An old woman's summer unfolds on stage... sandstone | woman | stage
On a beautiful summer day, by the Norwegian fjord, there was a simple and cold room surrounded by large pieces of sand and stone. An old woman stood in front of the french window and stared out of the window. She turned around and looked at another elderly woman, her friend. Two elderly women chatted about their past, memories flooding their hearts... On June 8th, Norwegian writer Jon Fosser's representative play "A Summer" premiered at the Shanghai Theatre Art Center.
Jon Forser is a popular candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature in recent years, and his works have been translated into nearly fifty languages. Repetition, pauses, blankness, and silence give new meanings to familiar phrases in daily life. His characters do not have specific names and are often referred to as "man", "woman", "he", "she", "friend", etc. This unique naming convention implies that the experiences of the characters in the play are universal. "A Summer Day" is a work like this: on an ordinary autumn day, a woman's husband suddenly leaves. Many years later in the summer, as women age, the reason why men leave remains a mystery. How life changes her appearance - the past and present intertwine on the stage of One Summer, with five actors portraying the most everyday life.
"It's like a big rock flying out of the sky, hitting my heart with a 'bang'. This is the feeling of Zou Lulu, a literary consultant and script translator, after reading the script of 'A Summer' for the first time.". Zou Lulu believes that between the lines of Fu Se's words, there is a sense of compassion for all those who meet on the wasteland of time. "The ubiquitous poetic undercurrent is his listening to life."
Fuser's works are like poetry, music, and a painting with a lot of blank space. Director Wang Wei believes that the sense of loneliness and estrangement conveyed by "A Summer Day" is a common phenomenon in human society. "This drama was first scheduled in the summer of 2019, almost four years ago. After two years, some viewers left such comments, 'Today, I suddenly remembered this drama and the man who looked lonely in the fjord. I want to know why he is so lonely, and I also want to know why I am so lonely.'" Wang Wei hopes to share another interpretation with the audience through his performance, which is the powerful spiritual power given by "self consistency.". "When a person lives, there will be only oneself, and the important thing is to find balance and peace within oneself. Don't be afraid of loneliness, loneliness is the norm of life, it is peaceful, peaceful, and joyful."
The white curtains swayed as the audience walked along the gravel covered paths on both sides into the theater, as if instantly arriving at the edge of the fjord. "A Summer Day" quietly interprets "life" and presents many real-life problems, but does not provide clear answers. Many times, the audience does not need to find a clear answer, what is more important is to experience and feel with heart.
The lead actor Tian Shui is very fond of "One Summer". "Its expression is very restrained and undercurrent surges. A work with profound connotations should be constantly performed. Over time, more people will understand and like it, which is also the significance of rehearsing" One Summer ". This play is also a great performance test for actors, and more audiences are welcome to come and watch this very special small theater play."
