Embassy News 2006
A Prairie Home Companion Hits Iceland.
A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor and other cast members and crew performed before a sold-out crowd of 500 at the National Theater in Iceland May 16. The show combined typical Prairie Home Companion humorous sketches with Icelandic traditions and characteristics. The show introduced Icelanders to a particular brand of American-style humor and Americans to a variety of Icelandic talent and customs, and was such a success that Mr. Keillor and his cast are considering another visit to Iceland next year for a series of shows.
Featured in the show alongside Mr. Keillor and other Prairie Home Companion regular cast members were U.S. actor John C. Reilly and American author Bill Holm, as well as well-known Icelandic performers: opera singer and composer Diddu and the all-male choir Fostbraedur.
More than 80 people, including Icelanders from government, cultural and academic institutions attended a reception in honor of A Prairie Home Companion, hosted by Ambassador Carol van Voorst, following the live performance.
The show was broadcast live on Iceland’s state-run RUV radio and was broadcast in the United States on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21.
On May 14, Mr. Keillor and Mr. Reilly introduced the Icelandic premiere of the movie A Prairie Home Companion, directed by Robert Altman and featuring an all-star cast, including Mr. Keillor, Mr. Reilly, Kevin Kline, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Lindsey Lohan, Virginia Madsen and Maya Rudolph.
Click here for the audio file of the show in Reykjavik.