[TPAC Campus Open Course] Our Time, Our Jon Fosse

【Lecture 2】Our Time, Our Jon Fosse

As the 21st-century stage grows increasingly silent and our daily discourse fragments further in the AI age, one may ask: what purpose does dramatic literature still serve? This course focuses on the dramatic works of Jon Fosse (1959–), the acclaimed Norwegian playwright and winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature, to explore his distinctively quiet, slow-paced, and poetic theatrical style. Participants will closely examine Fosse's texts, gaining insight into their unique aesthetic qualities and profound philosophical depth. Through careful textual analysis, participants will appreciate Fosse’s characteristic linguistic rhythms, symbolic imagery, and nuanced psychological portrayals of characters. Additionally, the course will incorporate excerpts from existing stage productions as supplementary material, offering participants broader perspectives for interpreting Fosse’s reflections on life and contemporary society. Anchored firmly in textual analysis, this course aims to deepen participants’ understanding of drama's role and significance in modern society, laying a solid literary foundation and aesthetic vision for future workshops.

9/4 (Thu.): Reaching Out the Theatre at the End of the World

This lecture will approach contemporary Nordic theatre, guiding participants through significant developments and distinctive features of modern drama from Northern Europe. We will introduce several representative playwrights, providing an overview of the styles and themes central to their work. Following this introduction, we will closely examine the uniqueness and artistic value of Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse’s theatrical creations, contextualizing his works within the broader landscape of Nordic drama. By studying selected excerpts from various Nordic playwrights in comparison with Fosse’s works, we will analyze how he employs concise language and silent tension to vividly portray emotional interactions and existential conditions among individuals.

9/18 (Thu.): The Most Silent and Yet Loudest Moments

This course will guide participants through an in-depth reading of Jon Fosse's plays, focusing on the imagery, linguistic structures, and dramatic rhythm of the texts, thereby enabling students to grasp the aesthetic features distinctive to Fosse’s dramaturgy. We will also explore how Fosse’s unique forms and styles reflect various facets of contemporary human spirituality and existential conditions. The course will primarily utilize Chinese translations, supplemented with comparative readings of English and French versions, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the original texts. Additionally, excerpts from existing performance recordings/images will be used as reference materials, providing students with concrete examples to help envision and appreciate the theatrical potential inherent in Fosse’s dramatic works.

【Speakers Introduction】