Here are a 100 reasons why you have to go and see Elling:
That’s it, that’s a 100 reasons.
Here is the story:
Mummy’s boy Elling (Simm) and his roommate, the uncouth reluctant virgin Kjell Bjarne (Bower) are the Odd Couple of Oslo: a pair of confused souls taking their first steps in the outside world after years of an isolated and institutional life. Given a flat in the city by social services, their mission is to re-assimilate themselves into society – it’s either that or a return to the asylum. All they have to do is convince their social worker that they really are ‘normal’, even if it does feel safer sleeping in a wardrobe…
It is an incredibly funny but also very touching story, and John Simm’s performance is stunning, he is one of the best actors I have ever seen on stage. It’s all in the details, the way he speaks, the way he moves, the movement of his eyebrows, he becomes Elling. It was striking to see him leave the stage after the last scene, and come back as John Simm as we know him, in order to get the audiences applause. The audience was roaring for him.
I can only very highly recommend you to see this play, it will make you laugh, it will make you nearly cry, and it will make you think about how “normal” we all are these days.
Elling runs in the Trafalgar Studios until the 6th of October 2007.
Go see it. GO SEE IT!
[rating:5/5]
Okay, okay, I will go and see it, but I thought it was a Norwegian movie? Or is it a remake?
To all Doctor Who-fans out there: Is it ‘The Master’ I see before me?
This is a theatre play based on the Norwegian movie. So you have to come to London to see it …
He was great as The Master by the way.
I won’t go to London any time soon, so I think I must skip this one. Maybe I’ll go for the movie instead.
I wasn’t too impressed about the movie to be honest, there is no John Simm in it! And I found it a bit boring.
we saw Elling in London last summer (2007) and it was brilliant in every way. The audience was close to the stage – even when we were all hysterical with laughter, the actors were completely under control every second. We still think of this production very often and plan to rent the movie to see it again (in Norwegian…)The performance in London was probably the best we saw last summer – totally delightful and professional. Not only are we in drama, we are also closely associated with the mentally ill – – congratulations to one and all.