By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
February 7, 2003
There doesn’t seem to be an obvious connection between Vikings and shrimp cocktail sauce until you factor in Geoff Binns-Calvey. The actor, who stars in the Noble Fool Theater Company’s production of “Vikings! A Musical in Two Axe,” is active in the special-effects industry and has worked on everything from jumping jumbo shrimp to Slim Jim campaigns. “I’ve made shrimp do exactly 1-1/2 jumps in the air and land perfectly in cocktail sauce,” says the 44-year-old actor, who resides in Forest Park. “I’ve got quite a resume.”
In this musical romp, Binns-Calvey portrays a Viking named Olaf. While the comedy isn’t a historical recreation of the Viking experience, the producers listened when Swedish-American groups expressed concerns about how these Swedish rebels would be portrayed.
“Some of the characters are beefed up to look a little more like the heroes in Marvel comics,” he says. “But the women and I have sort of historically correct costumes.”
Both Binns-Calvey and Olaf–who sounds nothing like the Swedish chef–took time to chat with us.
HERE’S WHAT ELSE BINNS-CALVEY HAD TO SAY:
Show’s message: Vikings were big, burly guys who often solved their problems with the point of a sword. Hopefully, the audience will go with the feeling that that’s not the best solution.
Your ethnic background: I’m Welsh and Irish. I’m one of the cursed pagan Celts that the Vikings referred to. I’m not Swedish at all.
Misconception about Vikings: Like everyone else, I assumed they wore horns on their helmets. They never did.
Blame it on Wagner: A costume designer for a Wagnerian opera came up with the horns over a 100 years ago.
Favorite singer: I’m really fond of a Canadian singer named Jane Siberry.
Last good movie you saw: I was surprised at how much I loved “Moulin Rouge.” It’s such a big, fun fantasy movie. I own the DVD now.
Favorite restaurant: The Rainforest Cafe, because my daughter enjoys it so much there. I took my mother to the Signature Room and we had a really nice time there.
Favorite Scandinavian country: I suppose Sweden ’cause they’re so socially responsible. No, Iceland, because they had this great system of a sliding scale for traffic fines [where the rich pay more].
Most humbling experience: When my daughter was born. I realized how important it was to give her everything and not worry about getting things like a faster computer.
Shakespeare connection: We named our daughter Miranda after the character in “The Tempest.”
More kids? My wife and I are way too busy with theater to have sex anymore. [Laughs.] Wait, that doesn’t sound good.
HERE’S WHAT OLAF HAD TO SAY:
Favorite musician: I’ve been watching the oracle–the glowing box you people seem to learn from. I saw a man and he was neither fat nor a boy [Fatboy Slim]. Your names make no sense to us. But he was very good.
Favorite actor: Catherine Zeta-Jones. She is a cursed pagan Celt, but she has eyes as deep as fjords.
Favorite Swedish dish: As Vikings, all we eat is meat!
What’s with the horns? The horns are a scandalous libel perpetuated upon us by the Germans. It would be difficult to swing a sword with horns on helmets getting in the way, would it not?
On Britt Ekland: She is magnificent. I would compose a ballad to do with her magnificence if I had more time.
Norwegians–friend or foe? I have a Norwegian cousin, so I can say little about them. But they are what they are and they know it.
Favorite animal: Reindeer and bear meat are all delicious. I have reindeer boots as well.
Nighttime ritual: I have little use for books, but I have a bard on at the side of my bed who every night recites to me the saga of ice giants.
Worst advice he ever got: Shave!
Ever mistaken for an Irishman? Not twice.
Most gratifying thing about being a Viking: We’re afforded such respect. It has to do with all the metal we carry.
