Meet the new uncle in Small Talk
Meet the new uncle in Small Talk
He is a systems developer at the Norwegian Tax Administration, a hobby carpenter, and an accordion enthusiast. Now Vidar Strisland is making his debut as Uncle Bengt in Kilden’s Christmas production, *Small Talk*.
When we meet Vidar Strisland in the lobby at Kilden, he’s all smiles. He’s open, talkative, and warm—in many ways the exact opposite of the character he plays in the play *Small Talk*.
The play *Small Talk* is inspired by the film of the same name. The short film, which premiered in 2015, has garnered acclaim from near and far, winning Best Film at the Norwegian Short Film Festival, Best Norwegian Short Film at the Bergen International Film Festival, and Best Nordic Film at the Minimalen Film Festival, to name a few.
In *Small Talk*, we meet the Dvergsnes family. They are a reserved and quiet family who go to great lengths to avoid topics that might stir up any kind of emotion. As an audience member at Kilden a fly on the wall as the family gathers for a Christmas party. The dialogue is slow, little happens on stage, and there’s an abundance of awkward silence.
Earlier this year, Kilden held an open audition to fill the role of Uncle Bengt; the role has now been cast, and the first two weeks of rehearsals are over. We sat down for a chat with the new uncle, whose name is definitely not Bengt.
“My name is Vidar Strisland. I’ve lived in Kristiansand since 1980, mostly in Lund. I’ve worked at the Norwegian Tax Administration as a systems developer, where I’ve been working on the same system for 19 years,” says Vidar.
Won with Smalltalk
Vidar laughs often and heartily, especially when asked about his own relationship with small talk—the concept, not the play.
– I’m actually pretty used to small talk. Around the dinner table at home, or at the cabin on Vårøy, there’s a lot of chatting. We talk about the weather, lobster season, firewood prices, and who should paint the cabin next time,” says Vidar with a wry smile before ratting out his own brother-in-law.
– “My brother-in-law is very interested in firewood prices and can talk a lot about the topic,” Vidar continues. And then there’s always a bit of gossip, a bit of family logistics, and that sort of talk about who’s going where. That’s the stuff that binds us together.
He talks about life in Lund, his wife Mary-Ann, his children, stepsons, and grandchildren, and about a daily life that combines craftsmanship and humor.
– I make Adirondack-style garden furniture and play the accordion in a band where we perform humorous versions of classic rock songs. Two accordions, bass, and vocals. It’s a lot of fun.
Visitors to the Small Talk Vorspiel event at Cinemateket recently got to experience this accordionist when the short film was screened. Vidar and his partner on the pump organ had been asked to play a mini-concert to set the mood. Even Hafnor, the director of both the play and the film, was so enthusiastic that he has asked if Vidar would also play at the premiere.
Princess Cake and Audition
It wasn’t planned at all that Strisland would end up playing Uncle Bengt.
– It was actually my sister-in-law who sent me the link to the casting call. She thought I should give it a try. At first I thought, “No, no, that won’t work,” but then I changed my mind. It couldn’t hurt, he says.
During the audition, there was a moment that still makes him laugh.
– Director Even Hafnor threw out keywords for us to improvise on. One of them was “prince cake.” I laughed because I had just bragged at work that I’d baked a prince cake for the first time, but I also got a little criticism for not having braided the pattern on top. So when he gave me that cue, I could talk at length about the topic; later, Even confirmed that it was precisely the prince’s cake that got me the role, Vidar laughs.
He admittedly didn’t have much theater experience beforehand.
– No, just a little bit from the Russerevyen in ’77 and a few sketches at the youth center in Konsmo. But the ad said no experience was necessary, so I thought: why not?
Roll the dice
The audition sparked something in him.
– As I stood there talking about prince cake, I realized I was getting excited. There was something about the energy in the room and the humor—it was actually a lot of fun.
Now he’s looking forward to the premiere, even though he admits it might feel a little strange to perform in front of people he knows.
– I’m probably most nervous about seeing familiar faces in the audience. But I’ll just have to pretend nothing’s wrong.
A Warmer Family
Vidar says that a lot of what’s in “Small Talk” feels familiar.
– There are a lot of us in my family, and we’re pretty close. There’s a lot of chatter, but also a lot of hugs and laughter. We’re probably a lot warmer than the Dvergsnes family in the play, he says.
There’s no doubt that the show has already become part of everyday slang.
He chuckles as he talks about the birthday invitation he recently sent out.
– I wrote, “Welcome to boeuf bourguignon, prince cake, and small talk,” says Vidar with a laugh.
Now it's become a thing
His colleagues at the Norwegian Tax Administration have heard about his theater debut.
– Yeah, a lot of people bought tickets. It’s sold out now, and I think that’s really fun.
He pauses briefly, thinks for a moment before continuing.
– It’s a little crazy that I ended up here, but at the same time it feels completely natural. That’s what this play is about—ordinary people, small conversations, and everything that lies between the words,” says Vidar before heading into rehearsal in intimsalen the third floor ofperforming arts centre Kilden performing arts centre
