The Ministry of Unresolved Feelings

In the frenzied pursuits of Buster Keaton's films, in the stoic demeanour with which he persists amidst tempests and calamities, one can discern a meticulous choreography of a figure who did not achieve notoriety as a dancer. Nevertheless, his immobile gestures may now be regarded as an intricate exercise in dance. Primarily, then and now, that orchestrated impassivity continues to elicit mirth. The references to Keaton and the use of humour in The Ministry of Unresolved Feelings are not inconsequential. The question of whether dance can provoke laughter can only a yes by analysing choreographer Jo Strømgren’s piece. 

In his native Norway, Strømgren (b. 1970) is a celebrated figure. This was not the result of a deliberate intention on his part. In his youth, he was undecided between pursuing a career in chemical engineering and studying the Russian language. However, his perspective shifted significantly when he had the opportunity to study flamenco in Madrid as part of an academic exchange programme. Could you take up dance instead of chemistry or Russian? He applied to the National College of Ballet in Oslo and was granted admission. Subsequently, he has choreographed over 150 dance pieces, achieving the pinnacle of excellence and acclaim in Norway. His works have been performed in 64 countries, including Spain, and he has already participated in the Festival de Otoño.

But there was talk of humour and Keaton. The programme distributed by the company for the work’s Swedish première, put together for the GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, anticipated the humorous and apparently absurd approach of this “ministry” itself. The programme states that the Ministry has assisted thousands of individuals in leading normal lives. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that observing the treatments prescribed by the Ministry facilitates viewers' comprehension of their own issues. What treatments and why? One of the characters at the counter of this administration makes the following claim: "I am awaiting surgical intervention for my malfunctioning lacrimal glands. I am a sensitive person. However, nobody can comprehend my situation, as I am unable to shed tears. What form of therapy, whether dance or music, might prove effective in resolving these issues?” Other characters allude to feelings of shame, inferiority complexes and self-denial, which they perceive as the root cause of their suffering and low self-esteem. 

Similarly to Keaton, the characters portrayed by the dancers are mute. They just dance (with humour). The patients' cases are conveyed by an announcer's voice, and a senior manager responds to each of them with a detached and formal demeanour characteristic of civil servants. This response is delivered to the accompaniment of music, such as the song Ne me quitte pas by Jacques Brel or the aria Förbi, förbi from the opera Eugene Onegin, performed by Jussi Björling. The patients present this music on cassette tapes to the manager. In twenty different frames, Strømgren will illustrate the proposition that dance and music can provide a form of catharsis, at least for the duration of the performance, by alleviating the world’s sorrows.