Nobel Prize winner Fosse's play returns to Shanghai stage
With conversation interspersed by moments of silence between people in estranged relationships on a minimalist stage, the play "A Summer's Day" faithfully presents the dramatic characteristics of Norwegian Nobel Prize winning playwright Jon Fosse.
Presented by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, this Chinese adaptation of Fosse's somber and dreamlike play centers on an old woman who remembers the day, many years ago, when her husband went out to sea in a terrible storm and never returned.
The play stars veteran actress Tian Shui.
Her friend is with her, the same friend who came to visit on the day her husband disappeared.
"Fosse's script is like a poem, with a lot of blank space and silence," said veteran actress Tian Shui, who plays the role of the old woman.
"We had tried to fill the blanks up with dialogues, but never found the right content. And it's much harder to act without lines than with lines."
The Chinese version of the play was first brought to stage in 2019, and is being presented again after adjustments.
The poster of "A Summer's Day"
"In the past five years, I have collected new experiences in life, including the passing away of my mother," said Tian.
"It made me understand better Fosse's approach to the departure and remaining of beloved ones in life … I used to recite the lines, but now they come from inside me."
Born in 1959, Fosse is considered the most performed Norwegian playwright after Henrik Ibsen. His works feature minimalist language with huge emotional tension, as well as a strong sense of rhythm and music in the dialogues. Intertwined reality and fantasy are filled with repetitions, pauses and silence.
The characters in his plays are often without names and referred to as man, woman, or a friend, implying that their experiences and emotions are universal.
The play features a minimalist stage.
Fosse often discusses loneliness and alienation in intimate relationships, as well as barriers to communication between people.
"There are no ups and downs of emotions or twists and turns in the play," said Tian.
"I don't want to leave heavy traces of acting, but present the status of an old woman indulged in her memory. The adjustments in this latest version are meant to make the presentation of the character's states as natural as possible, and connect with the audience."
Director Wang Wei added: "Some people think that the loneliness and cold interpersonal relationships in this play are unique to the cold climate and sparsely populated Nordic region, but I don't agree".
Windows are important images in Fosse's plays.
"This kind of estrangement between people, between man and the environment, is common nowadays when we no longer need to survive in groups or families," he said.
"People no longer compromise easily with others and society, but pay more attention to their own living conditions and spiritual pursuits."
This very quiet play may have a viewing threshold for some. But as long as the audience is willing to open their minds and senses, they can follow the actors, and experience the undercurrents beneath the tranquility in Fosse's summer day.
Performance info
Dates: Through March 24, 2pm/7:30pm
Tickets: 180-380 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center 上海话剧艺术中心
Address: 288 Anfu Rd 安福路288号
