The case in summary
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- A new Knutsen and Ludvigsen musical will be performed in Dyreparken this summer.
- The performance will take place in the lion amphitheater, and there is room for 730 spectators.
- Dyreparken expects around 95,000 spectators to come to the evening performances this summer, of which between 6,000 and 7,000 will come to “Knutsen and Ludvigsen hos løvene”.
- Øystein Dolmen, who played Knutsen, expresses great joy that Knutsen and Ludvigsen are still popular.
- The performance will be played side by side with Kaptein Sabeltann and Sirkus Jesper in the evening.
- Dyreparken has not yet decided all the roles for the musical.
The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by NRK’s journalists before publication.
– It’s just absolutely phenomenal – absolutely fantastic, says Øystein Dolmen to NRK.
He played Knutsen in the duo Knutsen and Ludvigsen, who had their breakthrough over 50 years ago.
The musical has been named “Knutsen and Ludvigsen hos løvene”.
The musical will be held in the area where the lions live.
Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / NRK
The area of the lions
Since performances are to be held inside the lion enclosure, there is a lot that needs to be put in place before the performances. Among other things, the animals must leave the stage area.
– The lions will hopefully have gone to bed in their house, so we are crossing our fingers that we will make it, says Roy Bjerke, head of the entertainment department in Dyreparken.
And if the lions don’t want to come in, Dyreparken has a backup plan.
There is room for 730 spectators in the lion amphitheater and the new musical will be played ten evenings in the high season.
Dyreparken estimates that there will be around 95,000 spectators at the evening performances this summer. Between 6,000 and 7,000 of these will come to “Knutsen and Ludvigsen hos løvene”.
Roy Bjerke is very pleased that they have got Knutsen and Ludvigsen to the Dyreparken.
Photo: Dyreparken
– Equally surprised every time
Øystein Dolmen says he is incredibly happy and surprised that Knutsen and Ludvigsen are still widely popular among the population.
Why, he has no good answer to:
– You mustn’t ask me that, because I stand and am just as surprised every time something new happens.
Now Knutsen and Ludvigsen are coming to Dyreparken in new costumes. From left Fredrik Gustav Lorentzen (son of Gustav Lorentzen), Julian Berntzen (Theatre publisher – songbird Agency), and Øystein Dolmen (originator)
Photo: Dyreparken
Knutsen and Ludvigsen consisted of Øystein Dolmen and Gustav Lorentzen. Dolmen is 76 years old, while Lorentzen died in 2010.
They made a breakthrough at the beginning of the 1970s with radio plays in the children’s class for the youngest. Since then, hits such as “Dum og Deilig”, “Badger in the roof” and “Maybe the king will come” have been part of the upbringing of many children in Norway.
Adapted to the Animal Park
In recent years, there have been two animated films about Knutsen and Ludvigsen, which has contributed to more children developing a relationship with the duo.
– We also see that the next generation is throwing themselves into that universe, says Roy Bjerke in Dyreparken.
The new performance will be played side by side with Kaptein Sabeltann and Sirkus Jesper in the evening.
– This will be our third evening performance this summer, and we are really looking forward to it, says Roy Bjerke.
The zoo still hasn’t landed all the roles for the musical.
Dyreparken expects that up to 95,000 spectators will come to the evening performances next summer.
Photo: VETLE HJORTLAND
For Dyreparken, it has been important that the musical should be adapted to the format in Dyreparken. They have therefore come up with their adaptations. Nevertheless, Dolmen and Lorentzen’s son have been involved in the concept development.
– But just like when we created Hakkebakkeskogen, so in the final stages we have to shape the expression that becomes our guests, says Roy Bjerke.