IN ANOTHER'S IMAGE, TULLA LARSEN AND EDVARD MUNCH

It all starts with an innocent flirt when Tulla models for Munch, and over four years it turns into an extraordinarily complicated relationship. Larsen's situation as a single woman around the nineteenth century becomes a clear contrast to the myths about the artist Edvard Munch. Munch is not a demon in version, but he vacillates and makes some very clumsy choices.

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The frame of the story is set to nineteen thirty, where Tulla Larsen lives in Oslo with old letters and port wine in a secret cupboard, and her relationship with Munch and two marriages in her luggage. We meet Tulla as a young woman, and Mathilde, an older version of Tulla: the one who encourages her to seek out old memories and who makes her drink and read old letters. Mathilde expresses herself much more directly than Tulla. Edvard Munch is also present, he also gets to be in the center with his strong emotions. In addition, a number of female figures from Larsen's life appear: her housekeeper Josefine, who is also well acquainted with the contents in the letterbox, and Aase Nørregaard, Edvard Munch's close friend, who has a strong influence on the development of the relationship. Rumors and various stories about what happened between them create and recreate

the story of Tulla Larsen's identity and the idea of ​​who Edvard Munch was.

"Dear Edvard,

I think back to our life in Florence with such joy that my heart could leap. Then I felt that what I didn't think could get stronger just grew and grew, I felt that I loved you like it was impossible to love a human being. Your Tulla”

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"My dear Tulla,
You know I love you, and that's the crazy thing. I don't think I'm fit to be happy with anyone, or for someone to be happy with me. I am so unfit to be with anyone. It came out so clearly when we were together. I'm impossible. Your Edward"

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BACKROUND

Teigen discovered how Munch's biographers have used Munch's highly subjective descriptions of Tulla Larsen and what happened between them for their portrayals of her and the relationship. Over the years, the narratives have been reproduced so that events referred to as the "courtship", the "persecution", the "suicide" and the "shooting incident" appear almost iconographic. Through Teigen's thorough research into Tulla Larsen's background, upbringing, family and activities, she has found an alternative Tulla Larsen. She has looked at the events from Larsen's side, and questions what made Larsen hold on to Munch for so long, and what why she found a new man shortly after the final breakup .

The text is written for three female and one male actor: Tulla, Mathilde and Edvard and the other characters to be portrayed by the last actor.  

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In 2019, Lene Therese Teigen published the novel "Tulla Larsen Mathilde Munch". The stage text was created in parallel with the book.

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