Norweigans by C. Denny Swanson
Launches Fall seasob for Shakespere & Company
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 14, 2026
The Norwegians
Shakespeare & Company
Elayne P Bernstein Theatre
By C. Denny Swanson
Directed by James Warwick
Cast: Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Betty, Peggy Pharr Wilson as Olive, Michael F. Toomey as Tor, Mark Zeisler as Gus.
Creative team: Stage Manager Hope Rose Kelly, Assistant Stage Manager Kulia McLaughlin, Choreographer Kirsten Peacock, Assistant Choreographer Nick Nudler, Sound Designer Vinny Pruchnick, Scenic & Costume Designer Arthur Wilson, Lighting Designer Luke Willson
September 4- October 4, 2026
Launching the Berkshire shoulder season, Shakespeare & Company, is presenting a dark comedy, The Norwegians, on weekends in the intimate Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre.
In staging this four-hander, directed by James Warwick, the company drew from within with a cast and crew of familiar players and designers. It was delightful to see two mistresses of comedy paired combining the redoubtable Elizabeth Aspenlieder working with the reliably magnificent Peggy Pharr, a stalwart of Barrington Stage. They interact with Michael F. Toomey, a renowned comic, and Mark Zeisler.
The “narrative” is primarily handled by Aspenlieder who delivers hilarious monologues full of insights and jokes about Norwegians from Minnesota. Her character, Betty, is actually from Kentucky. She has endured endless winters for about five years and would like to off an abusive ex. It’s best to line up a lover before first frost as there is no social life in the dead of winter.
In a bar she hooks up with Olive (Pharr Wilson) a relatively recent transplant from Texas. Loosened up with glasses of wine it seems that Olive would also like to rid herself of an ex. Permanently. Betty knows just the guys to handle the job.
Olive meets with them but Tor and Gus, improbably two of the nicest guys you would every want to meet, are intent on vetting her and her referral. To lubricate the encounter Tor offers his homemade elderberry wine. Other than its berries the plant is known for containing arsenic which totally freaks Olive.
Poison, however, is not the tool of their trade which, instead, is a baseball bat. On which are notched a tally of their kills. It is a part of their accounting as well as marketing system.
Why are they so nice? Well, they are Norwegians, from Minnesota. At least Tor is. Gus is half Norwegian which is why he is not quite as nice and is the dispatcher.
Once the premise of the adorable hit “people” is established the play doesn’t get very far. It feels too much like a ten minute sketch which has been stretched to 90 minutes. The set by Arthur Wilson, who is also the costume designer, is dismal and inept. It does little to evoke that specific setting. The staging is awkward with meetings of the women, then Olive with the hit persons, take place at a table with four chairs. The table cloths and wine glasses are switched. After a few such changes it gets tedious.
It takes some time for Warwick to get them up and about. Late in the play the women appear in thrift shop, white, ball gowns with banners for Miss something or other. The men get involved in a hilarious Texas two step. It breathes some needed energy into a rapidly deflating comedy.
Overall, a terrific cast and wonderful performances generated a lively and fun performance. There were lots of laughs and I learned more than I will ever need to know about murder for hire in Minnesota. And its nice Norwegians.