Gunvor Hofmo was a Norwegian author and one of the greatest poets of the postwar era. In 1942, her lover, the Jewish refugee Ruth Maier, was arrested and deported to the extermination camp Auschwitz.

In the aftermath, Hofmo distilled longing, grief, and solitude into her poetry, and Susanna Wallumrød’s musical interpretations of these poems form the basis for the Hedda Award–nominated music theatre piece Jeg vil hjem til menneskene (I want to go home to the humans).

Here, Gunvor attempts to reconstruct what actually happened, in conversation with an imagined Ruth. The performance unfolds in a dreamlike, abstract landscape, offering glimpses into Gunvor’s longing and mental struggles, with excerpts from medical journals and records from her time at Gaustad Psychiatric Hospital.

Through scenography, light, sound, and music, Susanna Wallumrød, Helga Guren, and Stina Stjern give us a deeply human insight into Gunvor’s poetry, Susanna’s songs, and the story of Gunvor and Ruth.

Artist Talk february 7

An artist talk with performers from the company will take place immediately after the matiné performance on february 7th, in the auditorium. The moderator for the conversation will be announced closer to the date. The talk is free of charge and will last up to 60 minutes.