About

The story about Mari, Marispelet, is Telemark’s Romeo and Juliet story about Mari and her forbidden love for the servant boy Oystein. 

Please be aware that, on stage, they talk and sing in Norwegian. 

This outdoor play is a historic play staged on the edge of the cliff above Vemork, and where the audience can experience the famous Rjukan Waterfall, which is released in all its vigour in the last scene of the play. The Rjukan Waterfall is normally in pipes, but used to be a grand tourist attraction for the upper classes in Norway in pre-Industrial times. 

Marispelet Rjukan has both beautiful music, song and dance with roots in traditional folk music, but also within the genre of musical theatre. The costumes are traditional national costumes and the dancing is acrobatic and entertaining.

UNESCO World Heritage town Rjukan
The story about Mari takes place in Rjukan, the first and only architect-designed city in Norway, which is now on UNESCOs World Heritage List. Rjukan is situated close to Oslo and other connecting cities to the continent. It is located at the edge of the Hardanger Plateau National Park, and at the foot of the mountaintop; Gaustatoppen (1883 m) which has the largest viewpoint in Norway. Rjukan is also known for its dramatic history from the Second World War and the Heroes of Telemark at Vemork.