– I was very surprised when I heard about this project. And it was perhaps not so strange, because I don’t think anything like this has been done anywhere before. But when I thought about it, I realized that it was a great honour, for which I am grateful. This is what Jon Fosse writes about the project “Jon Fosse word for word”, where all his theater plays will be read aloud in a coherent performance with the audience – and which will be broadcast live on news. 40 plays, 40 skits, and 40 hours of broadcast. Sooner or later The idea arose a long time ago. Dramaturg at the West Norwegian Theatre, Aslak Moe, thought that sooner or later Fosse would receive the Nobel Prize. Then it was good to be forewarned. – Initially, we thought of arranging readings of all the plays over the course of a year, says Moe. Then came the idea of slow motion television. news producer Thomas Hellum is behind concepts such as the National Knitting Night, the Book of Psalms minute by minute and the Hurtigruten minute by minute. He is called the king of slow-motion television. Theater director Thomas Bye and dramaturg Aslak Moe with the complete shoe plays by Jon Fosse between them. Photo: Marion Hestholm / news – Best when it’s strange As soon as it became known that Fosse had won the Nobel Prize 2023, theater manager Bye sent an SMS to Hellum and told about the idea. Hellum was not difficult to pray. 20 years ago he helped make a documentary about Jon Fosse. They followed him in the office and abroad, and filmed when he was awarded the French order “Ordre National du Mérite”. – When Jon gave his acceptance speech, he said: “This is very strange – but life is best when it’s a little strange”. For 20 years I have had that sentence with me – maybe that is the reason why ideas like this trigger something? Jon Fosse word for word The idea for the marathon project came from Aslak Moe, dramaturg at Det Westnorske teateret. The project is a collaboration between the Norwegian Theater in Oslo, Teater Vestland in Førde and Den Nationale Scene and the West Norwegian Theater in Bergen. About forty shoe dancers share the roles and they are divided into five different ‘shifts’ that will last eight hours each. The piece should be read chronologically, from Nokon kjem til å kome (1992) to Leika leiken (2022). Producer Thomas Hellum is known as the king of slow-motion television. In 2017, he produced Reidun Melvær Berge is one of the shoe dancers who will take part in “Jon Fosse word for word”. Photo: Gøril Grov Sørdal / news – “Crazy” experiment The Skodespellers will read in shifts. – There is a wild solitaire going on, says theater director at the West Norwegian Theatre, Thomas Bye. – We have to work to create a rotation where the right number of shoe players, with the right gender and age, are in the right place at the right time. One of those taking part in “Fosse ord for ord” is shoe player Reidun Melvær Berge at Det Westnorske Teateret. She has been involved in playing several pieces by Fosse, and knows the scope of the authorship. – I’m really looking forward to celebrating a proper Nynorskbauta! It is an enormous and “crazy” experiment, says Berge. Reidun Melvær Berge is one of the shoe dancers who will take part in “Jon Fosse word for word”. She is employed at Det Westnorske Teateret. Photo: Marion Hestholm / news Most extensive There will be a few breaks between the pieces. Linda Eide and Hans Olav Brenner are among those who want to help create engaging break content. – This will be a unique opportunity to really dive deep into Fosse’s drama, to learn a little about the man and his work, about New Norwegian, the landscape and the western country, says Hellum. Fosse’s Swedish publisher, Columbine, which owns the rights to his play, is also excited. They believe Fosse word for word is a pioneering project. – This could be the most extensive televised theater event ever, anywhere, they write. Linda Eide will contribute with features in “Jon Fosse word for word”. Eide has toured with her own performance ‘Fosse for dumskallar’. Here together with news’s Hans Olav Brenner. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad / news No filter But can you do this with a play? Just read – and not play? – This will be Fosse without a filter. His drama is word-based, and lends itself well to reading. It will be an experience with its own value, says Aslak Moe. The actors must ‘bid on’ and read with empathy, but without direction. Stage directions are read by the prompter where necessary. The West Norwegian Theater will be open to the public throughout the period. “Jon Fosse word for word” starts at 20.05 on 8 December. The live broadcast runs non-stop, alternating between NRK1 and NRK2 until Sunday 10 December – the day Jon Fosse accepts the Nobel Prize in Literature.
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Theater set up Jon Fosse word for word – will be 40 hours of live broadcast on TV – news Culture and entertainment
