Casper and Emma make theater – Karsten og Petra lager theater (2017)

Directed by: Aurora Gossé, Arne Lindtner Næss | 81 minutes | family | Actors: Oliver Dahl, Alba Ørbech-Nilssen, Janne Formoe, Anna Celine Bredal, Markus Tønseth, Hilde Lyrån, Ivar Nørve, Sigrun Enge, Tone Johnsen, Wilhelm Støylen

Casper and Emma have stolen the hearts of the youngest movie viewers in recent years. The two Norwegian toddlers, created in the early 1990s by the writing duo Tor Åge Bringsværd and Anne G. Holt as Karsten and Petra, were first seen in cinemas in 2013 (in ‘Casper and Emma – Best Friends’). Then followed a whole series of adventures; they successively went on winter sports (2014), they celebrated Christmas together (also a film from 2014), they went on a safari through Africa (2015) and they went on holiday in their own beautiful country in ‘Casper en Emma – The mountains in ‘ from 2017. Young fans of the cheerful friends usually don’t have to wait long for a new film; the sixth film about Casper and Emma has now also been released (and the seventh is already in the pipeline). In ‘Casper and Emma make theatre’ (2017) it is again Oliver Dahl and Alba Ørbech-Nilssen who take on the leading roles. In part five (‘Casper and Emma – Into the mountains’) they replaced their predecessors, who had become too old. Because the viewership then becomes a year older, Casper and Emma always remain about five or six years old.

Where earlier parts sometimes touched on heavier themes (Emma’s father has passed away, for example, but subjects such as illness and divorce have also been discussed) – of course in a way that is easy for the target group – it remains in ‘Casper en Emma make theatre’ all pretty innocent and simple. That doesn’t make the film any less enjoyable. Every year Casper and Emma’s school raises money for charity in a fun way. After seeing a performance in a real (puppet) theater, they decide that they want to make theater themselves this year and ask the parents and grandparents to pay for their entrance ticket. There is already a charity for the proceeds: an orphanage in India, where the children do not even have electric light. And let ‘light’ be the theme of their performance. They all work diligently to come up with a script, come up with songs, make costumes and sets and of course divide the roles. Of course, the children’s stuffed animals also play a role. Emma has landed the important role of light fairy mother; Casper prefers to stay behind the scenes and hopes to be able to operate the follow spot. But things turn out just a little differently than everyone expected.

The films about Casper and Emma have something cuddly, something sweet. Especially when the heavier subjects are avoided, as in this film, it is all very innocent and naive. Tailor-made for the target group, in other words, for whom it doesn’t have to be that complicated. The conflicts that arise are of the caliber ‘can I remember my text’ and ‘I would rather have had that part’ until ‘a fuse blows, how are we doing with the light?’ The fact that it’s all so simple doesn’t take away from the heartwarming vibe that the film radiates. Because not only does it have something soothing to watch a class preparing a play (especially in these hectic times), it also takes you back to your own school years and is therefore wonderfully nostalgic. The role that light plays in the film and in the performance only reinforces that warm feeling, so that you take all shortcomings (paper-thin plot, sometimes overly exaggerated acting) for granted. Yes, even that annoying parrot will make you smile at some point once you’ve caught that nostalgic fever. Especially when you see how much fun your own toddlers have with Casper and Emma and their happy adventures!