A new play about the adventures of LazyTown will be staged at the National Theatre this year (2014). In this new play – Ævintýri í Latabæ – written by Magnús Scheving and Ólafur S.K. Þorvaldz, all the main characters of LazyTown are present, along with a few new ones. In the roles of Sportacus and Stephanie will be Dýri Kristjánsson and Melkorka Davíðsdóttir Pitt. Dýri is no stranger to Sportacus, having performed as him many times, but Melkorka is new to the role. She was chosen from a huge number of girls who applied for the role in open auditions this winter.
I am very interested in acting and art-related things in general, I started acting when I was 10 years old in children’s shows and have been doing it for the past few years and this is the biggest role I have ever had,” says Melkorka Davíðsdóttir Pitt, who is only 16 years old and a student at Reykjavík High School. She is no stranger to theater, however, as she has acted in shows such as Cardamom Farm, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz and last year she played in The Promised Land.
“I was called and asked to come to audition, I was on my way to my final exam in MR that same day and hadn’t really thought about it. I just went to the auditions and then ran to the exam, so I didn’t expect to get the role at all, although it was good to go to the audition, you always learn something from it. Shortly after, Rúnar calls me and says he wants me to do this. It was both unexpected and fun” says Melkorka, whose director is Rúnar Freyr Gíslason.
Dýri Kristjánsson has played Sportacus in various shows for several years, but he still had to audition like everyone else. “My first encounter with Sportacus was in 2006, when they needed guys to do stunts and jumps for the shows that were in production at the time. A year later, Magnús Scheving had been booked for a show in London. He had just torn a muscle so he couldn’t make it, so I was sent in instead. It went well and since then it has taken off and the performances have reached the nine hundred” says Dýri, a 34-year-old former gymnast.
An advantage in the auditions
Auditions for the play took place this spring, and Dýri had to participate like everyone else. “Of course, auditions were like for other roles. I have the advantage over many others of having received guidance from the master for the role. So it is quite possible to say that I had an advantage over others in the auditions, but it was handled professionally” says Dýri.
“Magnús Scheving has been playing the role Sportacus for 20 years and he has a lot to say about how the characters of LazyTown are presented to people. It is absolutely great to have him on board with this and he has strong opinions and enormous ambition for all of this, this is his child.”
Melkorka says this has been time-consuming now at the beginning of the school year, but that changes as soon as the performances start. “I haven’t met all of my teachers, but I am lucky to have a good friend who has sent me everything that has been done and talked about in the classes that I have missed, so I have been able to keep up. I don’t know if I’m going to study acting in the future, there are many other things that are possible, but this is really fun, and it’s a privilege to be able to take part in this.”
It is expected that there will be many performances and that they will be well received by children and teenagers this winter.
“You can expect this to be a very diverse show,” says Dýri. “LazyTown has always been designed for the youngest generation, but as this show has developed, it will also reach teenagers and adults. Great dancers, Brynjar Dagur who won Iceland’s Got Talent is involved and participates in many ways. Robbie Rotten is priceless in this so there is a very diverse entertainment in this show. We have all been rolling around with laughter during the rehearsals,” says Dýri.
“One show like this is a big marathon,” says Melkorka. “A lot of moving and singing at the same time and stuff like that, so you stay in great shape.”
Pressure to follow in Stephanie’s footsteps
Director Rúnar Freyr is working on the show a lot with Magnús Scheving and they both say it’s great to work with Rúnar. “He’s absolutely wonderful” says Melkorka, “he wants to have a great and good spirit and it’s really good to be around him.”
Do you feel pressure, being new to this role that many young girls see as sacred? “There’s a certain pressure to live up to their expectations, and maybe especially for the premiere, but hopefully I can convince them, I’ll do my very best and I’m looking forward to it” says Melkorka.
“I’ve performed with quite a few Stephanies over the years and I don’t think Melkorka has anything to worry about” says Dýri, who has great faith in the young actress. “Children are the harshest critics and she will definitely live up to their expectations.” Dýri says the pressure is on his side as he puts on the Sportacus costume.
“There’s something unreal about Magnús, it’s incredible how he manages to stay so ‘fit’ and cool and it’s actually unfair to the rest of us” says Dýri. “These are huge shoes I’m stepping into and I hope I can fill them. I’m 34 and I have almost 20 years left to catch up to Magnús” he says with a smile.
Dýri and Melkorka are very proud to be playing Stephanie and Sportacus and both say it’s a great adventure. “I have to admit that I feel pressure standing in the temple of Icelandic culture, but everyone here is so lovely that it’s just going to be fun and healthy” says Dýri and Melkorka nods in agreement.
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