The Saint Olav Drama (Spelet Om Heilag Olav): A perpetual mobile machine? Roots, rituals and respect

Abstract This article discusses the reasons why The Saint Olav Drama (Spelet om Heilag Olav) has had such a continuous long run, and focuses specifically on the role that volunteers play in making this possible. How is the volunteers’ need to have their voices heard in order to feel motivated affected by the concepts of roots, rituals and respect? Has the professionalization of The Saint Olav Drama in any way reduced the volunteers’ deeply seated motivation and democratic influence? Can The Saint Olav Drama continue forever, as a perpetual mobile machine? This analysis is an empirical case study, which applies theoretical concepts from researcher Nick Kaye and his use of the term site-specific theatre; researcher Victor Turner and his concept of communitas (community) and theories about rituals and theatre; and those from psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan on the subject of what affects a person’s inner motivation. The analysis concludes that the future existence of The Saint Olav Drama is directly dependent on the volunteers’ motivation and a respect for their democratic influence in terms of the implementation and further development of The Saint Olav Drama.