The escape

Operation Oleander Episode 1 / 2018

The Escape is the first episode in the trilogy about Operation Oleander, the largest German military operation against the Norwegian civilian population during World War II. The play is about events that led up to Operation Oleander, and that made everyday people in Trøndelag central pieces in the international war game. We meet people from the Jewish community in Trondheim who have to escape when the deportations of Jews begin in the fall of 1942. They seek refuge with farmers in Leksvik on Fosen. The story is about empathy and human dignity, and depicts people in desperate situations who fight for freedom for themselves and others.

The performance was performed to full houses and received very good reviews. It also won the award for "best theatre performance of the year" at the UtAwards 2018.

Script and music: Marte Hallem

Directed by: Espen Løvås

The Mole

Operation Oleander Episode 2 / 2019

The Mole is the second episode in the trilogy Operation Oleander. It is the spring of 1943, the situation in Europe is tense, and suddenly two Leksværingen parachute into Fosen. They are special envoys from the Allies in England, and with them they have important war equipment and a clear mission: Monitor all of the Germans' movements in and around the Trondheimsfjord. But the equipment goes astray, and they have to seek help at the Moan farm. There, an old acquaintance of the Moan brothers appears and offers his help. Soon, one of the two paratroopers is installed in the house of this good helper in Trondheim, and he, the Moan brothers and many key resistance fighters are woven into his network. Little do they know that they have fallen into the hands of Karl Ludvig Adding, one of Norway's most important informers, and an agent for the Gestapo.. The play addresses questions of friendship and trust in times of war, and what makes some people turn against their own people and become enemies of the community.

Screenplay and direction: Marte Hallem

The hour of war

Operation Oleander Episode 3 / 2022

There is a time of day when life holds its breath. A time in the transition between night and day when most people die, but also most people are born. Where the nightmares are darkest, but one can also glimpse the contours of the new day.

They attacked Fosen in the hour of the wolf. And life would never be the same again for those who experienced it. In the third and final episode of the game trilogy Operation Oleander, the audience hears about what happened on that fateful night in Whitsun 1944, when around 200 soldiers from the occupying forces set out from Trondheim in various boats and attacked the Fosen community in three different places. We also hear how the events affected those who experienced it, and what happened to our main characters who we have met throughout all three episodes.

The episode was originally scheduled to air in 2020, but has now been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19.

See photos