On the 23 and 24 September, a Norwegian production, with Chinese subtitles, of Fosse’s play called The Name, will be performed at the New Space at Shanghai Theatre Academy.
The Name is about an estranged family forced to live under one roof, as a pregnant girl and the father of her child has no choice but to move in with the girl’s parents. Dysfunctional as it is, the family struggles with their daily lives.
As is a common feature in Fosse’s pieces, the outer action of The Name is just a layer while underneath the surface are unspoken stories with a tragic-comic touch.
The Norwegian Playwright Jon Fosse was first introduced to the Chinese audience in 2010, when the Chinese production of his play Someone is Going to Come was translated by Lulu Zou and produced by the Shanghai Theatre Academy.
Fosse has often been characterised as Norway’s new Ibsen and his works also include novels, poetry, essays and children’s books. He is one of the most produced playwrights in the world and his plays have been translated into more than forty languages.
The production was an instant hit among both the Chinese and Norwegian audiences. As a continuation of its success, the Shanghai Theatre Academy chose to invite the Norwegian Theatre again this year with the production directed by Øyvind Osmo Eriksen to perform in Shanghai.
The Name was written in 1994 and is Fosse’s third play.
