Since his first visit to the Brooklyn Academy
of Music with a luridly theatrical interpretation of "Hamlet"
in 1988, the eminent Swedish film and stage director Ingmar Bergman
has often returned to Brooklyn, each time among the highlights
of that New York theater season.
This spring’s BAM season concludes, much as it did two years
ago, with another long-awaited Bergman production: in 1999, it
was the cinematic "The Image Makers," while now, it’s
Bergman’s newest staging of one of his compatriot, August Strindberg’s
most esoteric plays, "The Ghost Sonata."
This "Ghost Sonata" is Bergman’s fourth production
of Strindberg’s surrealistic, macabre chamber drama during a
long, vital, exceedingly original directorial career. Together
with his usual acting troupe and technical assistants at the
Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden, Bergman once again heads straight
to the heart of a masterpiece, shedding new light on its morose,
disturbing worldview.
Bergman has occasionally been derided as a dictatorial, mercurial
personality over the years – indeed, a few seasons back, his
production of Moliere’s "The Misanthrope" was supposed
to play BAM but was cancelled after he decided the actors were
no longer doing their best – but it’s nearly impossible to find
actors who won’t jump at the chance to perform for him, says
Jan Malmsjo, a long-time Bergman film collaborator who plays
Hummel in this production. It’s his first time acting for Bergman
onstage.
"He’s a magic master – that’s my name for him," Malmsjo
revealed during an exclusive interview with The Brooklyn Papers.
"Today we had a rehearsal with him in costume, a full dress
rehearsal. And he came to me and said before it started, ’I don’t
sit and make notes all the time, but I’ll sit here and break
it up when I feel like it. Is that OK with you?’
"He’s 83 years old now, but he was jumping up and down,
coming up with new things, and this is after we’ve done 104 performances!"
said Malmsjo, who could not conceal his excitement over working
with one of this century’s few true directing geniuses.
"It was all so stimulating. It’s like digging up the corpse
after six months – all of a sudden, I felt some form of happiness
again, because the master was there. He gave us so much inspiration
and kindness and warmth. He’s incredible.
"He took part of the rehearsal up by calling all the actors
together and saying to us, ’After 100 performances, a play generally
cracks up a little bit, because actors are egocentric and go
places they shouldn’t, but I am happy to say that hasn’t happened
with this production. You have deepened it, and that makes me
happy.’ Of course, that kind of talk coming from our director
was inspiring."
Malmsjo is filled with admiration for his director: "You
could hear him when he was talking to himself during the rehearsal,
’Good. That’s good.’ He’s such an inspiring person, so precise
in everything, in all the details and the nuances."
And there’s no doubt Malmsjo will reunite with Bergman again,
along with his son Jonas, who is also in "The Ghost Sonata,"
playing – of course – the elder Malmsjo’s son. "I’m going
to work with [Bergman] again next season in Ibsen’s ’Ghosts’
[also at the Royal Dramatic Theatre], where I’m going to play
Dr. Mamdus. Jan will play opposite me as Osvald."
About his role in "The Ghost Sonata," Malmsjo acknowledged
the difficulty for both performer and audience. "It’s a
draining role," the actor admitted. "’The Ghost Sonata’
is such a dark, almost black play that shows how everyone and
everything are not what they seem to be." Malmsjo also revealed
another reason why his performance in this play drains him.
"We played 84 performances in a row, night after night after
night," he said with a chuckle. "We’re a little bit
spoiled in Sweden, since we usually have many off days, unlike
you Americans, who do two matinees a week!"
Malmsjo said he looks forward to joining the Bergman troupe at
BAM. "I’ve never been to BAM, so it’s an experience I’m
looking forward to," he says. "I’m told that the Harvey
is a small jewel of a theater, with an intimacy that fits the
play."
If the intimate Harvey fits "The Ghost Sonata" as does
Ingmar Bergman, then Brooklyn theatergoers are in for a most
memorable evening.
Find out more about Strindberg’s
"Ghost Sonata"
"The Ghost Sonata" will be
performed June 20-23 at 7:30 pm and June 24 at 3 pm at the BAM
Harvey Theatre [651 Fulton St., (718) 636-4100]. Tickets are
$20-$65. The play will be performed in Swedish with simultaneous
English translation.
