In Aarhus, Theater Svalegangen has chosen to cancel their planned performance “The Højbjerg Murder,” which deals with the unsolved murder of Marie Lock-Hansen back in 1967. The cancellation comes after a direct appeal from the relatives of Marie Lock-Hansen and her husband, Oscar Lock-Hansen. Marie Lock-Hansen was brutally shot in her own home in Højbjerg, and the murder has since been surrounded by mystery and numerous theories about the motive and the perpetrator. Despite many years of investigation, the case remains unsolved. The theater had originally tried to contact the family during the development of the play, but without success. After the performance was announced, the family decided to contact the theater themselves.
On Facebook, the theater’s director, Per Smedegaard, explains that the decision to cancel the performance was made to respect the family’s wish to let Marie Lock-Hansen rest in peace. The family has expressed their frustration on Facebook about the media and entertainment industry’s repeated use of their tragedy for entertainment. They point out that although the cancellation results in a financial loss for the theater, this loss is outweighed by the respect and integrity that the audience will show the theater for their decision. Theater Svalegangen has received praise for their handling of the situation, and many emphasize the importance of respecting the feelings of the relatives in such cases. It is a reminder that behind every dramatized story, there are real people and real emotions involved.