"6 weeks" "6 people" "6 aspects of reality" "Per Fly's PERFORMANCES" "My name is Jens Markussen." "I run the Sortedam Theatre." "I am 54 years old." "I am married." "I have a wife called Tina and four children." "How much do you need?" "Wasn't it Lars Norén who put a Volvo 440 on stage in the interval?" " When was that?" " In "Som löven i Vallombrosa" ..." "We should have produced that." "A sure-fire hit." "Damn it." "I'm the manager." "I deal with the practical stuff." "I work closely with Marko, " " who directs most of our productions." "We've been a duo since we started the theatre in ... 1992." "We decide what we put on, right, Marko?" "That's what commercialism is all about." "When capital enters into it, it wants to decide form and content." "The worst ones of all are sponsors." "Because they don't make active choices." "They are invisible." "You can't grab them by the balls." "They just say "No, thanks, we don't feel like backing that idea"." "Why not? "Because we'd rather support something else"." "It's a modern kind of censorship." "We need some more wine." " Tanja and Marko are driving." " The theatre can pay for a taxi." "This is a meeting!" "When we started we had no money at all." "So we did everything ourselves." "We press-ganged our relatives." "We painted sets, we rigged the lighting." "I remember it as a non-stop party." "Remember your idea of doing 24 productions in one year?" "A first night ever two weeks?" " Remember?" " Yes!" " Jens?" " It was crazy." " But it turned out brilliantly." " Jens." "Stop it." "It's not as if we've been doing too well lately." "We just need to break out of the mould the way we've done before." "It's not like that any more, Jens." "We've lost it." "We'll come up with ideas together like in the old days." "That's all over, Jens." "There is no spark between us." "Not any more." "Yes, we've got the old days." "But what use are they?" "We can't go on looking back." "Nobody can." "In that case we've got a bit of a problem, haven't we?" "Jens ..." "I love you, damn it." "I really do." "I am incredibly grateful." " What are you trying to say?" " Stop it, you two." " Do you hear where that puts me?" " Time to go home." "At least you're honest." "Jens, damn it." "He is a great artist." "He takes what he does very personally." "The way things have turned out   it is his life." "Directing these plays." "He can't take it lightly if things aren't going well   or he feels anyone's getting in his way." "It usually gets pretty turbulent." "How do you see the future?" "The way things are?" "It's weird to think of the future." "That was a weird question to ask." "Can you send it over this afternoon?" "A good thing you thought of it." "Thank you." "Our saviour!" "We're so pleased to see you!" "I am really grateful to you." "For choosing me." "That's great." "Hi!" " We got you here!" " Yes, it's wonderful!" " You're looking fantastic." " The new bar area looks great." "We've grown rich in the meantime." "This is Jakob; he's playing Adonis." "I feel really privileged to to be able to act with you." "You've got your old dressing room." "Just wait!" "Just look at that!" "That's from The Summer Visitor." "And Beckett ..." "I expect there are photos from every production you've been in." " Eva started the theatre with you?" "Yes, she did." "It's fantastic to have her back." "Things have come full circle." "I'd like to welcome you all back after the summer holidays   for our first production this year." "I've been feeling like a child at Christmas." "Why?" "Because you were all coming." "We're going to do a typical Sortedam Theatre production   that goes right to the edge." "It'll be the first performance   of a work by Shakespeare." "It's a huge poem, a huge challenge." "And I am so happy that we are going to make this journey together." "Sadly, it won't be me directing it." "So maybe Marko will tell us   about his intentions." "The tender spring upon thy tempting lip" "Shows thee unripe;" "yet mayst thou well be tasted :" "Make use of time, let not advantage slip;" "Beauty within itself should not be wasted ..." "Marko is my friend." "My best friend." "He's the one I talk to." "About anything." "At first we practically lived together." " Hi ..." " Thanks." "What's up then?" "I just wanted to hear how it was going." "It's going fine." "OK ..." "You haven't got an ending." " For your play." " No, I haven't." "But it's not your problem and however much you make it your problem   you can't solve it." "No." "In that case there's not much I can do for you." "Anything else?" "No." "See you downstairs." "Will two be enough?" "Two's never enough." "Well, well!" "Hi, Jens." " Long time no see." " Yes." "This is Simon." "He's on the board of the National Theatre, like me." "You run the Sortedam Theatre, don't you?" "I didn't realize you knew it." "I've been a few times." "I hear you're going to do some Shakespeare." "... Yes." "We're really excited." "The Copenhagen Theatre Council is going to shut two theatres." " You knew that." " I didn't." " Is yours one of them?" " It's impossible to get out of them." "I was hoping you'd tell me." "I know nothing." "They don't tell us a thing." " OK." "How are things?" " At the National?" "Fine, thanks." "We are looking for a new artistic director." "Might you be interested?" "Why hadn't it occurred to me before?" "Would I have a chance?" "I do believe you would." "We need a man with vision." "An innovator." "Someone with organizational ability   who won't stick to sure-fire family favourites." "But it won't be easy." "You'll have to fight for it." "Simon, for example." " The Sortedam isn't his favourite." " No, that's the thing." "You've never been to my place, have you?" "Why not bring your wife one evening?" "I'll cook you supper." " Fine." "Be seeing you." " Yes." "What do they need at the National?" "Somebody like you." "You've made a theatre out of nothing." "The leading theatre in the country." "Agreed?" "You know how to plan a repertory." " Nobody knows that." " It's a disgrace." "I'm your wife and I've been watching you for 15 years   and you've never received your due." " I can't stab him in the back." " Marko again." "We talk about him as if he were God." "I know it's been a partnership." "But you laid the foundations." "Who is it who actually has the really good ideas?" "You." "In a couple of years it'll be too late to apply for jobs." "You'll be over the hill." "And truth be told, aren't you sick to death of him?" "If you'd asked me this afternoon I'd have denied it." " Come on!" "How hard can it be?" " I can't open it." "How do you see Marko artistically right now?" "I think ..." "Sometimes I worry that he is in more of a state than ever." "He is in a panic   but also completely cold." "You must seduce Adonis." "And his girlfriend ... or ex-girlfriend ... is also in it." "There's just more of everything." "No, Marko, don't." " Stop it?" " Stop it." "You can't do that." " We are rehearsing." " We agreed to be professional." " And not like this." " You're paranoid." "We'll take a break." "Marko, where are you going?" "That was rotten of you." " This can't go on." " No, it can't." "I can't work like that." "Of course you can't." "Nobody is meant to work like that." "I mean ... he's out of his tree." "It's no good." "Just calm down." " What happened at the rehearsal?" " Tanja's acting sucks." "We've got to talk about it." "Instead of telling Tanja to get her act together,   you come here to give me a bollocking." "You were the one who fucked that rehearsal up." "You have always been great at deflating me." "Thanks." " I always back you up." " No, you don't." "You puff yourself up at my expense." "Is it wrong of me to act responsibly?" "Of course it is." "I am not an artist." "I'm just a theatre manager." "No, "manager" is much too important." "What am I, Marko?" "What do you think I am?" "CEO, if titles mean so much to you." "Titles, bollocks." "I want to be acknowledged." "Not in your interviews or the papers." "Just from you to me." "Are we going to talk about who has done what?" "Yes." "I acknowledge you but you don't acknowledge me." " Hi, Claus." " Hi, Jens." "Well ..." "Yes, I am going to apply." "Good." "I talked to the chairman." "He regards you very favourably." "But of course a lot will depend on Simon Holmgren." "He has his own candidate." "Claus, there is something that's really important to me." "Nobody must know I have applied." "Of course I'll have to come clean to Marko   but I don't have any desire to argue about it unless I get the job." "I see why." "Don't worry." "Discretion will be observed." " You're sure?" " Absolutely." "Thank you." "I am really pleased." "You are a worthy candidate." "It won't be easy for Simon to lever one of his neo-Cons into the slot." "Welcome to the fray, Jens!" "Cheers!" "How exciting!" "I'll have to tell him I have applied." "No, that's exactly what you will not have to tell him." "Darling, how typical of you!" "It is time for you to think of yourself, darling." "You've applied for another job, Jens." "I could tell when the opportunity arose   that it felt right." "I must move on." "Why?" "Because I am the age I'm at." "Anything new will have to come now." "In five years time I won't have the strength." "To start something really big." "It is a very big, very dramatic issue in relation to Marko." "I don't want to talk about it yet." "But I'll talk about it to him later, no matter what." "This is the closest we've got to a local pub or restaurant." "Marko and Eva and my wife Tine and I came here   when we started the theatre." "Welcome to the family!" "Here's to Marko and all his crazy ideas." " And to love, right?" "Right?" " Cheers." "Is something up?" " Is anything wrong?" " No, not at all." "No." "Does anyone know who's getting the job at the National?" "Not yet." "They'll have trouble finding anyone." "Isn't it "a sinking ship"?" "Cheers." " Thanks for a fantastic evening." " Thanks." "Is there trouble between you and Marko?" " No?" "Why?" " I had this feeling." " Not at all." " It's going to be good." "I promise." "We just need get closer to each other and to find the story." "Thanks for a lovely meal." "Thanks." " Are you sure about that taxi?" " I need the walk." "See you tomorrow." "Take care, Tine." "It was a nice evening." "See you." " It'll be all right." " Yes." "Break a leg." "My bag." "My chances must be OK." "It's hard to tell." "I don't know who else has applied." "You don't sound completely convinced." "I have run a fairly small experimental theatre for years." "Very successfully, too." "But some people won't regard that as a qualification." "This is the stage door." "There's a Jens Markussen ..." "Jens Markussen?" "This way." "They'll be ready for you in five minutes." "Would you like to see the Old Stage?" "Marko has been the theatre's outward face for years   in the newspapers and glossies." "How do you feel about stepping into that arena?" "It could be fun   To be the one who has to champion the ideas." "I'd like to try." "Are you thinking of directing?" "Well, it might be quite enjoyable." "I am dynamic." "I work very hard." "But I keep the overview." "I am solution-oriented." "I'm pragmatic but I try to hang onto the vision." "An actor has his body, his voice, his temperament, his personality." "My means of expression is the theatre organization; that's my instrument." "I have huge artistic influence if I know how to use my organization." "I know what everybody's job is." "I know exactly why they're doing what they're doing right now." "That's all very well." "But for a view that is less rose-tinted   let me quote what you wrote in 1995 in Information." "It says:" ""Middle-class theatre is dead"." ""Giant institutions like the National are dead"." ""What should we do to it?" "Blow it up!"" "We'd been running our theatre for a couple of years by then." "We were tripping on success." "Then it's easy to lose your sense of reality." "You are applying to run an organization you wanted to blow up?" "It was rhetorical." "And that article was written by Marko and me and Eva." "We wanted to be provocative." "It was ..." "So middle-class theatre has won?" "I don't think one can put it the way we did then." "I think that all theatre is middle-class." "But that doesn't stop us from talking about quality." "The goal of the theatre, and for me if I get the job,   is to attract audiences from as broad a base as possible." "People from everywhere and every background." "The unique thing about this theatre is that it belongs to everyone." "So obviously we have to give everybody the experiences they seek." "Hi, darling." "I've emerged." "They let me go." "I think it went well." "It's hard to tell what's going on in their minds." "Sweet of you to say so." "But they won't want me." "I am too much of a lefty." " Where have you been?" " I just popped out." " Marko is looking for you." " I'll go and find him." "We'll lower the lights and then pull out those screens." " That's possible?" " They're on coasters." "But Adonis and Venus enter here." "We need to fix the lighting there." "What do you think, Marko?" " Happy?" " It looks great." "But ..." "It's just not an ending." " It's a great ending." " There has to be hope." "It's too gloomy." "I'd like ..." "We need to decide soon so I can get the sets finished." "A fantastic colour." "It's beautiful!" " It's perfect." " Yes, perfect." "That's fine." "But I can't see anything!" "It's so good." " Hi, Claus." " Hi, Jens." "Sit down." "I've asked for some coffee." " Come on!" "Tell me!" " OK." "It's settled." " Congratulations." " How fabulous!" " I got it?" " You got it." " But you haven't heard yet." " No, of course not." " When will I know?" " When the chairman phones." "Probably tomorrow." " It's amazing." " What do you think?" "You were great at the interview." "Didn't you think so, too?" "No, that wasn't my impression." "My head was a blur." "You mentioned that a couple of theatres were going to be closed." "The Sortedam is one of them." "I am telling you in confidence." " They're going to close it?" " Yes." "Yes." "The new situation makes it possible." " What about Marko?" " Marko will be all right." "Because I applied for this job, you were able to close our theatre?" "You could put it that way." "But that's not the point." " It's the minister ..." " I am not a fool." "You talk to Holmgren, Holmgren to the minister." "The minister wants to shut a few theatres." " Would they have closed us anyway?" " Most probably not." "Your credit is writ large on this game." "Don't be naive." "You applied for a job." "So you have to leave a job." "You can't tie up your loyalty to the old place." "You are now the artistic director of the National Theatre." "The government is pumping millions into the National at the moment." "It's a huge chance for you." "We want bums on seats and it's your job to put them there." "I can't figure out what I've done." "Or what other people have done." "Or if I've fallen into a trap." "Or if I've done the right thing." "Or if I shouldn't have applied." "Or ..." "Or how I'll be able to maintain my relationship with Marko." "I can't exist without Marko in my life." "Jens, Eva has collapsed on stage." " What's going on?" " On stage." "Jens!" " Jens, damn it!" " Easy, now." "Roll her onto her side." "Jens speaking." "Just a second." "It's a private matter ..." "Do you mind?" " Shall I close the door?" " Yes, please." "Claus, I thought we'd agreed that you would not phone me here." "I have to be able to trust you." "So I just don't get it." "Right." "Wednesday at what time?" "I have to go." "Yes." "Fine. 'Bye." "Jens speaking." "Hi, Marko." "What do they say?" "Marko phoned from hospital." "Eva is all right." "She's been overdoing it." "She'll be back in a day or two." "We'll carry on, though of course we can't do complete run-throughs." "But I'm sure there's loads that needs a bit of polish." "But ... phew!" " Shall we look at the schedule?" " That's be nice." " Eva is more ill than you thought." " She has cancer." "It's serious." " What about the production?" " I have no idea." "I need to talk to Eva, the doctors, and Marko, and then we'll decide." " They're lovely." "Thank you." " I'll put mine in the middle." "Give my love to everyone at the theatre." "Tell them I'll be back soon." "Because we are going to carry on, aren't we?" "It's a bit early to decide." "It's serious, after all." "Jens, this production has got to go on." "I have spent so many years doing things I didn't believe in." "Superficial films where all that mattered was making money." "This is like an awakening." "Like being given one last chance." "We must bring Marko's vision to life." "We must do a production about love." "A production that is profound, naked,   honest,   and uncompromising, just like Marko at his best." "Jens Markussen." "I have come to ..." "We want to run you in gently before you start in October." "So we've invited you to our regular informal fortnightly meeting   where the board looks at this and that, and the budgets." " I appreciate being included." " Have you seen the new budgets?" "I couldn't help noticing that 5 million has been cut from mine." "We have tried to spread the cuts fairly among the three art forms." "5 million is an entire production." "At least." "I have been approached by a German supermarket chain." "They are having trouble getting established in Denmark." "They are offering 50 million in sponsorship money over 5 years." " What do they want in return?" " Nothing." "Nothing?" "Well, the right to say that they support the National." "So people won't be coming to the National but to the Bilka?" " They had some specific wishes." " Such as Summer in Tyrol?" "No, Shakespeare." "The Merchant of Venice." " We're doing that next season." " Yes, precisely." "What is your problem?" "You let a chain of merchandisers sponsor a play called Merchant ..." "Jens, we have a few other items to discuss today." "I think we should talk to them." "And that's my decision." "Shall we move on?" "Item 2." " I don't know how to tell him." " Tell him the way it is." "Marko has no rights over you." "Come on!" "You've slaved for that man for years." "You don't owe him a thing." "We've been friends for almost 20 years." "I understand how you feel." " Marko, I've been thinking about us." " I know." " You know what?" " Come off it, I know, Jens." "What do you know?" "That we are not communicating very well and that it's my fault." "No, it isn't only your fault." "It isn't ..." "That's not how I see it." "This production is a major point in my life." "I can feel it." "The business with Eva." "Tanja leaving me." "I've even got Katrin working here." "It's like judgement day for my life." "I don't know where it will lead but I know it will be good." "I am already thinking about next season." " Next season." " It'll be completely different." "We'll communicate like in the old days; be like we once were." "We must think more simply." "We must rediscover joy." "We must find some of what we used to share." "Yes?" " Hi!" " Are you here?" " Hi." " Hi, darling." "I'm OK." "I've stabilised my medicines." "It'll be OK." " You're sure?" " The doctors have given me the OK." "Nobody must know the truth." "Of course not." "It was over-exertion." "End of story." "You are looking great." " Has something happened?" " No, nothing." " I can tell by looking at you." " No, you can't." "Look who I have got here!" "I just went off to get some publicity for the production!" "But I'm fine." "Let's do the jealousy scene again." "Ten minutes?" "He brought up the article about blowing up the National." "And I thought "Oh, that's blown it!" But he dealt with it." "What did you tell them?" "I gave my usual lecture." "Teamwork, the theatre organization, delegating responsibility, and ..." "That's not all you said, though." "What knocked them out   was when he said the National should give people what they wanted." "The other applicants talked art and aesthetics and intellectual stuff." "You told them what they wanted to hear." " I didn't say that!" " It's precisely what you said." ""Give people what they want"?" "No!" "That wasn't what I meant, anyway." " It's irrelevant, anyway." " No, it isn't!" " It is!" " Come off it!" "I may have said that the theatre is going through a crisis   and if people don't come it will die,   and that good productions can also be entertaining." "And it's true." "But it's not what we used to believe, is it?" "No, damn it!" "No, I don't want to go there." "I am withdrawing my application." "It's not me." "It's more important for them to have you than anyone else." "Give me a break!" "I'll be their clown while Marko is left out in the cold." "We can't pander to people." "People need to be challenged." "We must give them stuff they had no idea they ..." "And you'll have loads of opportunities at the National." "Use them!" "You've got power now." "Use it!" "Come on!" "Cheers, right?" "I'm sorry." "Cheers, darling." "Marko, I've got a new job." "Artistic director of the National Theatre." "And there's another thing you haven't heard, either." "They are going to close the Sortedam Theatre." "It's a political decision." "Artistic director of the National?" "I didn't know they'd close the theatre." "That wasn't why I applied." "It was the way we've been talking." "I didn't want to talk about it in case I didn't get it   and I thought we had enough trouble as it was." "It wasn't relevant until now, and now I am telling you." "Come with me." "Come in." "You'll be able to do the big shows we always talked about." " Marko." "Come with me." " Fuck you, Jens, OK?" "Maybe I am impossible sometimes." "And I lose the plot." "But one thing I've always been is loyal, especially to you." "As a friend and as the CEO." "I don't run away with my tail between my legs." "I didn't think you did, either." "Congratulations on your new job." "We can't work like this." " It's not on." " Where is Marko?" "He's gone." " He threw a wobbly and left." " I won't be talked to like that." " What happened?" " He wants this bed to vanish." " It's physical impossible." " "If you can't do it, you're fired!"" " We've been working our ..." " Calm down." "I know." "Of course ..." "We'll come back when he apologizes." "We're turning off the lights now." "Keep your phones on." "What should I feel guilty about?" "Why should I feel guilty?" "He is the best director in the country." "I have done my best." "If this is the way he wants it, there is nothing I can do." " What will the first night be like?" " I have no idea." "For the first time ever " " I can truly say that I have no idea." "Your staff have been there 15 years." "Have you told them?" "No, I haven't." "Let's get tonight out of the way first." "Hi, Trine ..." "The bar area's looking great." "Will you have time to give it another go with the hoover?" "OK?" "Come on in!" "The tender spring upon thy tempting lip" "Shows thee unripe;" "yet mayst thou well be tasted :" "Make use of time, let not advantage slip;" "Fair flowers that are not gather'd in their prime" "Rot and consume themselves in little time." "Had I no eyes but ears," "My ears would love That inward beauty and invisible;" "Or were I deaf, thy outward parts would move" "Each part in me that were but sensible:" "Though neither eyes nor ears, to hear nor see," "Yet should I be in love by touching thee." "If I may have your attention for a moment?" "Thank you all." "It has been a fantastic evening and a fantastic performance." "Before we carry on with the party I'd like Jens to step up here." "I think you owe us an explanation." "I think you should tell us about your new job." "As you hear, I have got a new job." "As artistic director of the National Theatre." "Tell us what is going to happen to this theatre." "Not now ..." "Jens, there are people who've been here as many years as we have." "What's probably going to happen is that the Sortedam will close." "Marko makes it sound as if the two things are connected." "They aren't." "Even if it might look like it." "So the theatre will close and this will be our last season." "What will happen to the rest of us?" "You'll be made redundant." "I have been here nearly 15 years." "I helped to build it from nothing." "I am 54 years old." "For me to do anything new it had to be now." "You can't   get stuck in a rut." "No good comes of it." " I simply can't ..." " Come on, darling." "A fantastic performance." "Congratulations and I mean it!" "Jens, this is the arts minister." "I really enjoyed the show." "A fantastic production." "Thank you." "We can't wait to see what you'll do with the National." "Jens, what do you want?" "Marko, does it have to be like this?" "The next episode" "I want the courage to give in to love." "I want a family and a partner who'll talk to me   and have sex with me and just be my partner." "Poor Marko ... can't keep hold of your women." "I won't get better if I stay here." "You are the problem." "Instead of seeing a psychologist I use my work." "I think   I can arrive at the truth."