Six sold-out years and 20,000 cheering audiences!
"The Sluice Game about Engebret Soot" was originally written by Ole Karsten Andersen in 1986 and has since been performed on various occasions. In 2015, a further development of this was called SOOTspelet"The song from Sootbekken"launched as one of the Norwegian Historical Games by the initiators Anneli Sollie and Alexander Rambøl in collaboration with the Haldenkanalen Regional Park.
The SOOT game is the story of the homesteader who heard the song from the stream and let it decide his path. An exciting story about the canal builder Engebret Soot who built locks and canals for the transport of boats and timber. Among other things, he is known as the father of the Haldenkanalen. In 1849, he built and opened Norway's first lock canal, "Soot's canal".
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The game was played annually in the period 2015-2019, and gathered over the five years 16,000 spectators in the stands in Ørje Sluseamfi. The SOOT game is a public success and a signal event in the region, and is considered to be a beacon that brings together the entire new Viken's shared history! 2015-2019 has been completed with strong role performances by, among others, Dennis Storhøi, Samuel Fröler, Kjersti Elvik, Alexander Rybak, Atle Pettersen, Stig Henrik Hoff, Ingar Helge Gimle, Nils Norberg as well as the many wonderful amateurs!_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b -136bad5cf58d_
The outdoor play in Ørje Sluser was back after a corona break in June 2022, and this time we met another Engebret with a newly written script by Anneli Sollie. Inger Marie, Engebret Soot's first-born daughter, now had the lead role in the play "Sin fars datter". Inger Marie's life and love are the core of the play, and through her fate we get the story of the great canal builder, inventor and entrepreneur from a poor background who became one of Norway's greatest engineers. The new production was a hit with the public and the tickets were snapped up. Yes, there wasn't actually one free seat!
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In June 2023, we welcome Agnes Kittelsen back in the role of Inger-Marie, and promise new magical moments in Ørje Sluseamfi!
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Hvem var Engebret Soot?
Engebret Soot var husmannssønnen, som med inspirasjon i en gammel fysikkbok, finneblod i årene, mytologisk sjarme og en enorm arbeidsevne; til slutt blir grunnleggeren av hele Haldenkanalen. Han var en kapasitet i ord, handling og idérikdom. Sterke menneskelige følelser, enormt pågangsmot, høyreist, uredd, musikalsk; men også impulsiv, temperamentsfull og egenrådig. Et barn av elementene, som med rosentorv og kampesten temmet vannets veldige krefter og tok dem i bruk.
Ingen mann har hatt så stor betydning for Haldenkanalen som Engebret Soot. Men han var ikke bare en lokal størrelse. Av forfatteren Jonas Lie ble han og Ole Bull omtalt som det århundrets to store naturgenier. SOOTspelet er historie om en av Norges største menn, men også en historie om kjærlighet, svik, tilgivelse og forsoning.
SOOTspelet forteller historien om mannen Engebret Soot, og menneskene rundt ham. Verden åpnet seg for kanalgeniet. Eller rettere sagt: Verden ble åpnet av kanalgeniet.
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Vi fortsetter i hans fotspor. Og alle vil ha mer!
