The Obama Victory Speech Project

What is the secret behind Barack Obama’s captivating rhetoric, and what kind of tools does he employ to persuade the world? These are some of the issues that actors and directors from leading theatres across the world will be exploring in the Obama Victory Speech Project, held in conjunction with Dramaten’s Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival.

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June 6 at 2 pm - 6 pm. Main Stage, Dramaten
Admission: SEK 100
30 min intermission approx. 3.40 pm.

There is no doubt about the fact that his flair for rhetoric and great talent for public speaking have contributed to making Barack Obama the first black president of the United States. Much has been said about how much he owes to Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and less about the way he chooses to use pauses, words and gestures to underscore his message and win his audience.

Staffan Valdemar Holm, director, artistic director of the Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival and previous head of Dramaten has invited some of the leading theatres in Europe to initiate an international network. Its purpose is to let directors and actors scrutinize and interpret Obama’s victory speech in Chicago.

“Obama’s speech was remarkable in a number of ways. Since it is the task and duty of theatrical institutions to follow-up phenomena we are likely to be influenced by — language use in particular — it goes without saying that any director or actor will be interested in dissecting this speech,” says Staffan Valdemar Holm.

Representatives from a number of theatres will participate in a two-day workshop and discuss the speech. The results will be presented to the public – in the form of a kind of current events drama – at the conclusion of the Ingmar Bergman Festival on June 6, 2009.

“Keeping in mind that the festival coincides with the Swedish elections for the EU parliament, we believe that the results will be of interest to an audience that goes far beyond regular theatre-goers. I would not be surprised to see one or two politicians present” says Staffan Valdemar Holm.

The performance will be documented and sent to the White House.

The following theatres will be participating in the Obama Victory Speech Project:

Det Kongelige Teater, Köpenhamn

  • Olaf Johannessen (actor)
  • Das Beckwerk (director)

Deutsches Theater, Berlin

  • Sabine Auf der Heyde (director)
  • Meike Droste (actress)

Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus

  • Christiane Roßbach (actress)
  • Winfried Küppers (actor)
  • Stephan Rottkamp (director)

National Theatre, London

  • Charlotte Westenra (director)
  • Mr Sacha Dhawan (actor)

Narodowy Stary Teatr, Krakow

  • Marta Ojrzynska (actress)
  • Ewelina Marciniak  (director)

Thalia Theater, Hamburg

  • Max Claessen (director)
  • Asad Schwarz-Msesilamba (actor)

Teatro Nacional, Santiago de Chile

  • Nicolás Zárate (Actor)
  • Raúl Osorio (Director)

Habima, Tel Aviv

  • Hanan Snir (director)
  • Yigal Sadeh (actor)

Dramaten, Stockholm

  • Tanja Lorentzon (actor)
  • Staffan Roos (director)

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