History Theatre / TheWarriorsAtHelgeland

* NorthByNorthwest: both Norway ''and'' Iceland, of course.

* RatedMForManly: on the verge of {{testosterone poisoning}}.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolical: Sigurd wears a white coat, and he is recently baptized. Hjørdis, who eventually kills him, is wearing a black dress - acting as a witch and is the most outspoken pagan in the cast.

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar. Ørnulf from the Fjords was reckoned so awesome when the play was first performed that [[AwesomeMacCoolNamethe name Ørnulf]] became quite popular among Norwegian boys the following generation. One particular boy was actually christened "Ørnulf from the Fjords".

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar. Ørnulf from the Fjords was reckoned so awesome when the play was first performed that [[AwesomeMcCoolNamethe name Ørnulf]] became quite popular among Norwegian boys the following generation. One particular boy was actually christened "Ørnulf from the Fjords".

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar. Ørnulf from the Fjords was reckoned so awesome when the play was first performed that [[AwesomeMccoolNamethe name Ørnulf]] became quite popular among Norwegian boys the following generation. One particular boy was actually christened "Ørnulf from the Fjords".

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar. Ørnulf from the Fjords was reckoned so awesome when the play was first performed that [[AwesomeMcCoolnamethe name Ørnulf]] became quite popular among Norwegian boys the following generation. One particular boy was actually christened "Ørnulf from the Fjords".

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar. Ørnulf from the Fjords was reckoned so awesome when the play was first performed that the name Ørnulf became quite popular among Norwegian boys the following generation.

* CaptainObvious: Gunnar, stating that Hjørdis is dead indeed at the end of the play.
* CataclysmClimax: Hjørdis riding off with {{the wild hunt}} laughing madly, after jumping off a cliff in a climactic thunder storm.
* ChewingTheScenery: It is hard not to - at least not in this particular play.

* {{Expy}}: Gunnar and Sigurd are modelled on, well, Gunnar and Sigurd from the {{Saga of the Völsungs}}. Ørnulf is an expy of {{Egill Skallagrimsson}}, while Hjørdis and Dagny expies Brynhild and Gudrun from Völsunga Saga. Dagny doubles it with her expy of the abducted bride mentioned in the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson.

* HonorBeforeReason: Could arguably be the undertitle of the entire play.

Meanwhile, Sigurd`s friend Gunnar, who married Hjørdis, Dagny`s fostered sister and childhood friend, also arrives at the scene, and old conflicts arise. Apparently, Hjørdis would rather have married Sigurd the warrior, than the more peaceful Gunnar. In the process, and because of poor communication, Ørnulf loses all his seven sons, Hjørdis commits suicide, and the rest reconcile.

* BigGasp: the two warrior bands gasp collectively and in turn when each of their chieftains reveal their identity: first Ørnulf, then Sigurd.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Gunnar, when realizing the mistake of killing Thorolf, the youngest of Ørnulf`s seven sons. To drive the point home, Thorolf was the apple of his father`s eye. The tropes is invoked literally, albeit the pagan phrazing: "Ye gods, what have I done".

* OnlyAFleshWound: Sigurd manages to wound Ørnulf, who heroically chants a short poem. {{TheReveal}} ensues, and all are initially happy to see one another.

* CataclysmClimax: Hjørdis riding off with {{the wild hunt}} laughing madly.

* RatedMForManly: on the verge of {{testosteron poisoning}}.

* TheMole: Kåre the farmer, setting up a plot of revenge, getting all of Ørnulf`s sons killed.

* TheUnmask: The opening scene, when two bands of warriors meet, with both chieftains (Ørnulf and Sigurd) wearing face-covering helmets. They begin a skirmish, only for both of them to take their helmets off, revealing them as old friends.

Sometime during the tenth century, a fleet arrives at the northern coast of {{Norway}}, apparently from {{Iceland}}. The leader of the band, Ørnulf, has errands to his old friend and comrade, Sigurd, who married his adopted daughter Dagny. Meanwhile, Sigurd`s friend Gunnar, who married Hjørdis, Dagny`s fostered sister and childhood friend, also arrives at the scene, and old conflicts arise. Apparently, Hjørdis would rather have married Sigurd the warrior, than the more peaceful Gunnar. In the process, and because of poor communication, Ørnulf loses all his seven sons, Hjørdis commits suicide, and the rest reconcile.

* ColorcodedForYourConvenience: Every prominent actor has a different color on their coat.

* {{Expy}}: Gunnar and Sigurd are modelled on, well, Gunnar and Sigurd from {{the saga of the Völsungs}}. Ørnulf is an expy of {{Egill Skallagrimsson}}, while Hjørdis and Dagny expies Brynhild and Gudrun from Völsunga Saga. Dagny doubles it with her expy of the abducted bride mentioned in the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson.

* MundaneMadeAwesome: Ørnulf is assailed while trying to open a small shelter on the shore.

* {{Expy}}: Gunnar and Sigurd are modelled on, well, Gunnar and Sigurd from {{the saga of the Völsungs}}. Ørnulf is an expy of {{Egil Skallagrimsson}}, while Hjørdis and Dagny expies Brynhild and Gudrun from Völsunga Saga. Dagny doubles it with her expy of the abducted bride mentioned in the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson.

* Expy: Gunnar and Sigurd are modelled on, well, Gunnar and Sigurd from {{the saga of the Völsungs}}. Ørnulf is an expy of {{Egil Skallagrimsson}}, while Hjørdis and Dagny expies Brynhild and Gudrun from Völsunga Saga. Dagny doubles it with her expy of the abducted bride mentioned in the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson.

* BadassGrandpa: Ørnulf, topping it with burying his seven sons, considering suicide, but betters himself with a lengthy poem, and resolves to help his friend Gunnar.
* TheGasp: the two warrior bands gasp collectively and in turn when each of their chieftains reveal their identity: first Ørnulf, then Sigurd.

* ColorcodedForConvenience: Every prominent actor has a different color on their coat.

* BigGasp: the two warrior band gasp collectively when each of their chieftains reveal their identity: first Ørnulf, then Sigurd.
** It is hard for a modern audience not to ridicule this scene, when ten actors cry out in astonishment and at the same time: "Ørnulf from the Fjords!" (Post [[Monty Python]], this is impossible - note the "bicycle repair man skit").

* Expy: Gunnar and Sigurd are modelled on, well, Gunnar and Sigurd from {{the saga of the Völsungs}}. Ørnulf is an expy of {{Egil Skallagrimsson}}, while Hjørdis and Dagny expies Brynhild and Gudrun from Völsunga Saga. Dagny doubles it with her expy of the abducted bride mentioned in the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson.