Arne Lygre

I vårt sted ('In Our Place', not translated into English) is a play about friendship between three fundamentally lonely people, each with their own different and unique experiences. We meet three women: Astrid, Sara, and Eva. Two of them have known each other for a long time, one has kept away for a while, during which time another has appeared and is in the process of taking her place. Over the course of the play, the balance of power and the relationships between the women shift. We witness how chance encounters intertwine, driven by a desire not to be alone, but also by memories of past losses, the fear of losing or being replaced by another, and by rivalry and jealousy. 

Reflections on age emerge; time is set in motion and visualised as lived experiences and future expectations, as well as an acute sense of what it means to be at a particular stage in life, in the here and now. The fundamental situation is in many ways familiar and everyday, and the language seems simple, yet it is also stylised and theatrical – it subtly highlights how difficult it can be to truly reach others. It’s as if the characters are tasting their own words, marvelling at them, or talking past each other, insisting on a friendship that may be more fragile than they’re willing to admit. The experience of polyphony is emphasised by the fact that all three women play two roles, shifting into father, brother, and son. One of them, for example, plays her father over several pages while simultaneously being herself. 

I vårt sted explores the possibilities of community across different ages and life situations and what defines and regulates our relationships with others. Lygre makes it clear that we can never see ourselves as others see us. The fact that all action is conveyed through dialogue, without explanatory stage directions or side text, reinforces that this is an existential drama about being a human exposed to the world. 

With this work, Lygre once again proves that he isn’t only an important theatre artist but also an outstanding writer who deserves to be read.

Arne Lygre has published novels, short stories, and plays, but in recent years, it is particularly as a playwright that he has made his mark. His plays are performed worldwide, and from 1996 to today, he has written 13 plays, translated into 20 languages. As a playwright, he has received both the Ibsen Prize and the Hedda Award.