What has Nordic Noir started? An obsession with murder, dysfunctional detectives and woolly jumpers for starters, and now a comedy show by two women with a particular take on the genre.
In a certain well known Swedish outlet, flat packs are the order of the day so why not a flat pack Swedish crime thriller?
A man is found dead in a barn with a walking pole in his forehead. Enter Inspector Sandra Larsson (Sue Ryding) in her glued-to-the-skin woolly jumper to unravel the mystery. Add a Scandinavian singing quartet called FABBA with a missing blonde, some trolls and a knitted set and you have Inspector Norse.
The knitting that forms the backdrop and props of the flat pack set has been cleverly created by a wide variety of knitting groups around the UK. They have produced a veritable festival of knitting with incredible products like a fireplace, a cat and a teapot with knitted tea, to name but a few items. They have also produced leaves in various shapes that each member of the audience is invited to wave as part of Walpurgis Night, a northern European Spring Festival.
This all sounds great fun but the piece itself felt insubstantial – as if there was enough daftness for a sketch or two but not for a complete show. Maggie Fox has natural comic physicality but her Clouseauesque and Seagoon accents are a bit passé. The troll costumes are good and the hospital scene quite a comical idea but woollen fireworks are a step too far.
There is use of video to show (you’ve guessed it) knitting as well as the FABBA features and some out of character chatting to the audience throughout, but it seems to sit ill in this show that has a sadly suburban tone in the jokes.
The show is pitched at the level of children’s theatre yet it is supposed to be an adult show. Good children’s shows can be so sophisticated that they appeal at subtle levels to adults. An adult show that treats adults like children is another thing.
If waving knitted leaves around and shaking bits of sparkle on a stick while making orchestrated sounds is your thing then this is the show for you otherwise it is likely to be, as we say in some parts of Scotland, enough tae rip yer knittin'.
Sara Lund and Saga Norén, to say nothing of ABBA, may well be turning peerie heidit at this poorly gauged yarn where inventive knitting is the star.
Show times
1 – 25 August, 4.20pm. No show Mon 12, 19 August.
Tickets
13-15, 20-22 August £9 (£8)
3-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25 August £10 (£9)
Tour
Inspector Norse tours England and Wales till early January 2014. LipService is inviting knitters all over the country to knit for the show. Email [email protected] to get involved.