Bakgrunnsartikkel

To give voice to the unsayable

DIFF is a performing arts festival with Jon Fosse's diverse writing as a gravitating point. The festival will feature both international guest plays and own productions, and a professional program that aims to explore the performing arts from different perspectives.

With the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023, Jon Fosse became truly internationally reknown. The jury stated that the prize was awarded for his innovative drama and prose that give voice to the unsayable, i.e. Fosse's way of letting the silent speech speak. With this as a backdrop, Det Norske Teatret invites selected performances, writers and directors – all of whom explore the silent speech and narrative in an original way – to DIFF, the International Fosse Festival.

DIFF has been held at Det Norske Teatret three times earlier. The first festival took place in connection with the protagonist's 60th birthday in 2019. Since then, the festival has marked the opening of the autumn season at Det Norske Teatret in 2021 and 2023. For about ten days, the theatre has been filled with Fosse performances, both it´s own productions and international guest plays, and a side program that explores the continuity of drama from different perspectives. The festival has also included other new drama, from distinctive voices after Fosse. DIFF 2025 will be a further development of the festival.

This year, we are inviting a guest of honor, or festival profile, who will be central to marking the literary and dramatic tendencies in the wake of Jon Fosse.