In this performance, we follow Vilde Virus as she tricks Elena Syntena. Vilde has just arrived into the world through a terrible sneeze, and is all by herself. She needs some virus mates. Elena’s Ribosome Dome can be used to create new virus copies, though only Elena knows how it works. But perhaps we can persuade Elena to operate the Ribosome Dome to serve Vilde? With the help of the audience, there is a real danger that Vilde will succeed in tricking Elena Syntena to infect us all. Viruses lure cells all over Laryngoland and the result is complete chaos. Fortunately, this is only theatre.
We have all had a visit by one virus or another. They are indeed sly characters that manage to trick our cells to become virus producing factories. Science To The People has simply dramatized the life cycle of the influenza virus. Vilde The Virus is introduced through a searing sneeze, she rushes onto the stage and tries to find someone in the audience she can infect. For this she uses a “key” on her head. Despite persistent attempts, she fails to find a place the key fits among the audience. Eventually, she discovers a cell on stage where the key fits, and she gets access. A child from the audience must however assist because Vilde is by nature extremely lazy and prefers that others do the job for her. Inside the cell we meet Elena Syntena, who is busy furnishing her cell. For this, she uses a ribosome dome: a machine that can just about make anything as long as there is a recipe, but only Elena know how it works. It’s important to make Elena believe that Vilde’s recipe belongs inside the big DNA book, where all recipes of the cell are kept. Sadly, with the help of the audience, Elena Syntena is tricked into creating new viruses using the ribosome dome. When Elena Syntena thinks she’s about to make chocolate cake for the audience – and she turns on the ribosome dome – what comes out is Vilde Virus copies instead. Children in the audience get to play the role of newly created viruses. The new born virus generation enters into the audience to infect further, and this is how you create an epidemic.
The performance covers these learning objectives in the school science curriculum
After 4 grade:
“Use science concepts to describe and present observations, suggest and discuss possible explanations of what has been observed”
After 7 grade:
“Formulate scientific questions about something the student wonders about, suggest possible explanations, make a plan and conduct surveys”
“Explain how the body protects itself against disease, …”
Durarion of performance: 60 min.
Audience: Grade 1-7, maximum 60 students pr. performance. I can do up to 3 performances pr. day.
Location: Henriette brings her ribosome dome and installs herself in a classroom or stage. Scene room: minimum 3 x 4 meters. It takes 1 hour to set up scenography, 40 minutes to take it down.
Ordering deadline: 3 weeks in advance. ( one week during spring 2020)
Contact: henriette.ertsas@uib.no phone: 97601192
Photo: Lars H. Thoresen, Julian Christie Ertsås, VilVite Science Center. Use of photos is with permission from parents.
Funding: H. Westfal-Larsen and Wife Anna Westfal-Larsen’s Public benefit fund, Red Cross legacy of local humanitarian work and the following:
