Angela Betzien’s HELICOPTER premieres internationally in Norway

First staged in Melbourne in 2012, Angela Betzien’s masterful piece HELICOPTER debuts internationally in Norway this month. Part social satire and part suburban horror story, this thrilling play showcases the lives of a cashed-up, dysfunctional family who live a cloistered life in their gated suburban community, until an appalling tragedy brings their Ugandan refugee neighbour into their lives.

Critics are praising the current international adaptation, with Borghild Maaland of VG Spotlight particularly commending Betzien’s writing as “crisp and direct” and “precise and razor-sharp”. The production has also been praised as “a compelling, well played and meaning-saturated drama that motivate[s] thinking and discussion” (Dagsavisen), whilst Norwegian paper Dag og Tid has called the play, “A painful yet accurate contemporary fable about… culture clashes”, and Alf Kjetil Walgermo of VartLand has lauded the play as “brilliant social satire”.

HELICOPTER is playing at Norway’s National Theatre until 19th November. Tickets are available on the National Theatre website. Photo by Øyvind Eide.