The Raven

Based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe, 

Theatrical rendition by Lars Øyno.

‘The Raven’ had its premiere at Grusomhetens Teater (The Theatre of Cruelty) on the 11th of September 2020. 

  “Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

            Nameless here for evermore.” 

The American author Edgar Allan Poe’s (1809-1849) poem ‘The Raven’ (1845) consists of 18 stanzas, with a narrative that lends itself to theatrical performance. Literary history describes the poem as a particularly enigmatic work. In addition to visualising the external action, our theatrical production attempts to delve into the described layers of human dilemmas where material gives way to metaphysics and dreams. The works of Edgar Allan Poe delve into what is hidden in the human consciousness – imprints from the soul and the sensitivity of nerves. Due to its insistence on the revolutionary conditions of the dream, “The Raven” poetically illustrates a universal anxiety associated with the inherent anarchy of life.

«…and I do believe that nature is about to speak.»

Antonin Artaud, 31st January 1948

Director’s Notes

At home in the quiet parlours of Philadelphia, he works on ‘The Raven’ whilst witnessing the declining health of his young wife and cousin Virginia. Her mother, the poet’s aunt, tries to keep the little family together despite financial difficulties and her son-in-law’s rare yet unfortunate quarrels in the city’s taverns. Two years after ‘The Raven’ is published, Virginia dies from tuberculosis at 24 years-old. They’ve been married for 11 years. The loss of “a rare and radiant maiden” whom only the angels of heaven now behold, plunges the now 38-year-old author into despair and ruin. Despite failing health, he creates poems and short stories that today hold a significant place in world literature. On the 7th of October 1949, he dies at a hospital in Baltimore after some disoriented nights in the city. His last words: “Lord help my poor soul”. 

In the essay ‘The Philosophy Of Composition’, Poe describes ‘The Raven’ as merely a mathematical matter, a study in composition and rhythm. He proclaims that rhythm is necessary to develop the idea of beauty (i.e. the art). The poem about the grieving student and his deceased lover, by the name of Lenore, is a piece written to solely expand on the aspect of artistic craftsmanship within a creative work. Nevertheless, we’re left shaken by the young man’s painful situation, and not least fascinated by the mysterious word “nevermore” from the raven that comes in through the window and perches on the bust of Pallas. 

Edgar Allan Poe is perhaps most well-known for his short stories, which have inspired many crime writers and filmmakers in the horror genre. In the realm of music, the poem “The Raven” can claim to have been performed in various versions by world-renowned artists such as Lou Reed, Marianne Faithful, and the Alan Parsons Project.

Tonight, a staged version is to be presented, and I’m not sure many have ventured in that direction. Whether an audience can get a closer understanding of what is really happening through a visual performance of the 18 verses of Poe’s masterpiece is hard to say. Some may view ‘The Raven’ as a type of gothic, horror romance, but something tells me that it conveys a fundamental understanding of nature and humanity. Today, this seems more relevant than ever.

Lars Øyno – 2020

Reviews & Commentary

“A magically poetic performance that will be hard to forget. It must be staged again when the opportunity arises. World wide. We thank you. Like in a dream, the unsettling and eerie is paired with indescribable joys.”

• Terje Dragseth, Author

“Yesterday, Grusomhetens Teater and director Lars Øyno managed to create an hour of pure magic. This occurred through a physical and bodily language that I have never encountered before, with huge demands on the actors’ mastery of all the body’s small and large muscles and joints. The vocal (dialogue and declamation) was – as expected – minimalistic.”

• Trond R. Hole, Audience Member

“‘The Raven’ is a poetic story about a student, who whilst sitting alone on a winter’s night, mourning their dead lover Lenore, is visited by a raven, immortalised in literary history with the utterance “Nevermore!”. Despite its age, the poem remains compelling and its rhythm is particularly captivating. With its numerous repetitions and amplifications of what has already been said, the poem insists so strongly on its narrative that one cannot help but flow into the universe of the grieving protagonist. The performance uses only excerpts from the text, although the theatre is fully familiar with the repetitions which they utilise extensively. There’s a lot of stillness, breath and bodies in constantly new, organic configurations. It’s as if every moment of the story is split into hundreds of tiny movements. That’s why it moves so slowly. The form and pace can also resemble what we saw in Grusomhetens Teater’s tragedy “La-ment” from 2015.”

• Inger Marie Kjølstadmyr, Dagsavisen

“The sound design creates tension at times: Lars Pedersen has composed the music for the performance, and it feels natural that he should be present and visible on the side of the stage. Sound and light compliment each other and are technically well executed. For example, it becomes frightening when the raven, played by Hanne Dieserud, taps on the window, the light dims, and the sound vibrates dramatically and nightmarishly towards the end, with sounds of chimes and strong wind.”

• Live Drønen, Scenekunst