TRAGEDY, COMEDY, LOVE and adventure. The musical, Forkbeard, set in 11th-century Scandinavia, contains all the ingredients for an epic historical musical. This year, it finally premiered in Penang in April 2024 after the Covid-19 pandemic cut short its launch almost four years ago.

Parallel to the Viking’s spirit of courage and relentlessness, the people behind the show did not stop believing in their musical or give up hope of ever staging it again despite the heartbreaking start-stop of the many Movement Control Orders (MCO) in Malaysia.

The brainchild of Nancy Jenster, who has been based in Tanjung Tokong since 2013, Forkbeard is a tale of two kings and their thirst for conquest—Forkbeard of Denmark, the first Viking king of England, and Olav of Norway, most known for introducing Christianity to the Norse kingdoms.

Audiences at Wawasan Open University (WOU) were treated to two hours of the Viking musical odyssey complete with sword fights, naval battles, warrior costumes, dance sequences accompanied by original songs and live music performed by the Penang Island Chorus with percussion by Bernardine Abeysekra.

Taglined “an epic tale of friends turned foes”, the show delivered what it promised, featuring a diverse Penang cast recruited by Jenster’s company, MYTH Productions (Musical Youth Theatre Happening), dedicated to fostering youth in theatre. A casting call, auditions and rehearsals all took place in January this year.

“Most cast members are new to the show and we worked together for 15 weeks,” says Jenster, the director and playwright, who also wrote all its original songs. “We were so pleased by the end result because those chosen were all at the top of their game, and I was so impressed by the actors bringing their courage to the forefront.”

A Timeless Tale That Resonates Today

A deeply human tale about ambition, greed, desire and vengeance, Forkbeard may be set 1,000 years ago, but its themes of parental love, sacrifice, faith and fighting for freedom still resonate today. The script is based on true historical figures and real events of the Viking Age (793-1066), but Jenster took some creative liberties.

“The character I love the most is Olav, as he’s the tragic hero of the tale,” explains Jenster. “Over the years, I’ve written him with more clarity, and he’s definitely the most difficult character to play. So my hat’s off to Villmett Thanakody, who played the role brilliantly. He is a young man with a great deal of talent and potential.”

Forkbeard has the usual makings of a grand epic tale: a heroic protagonist, supernatural elements, a vast setting, a quest for a powerful magical item, universal themes of life and death, love and loss, brotherhood and betrayal, and good versus evil.

Magic, Music and Monologues

In a moving scene, Forkbeard (played by Donovan Ng) performs a dream sequence and monologue with a line that goes, “Out of your shadow here I stand, one man.” And akin to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the Lady Macbeth-like Queen Sigrid calls on the help of three witches in a forest, singing, “Sisters, sisters, are you here?”

There is a quest for an amber ring (“a ring to make all our dreams come true”)—not unlike King Arthur’s quest for Excalibur—and the story culminates in a final Battle of Svolder after Olav’s crew is ambushed by Forkbeard’s army on Freja’s Island.

In true Norse tradition, the musical showcases songs of praise for “Odin is the king of all the gods” and a closing number that goes, “One day in Valhalla, we shall meet again” before the curtains drop to a triumphant number called “The Viking Life”.

Other usual tropes include a travelling storyteller (Snorri, played by Aaron “Garu” Rahaman), loyal captains (Erik, played by Riz Izzudin and Finn, played by Owen Bekker), ambitious queens (Sigrid, played by Beth Webster and Thyra, played by Su Lin Poh) and a fierce archer (Einar, played by Carlo D. Suzara).

“Su Lin was the only actress who repeated her role, and she is perfect as Queen Thyra,” recalls Jenster, whose husband is himself of Danish descent and is a 46th-generation descendant of Forkbeard. “Our cast this time turned out to be really diverse, and I really liked that about the talent pool in Penang. At the end of the day, it was about who could play the role with the most enthusiasm and talent.”

Bringing Forkbeard to the International Stage

American-born Jenster has plans to bring Forkbeard to international audiences and has not given up on her dream to one day stage it in West End or Broadway. “10 years ago, we workshopped this musical in Ireland and then again in London. I had some interest at the time, and a number of people asked about the show with great enthusiasm,” she recalls.

“However, I needed to revise it and tighten it, and it does take about 12 years for new original musicals to really gain momentum and take off. So, you just have to make it available in the best possible way, such as making good recordings of our shows in Penang and KL to be presented to critical audiences in London and New York. Every step is a good step forward.”

Even as Penang provides the stepping stone for Jenster’s ambitions, Forkbeard aside, she hopes to continue unearthing local talent, especially among the young, through her musical theatre production house.

“People do better than they think they’re able to,” she concludes. “They surpass their own expectations and go beyond their limitations. That’s the purpose of my company—we try to help people grow and build their confidence so they can become stronger in their own beliefs.”