cleaning the garage, climate change or paying utility bills. It was selected to be performed as part of Ungleikur Festival at the Reykjavík City Theatre in 2019.

Duration: 40 minutes.

Playwright and director: Magnús Thorlacius
Lead actor: Jökull Smári Jakobsson
Scenography: Egle Sipaviciute
Music & Sound Design: Hákon Örn Helgason
Assistant director: Anna Róshildur Benediktsdóttir
Other performers: Andrea Urður Hafsteinsdóttir, Anna Róshildur Benediktsdóttir, Arngunnur Hinriksdóttir, Fanney Ágústa Sigurðardóttir, Heiða Rún Jónsdóttir, Katla Pétursdóttir, Melkorka Gunborg Briansdóttir
Artistic director of Ungleikur: Bryndís Ósk Þ. Ingvarsdóttir
Photos by: Gunnlöð Jóna Rúnarsdóttir