Stóri Björn og kakkalakkarnir (Big Bear and the Cockroaches)
By Matthías Tryggvi Haraldsson
Premiere at Reykjavik City Theatre in January 2019
English translation staged at Behold Theatre Festival, Copenhagen, in February 2022
Stóri Björn og kakkalakkarnir (Big Bear and the Cockroaches) is a surreal one-act play and a coming of age story. The protagonist, Big Bear, is wallowing in self pity when he is invaded by cockroaches. He is saved in the nick of time by notorious superhero duo Woman One and Woman Two.
The piece was shown as part of NÚNA 2019 where three short plays by emerging playwrights were selected for production by the Reykjavik City Theatre. An English translation was staged at Behold International Theatre Festival 2022 at Teaterhuset, Copenhagen. An earlier version of the play was also shown at Ungleikur festival for young playwrights in 2016.
“A powerful display of fireworks that manages to touch on many topics that have been widely discussed in recent years, such as masculinity, consumerism, and porn, in a way that makes you both wriggle with laughter and want to look away in disgust."
Reykjavik City Theatre 2019 production:
Director: Kristín Jóhannesdóttir
Set and costumes: Stígur Steinþórsson
Lights: Þórður Orri Pétursson
Music: Garðar Borgþórsson
Photos: Grímur Bjarnason
Cast: Hannes Óli Ágústsson,
Ebba Katrín Finnsdóttir,
Haraldur Ari Stefánsson,
Vala Kristín Eiríksdóttir,
Þuríður Blær Jóhannsdóttir
Behold festival 2022 production:
Cast and creators:
Hildur Ýr Jónsdóttir
Hinrik Kanneworff
Heiðdís Chadwick
English translation: Philip Roughton
Ungleikur festival 2016 production:
Director: Salvör Gullbrá Þórarinsdóttir
Assistant director: Helgi Grímur Hermansson
Set and costumes: Jóhanna Rakel Jóhansdóttir,
Poddi Poddsen
Music: Klemens Hannigan
Cast: Ingólfur Gylfason,
Fannar Arnarsson,
Jón Nordal,
Margrét Aðalheiður,
Brynhildur Karlsdóttir,
Snæfríður Sól Gunnarsdóttir
