Experience the Danish premiere of the new, gripping production “SUERSAQ” by Nunatta Isiginnartitsisarfia/The National Theatre of Greenland.
The performance is based on the story of Hans Hendrik Suersaq (1834–1889), who travelled as a guide and helper on European expeditions. He was one of the many companions who were crucial for these journeys to be carried out, yet has rarely been mentioned throughout history.
In “SUERSAQ” we find ourselves on one of the great expeditions Hans Hendrik Suersaq participated in. Here we follow the dramatic events as 19 people are driven onto the ice during a storm — including Suersaq, his wife Meqo, and their four children. They end up adrift for half a year before they are rescued by Canadians from Labrador.
Life on the ice floe was documented in drawings by the expedition’s captain, George E. Tyson. On stage, the drawings are transformed into large-scale images created by visual artist Ivinguak Stork Høegh.
Director Kimmernaq Kjeldsen has in this production especially stressed collaboration with Greenlandic artists, and in the lead role is Hans-Henrik Suersaq Poulsen, who is a descendant of Hans Hendrik Suersaq.
The performance is curated by CPH STAGE and presented in collaboration with Nunatta Isiginnartitsisarfia/The National Theatre of Greenland and The Royal Danish Theatre.