Untitled, 1970, is the ultimate in immersive theatre. This multimedia theatrical play involves improvision with actual script; live theatre with planned, prepared, and produced television programs mixed into the story; and – the most stunning element – the play is set in a New York apartment so the play is being done IN A NEW YORK APARTMENT! Even the story is a parable of the innovation as we meet Joey & Tristan as they arrive in New York and attempt to navigate friendship and the perplexities of life in their new surroundings.

Styrmir Elí
I’m Styrmir Elí. an actor, writer, producer from Iceland, living in Manhattan, New York.

I grew up both in Akureyri, a small town in the North of Iceland, and in Reykjavik, the also quite small capital of Iceland. I graduated from a three-year conservatory at the Stella Adler studio of Acting last spring and I’m now fully now working fully in the theatre and film scene in NYC.

What drew you to this production?

I wanted to create an underground theatre piece. Something cool. Something different. Something nobody had seen before. I wanted to write a story that explored binary concepts such as good & evil, life & death, negativity & positivity, light & dark, zeros & ones. While also capturing the spirit of being young, curious, and alive in New York City. The production side of the project is then a different element.
I’ve always loves the intimacy cinema captures, that stage sometimes has difficulty doing, as it is live, often in big theatres and therefor more performative. Yet on stage, when done correctly, there is electricity, rawness, and energy that cinema will never capture. So why not do both?

Hence, UNTITLED, 1970 was born.

A story of young guys with big questions about life living in NYC,  delivered both on stage and on screen.

What challenges are you facing/have faced in doing this experimental work?

It’s been tough being both the writer and the producer behind the project as well taking on one of the leads in story. It’s many moving parts I’ve had to been aware of through this whole journey – as well as exercising keeping a separation between myself other sections of this creative process, editing and direction e.g. but still having a certain say being the person behind the story and being a part of the production team. Luckily, the whole team behind UNTITLED, 1970 is so passionate, hard-working, yet at the same time easy going, friendly and thoughtful – so everything has really flowed very nicely – even though the timeframe we are working within is very short!

Then it has also been tricky finding the rhythm between live performances and the film itself, since the story flows between screen and stage, and stage and screen. But that is of course the experiment!

Immersive theatre is pretty brave. What have you learned about yourself from this production?

Pff – where to begin. I think this fall has been the busiest time in my life. It’s a very emotional process sharing your writing, let alone making it come to life on screen and stage. In many ways I have many similarities with the character I play; Tristan – so that has been interesting – approaching a character that is similar to yourself and by doing that gaining a different perspective on your own persona.

Does a play of this nature evolve differently than a conventional one?  

Hmm – I’m not sure. Don’t all productions evolve in their own way?

How has this changed your creative process?  

There has been a lot of learn-by-doing during this process. At least in my experience. I think I will approach things in a more grounded, organized way next time.

What’s next?   

Hopefully some chili sin carne and a cold beer somewhere at a ski resort with my girlfriend.