Opened up a whole new world for the screenwriter

The production, which opens at Kilden Teater on February 4, 2022, deals with the emigration of Agder women to America in the 1950s and 60s. When the renowned author agreed to write the script, he had never been to America himself.

- "It all started when I was out walking with my wife a couple of years ago and I got a call from Henrik Rafaelsen. He told me about the plans for what has now developed into Heimanifrå," says Rune Belsvik, who accepted the request already during the first phone call.

Award-winning author

Since the end of the 1970s, Belsvik has been a significant voice primarily in Norwegian children's and young people's literature. The 65-year-old has received a number of awards for his work, and in early 2022 he will be ready with newly written Norwegian performing arts about Agder and America at Kilden Teater, in what is described as a performance filled with music and drama and plenty of big and small questions.

According to the screenwriter, the fact that he himself had never been to America was not a disadvantage in the creative process. In fact, he thinks it may have been an advantage.

New world

- "The work has opened up a new world for me, a universe of history, culture, language and objects that was largely new to me. This has been very inspiring to learn about, and has probably also made the poetry itself even more exciting," he says, pointing to Siv Ringdal's books as important for providing the necessary insight into local emigration history.

Ringdal is an ethnologist, researcher and author, and is the chief curator at the Norwegian Folk Museum. With books such as On High Heels in America and The American List, she has focused on the unique history of emigration from the Agder counties to the country "over there". In the process of creating the script for the performance, Ringdal has operated as a consultant for the scriptwriter.

Open channel

- "I work as much as I can on my own, but it's been reassuring to know that Siv would let me know if something was wrong or not quite right. There's been a completely open channel there, and that's been a great reassurance for me," says Belsvik.

And when asked if the work has made him more excited about his first trip to "Junaiten", Rune Belsvik parries with a twinkle in his eye:

- Now that I've kind of been there, I'm done with it.

Photo: Rune Belsvik in conversation with Theatre Director Valborg Frøysnes at Kilden Theatre's 2022 program launch (photo: Heida Gudmundsdottir)