Danish support for BLT show

Bangalore Little Theatre staged multiple shows of the play ‘A Bellyful of Paradise’ in the city recently.                                  

The play, directed by Shatarupa Bhattacharyya and Vijay Padaki, is an English adaptation of the Danish play ‘Jeppe on the Hill’ by Ludvig Holberg. Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe Jensen shares his thoughts with Metrolife on the play and the cultural relations between India and Denmark.

Your thoughts on the play...

A Bellyful of Paradise is the English adaptation of ‘Jeppe on the Hill’, a Danish classic by one of Denmark’s leading playwrights Ludvig Holberg. Holberg’s plays are something that all of us have grown up on. The fact that an Indian theatre group was inspired to do an English adaptation of this classic was interesting and I was happy to accept the invitation to participate in it. The Danish embassy is actively engaged in promoting our culture in India in the fields of literature, music, arts, etc.

What are your views on Denmark and India’s connection?

The relationship between India and Denmark goes back over 400 years.
Presently, we are working on initiatives across sectors like water, food and agriculture. Several Indian tech companies are set up in Denmark adding value to Danish business and employment. There are 125 Danish companies in India, and the number is only likely to grow further.

What about ‘Denmark and Bengaluru’ connection?

Denmark and the state of Karnataka have a long and close relationship. The aid agency DANIDA was set up to support the Animal
Husbandry sector in Karnataka over 25 years ago. Now Bengaluru is home to the Trade Commission of Denmark where we have a team of trade, innovation and investment professionals supporting Danish business in India and Indian companies in Denmark. This relationship will grow stronger with plans for expansion.

Any plans to collaborate with regional language theatre arts and theatre?

Denmark will soon have a Culture Institute housed in New Delhi, and I am sure that they will look at national and regional programmes.