The Art of the Impossible

In 1964, the Italian immigrant Eugenio Barba started Odin Teatret in an air-raid shelter in Oslo. Two years later, his group was invited to settle in Holstebro, then known as “the most boring city in Denmark”. Today, Holstebro is known as ”the city of culture”.

Odin Teatret is one of the world’s oldest and most famous theatre companies. It has altered established ideas about where and how theatre is performed, and how performances may emerge out of the actors’ craft and creativity.

Elsa Kvamme’s documentary The Art of the Impossible deals with the unique story of Eugenio Barba, who came to Norway as an immigrant before anyone had heard the word ”pizza” there. Today Barba is known as one of the main innovators within modern performing arts. He has conceived unforgettable performances, as well as concepts like “potlach” and “the third theatre”. He also has a special method to make the group renew itself by regularly initiating “earthquakes” which change the rules within the ensemble.