A greeting from the Artistic Director Fall 2024

Dear audience

20 years ago, former theater manager Kristian Seltun wrote about a Flemish spring at Black Box teater. The performing arts community in Flanders was known for driving artistic renewal within both theater and dance. Among other things, Seltun was concerned with how independent acting companies from there played the classics in a new way. They worked without an external director or dramaturg, which helped to create a directness in the expression that felt fresh, almost confrontational.

It is an exciting exercise to look back at how Black Box teater has oriented itself and what has captivated and shaped the performance programmes. Are there still certain performing arts communities paving the way today, as was the case with Flanders? Or are we rather facing a more wide-ranging and sprawling performing arts landscape?

These are questions a programming theater such as Black Box teater must ask itself. We have a particular responsibility to follow free performing arts in Norway closely and at the same time be curious about what is happening outside our borders, and be willing to leave our artistic comfort zone.

This fall we mark 20 years in Marstrandsgata 8. In a former chocolate factory between Carl Berners plass and Birkelunden, we have thrived and had the pleasure of welcoming the public to performances from near and far. The fall program highlights some of the long lines in recent Norwegian performing arts and emphasizes the close relationship between Black Box teater and the development of free performing arts in Norway. But Black Box teater would not have been Black Box teater without us presenting a mixture of established and less established artists, old and new acquaintances, and performances by Norwegian-based and international artists. This fall’s offer is varied, and you can read full presentations of the performances in our catalog.

True to the tradition, we will invite you to a number of social and professional events. ++ has changed its name to Plattform and will henceforth be curated by guest curators. Dance artist Rina Rosenqvist is responsible for this fall’s edition, we are looking forward to it. There will also be a new round of Football-related prologue. The theme is space for expression and culture of expression in football and in performing arts.

In November, we will mark 20 years at Rodeløkka with a separate anniversary event. There is much to celebrate.

Welcome!

– Jørgen Knudsen

Teatersjef