top of page
Charlotte Barslund
Translator, 'Ring Ring Ring'

“Translating emerging voices helps open our ears, minds and hearts to the thoughts, feelings and passions of young writers from the Nordic countries.”

New Nordic Voices was a translation programme launched in 2020 which translated plays from emerging Nordic playwrights from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland into English. The scheme aimed to enable Nordic talent to find an audience overseas, gaining further recognition through the translation of their text. 

The playwrights selected were emerging playwrights from each country, who had had some professional experience but whose work had not been translated into English before. They also represented a diverse and multicultural Nordic region, with a strong focus on female voices. Each playwright was mentored by an established translator and received a full English translation of their play at the end of the programme, which ended in a digital showcase.

For 4 months the playwrights worked with their translators to bring these new plays to the UK, in a Showcase Week of contemporary Nordic drama 29 March – 2 April 2021.

Our main event Wednesday 31st March:

Our rehearsed readings of the 5 plays were presented by UK actors and directors, followed by a Zoom Networking Room where audiences could meet the playwrights involved. The showcase week also included panel discussions on Nordic playwriting, and theatre in translation, as well as masterclasses and audio plays. 

 

We hope programmes like this will give contemporary Nordic voices a platform.

brush_stroke.jpg

PLAY LIBRARY

3.jpg
2.jpg
4.jpg
1.jpg
5.jpg

New Nordic Voices was funded by:

nordiskkulturfond_black_rgb.png
Dramatikerforbundet.png
tinfo_tunnus_vaaka_punainen_en_rgb.jpg
Embassy_London_Sponsor_Blk_En [378].png
EMB_Standardlogo_London_ENG.png
LONDON_EMBASSY_OF_SWEDEN_RGB.jpg
SKF_logo_ENG_black_CMYK-1200px.jpg
Icelandic Literature Center.png

A special thank you to our Nordic readers & selection panel:

Anna Östergren                  Arvid Larsen                 Jari Laakso              Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir          Maria Oller

 

Paul Russell Garrett          Sissi Liechtenstein      Maria Laumark      Charlotte Brown        Camilla Gürtler

brush_stroke.jpg

SHOWCASE WEEK

29 March - 2 April 2021

Monday 29th March

Digital Masterclasses: Nordic Theatre

5 10-minute masterclasses on contemporary Nordic Theatre from each country, incl. Playwriting, directing, composing, dramaturgy & translation. These will be uploaded to the website Monday 29th March.

 

Tuesday 30th March 11-12:30 BST

Panel Discussion:

Nordic Drama and its Comeback

A discussion on contemporary Nordic drama and the collaboration with the UK. Raising awareness of playwrights' work in the Nordic countries, the benefits of international collaborations, and networking opportunities. Exploring how Nordic playwriting has changed since Ibsen and Strindberg, and how theatres in the UK can benefit from working with new Nordic texts.

 

Panellists:

Playwright Kristofer Grønskag (Norway), Playwright Anna Bro (Denmark) and Literary Agent Sissi Liechtenstein (UK).

 

TICKETS (FREE)

This event will be streamed live on Youtube.

 

Wednesday 31st March 13-15:00 BST

Play Readings:

20-minute readings of each play, in a 2 hour live digital showcase of new Nordic drama.

This is the main event during the showcase week, promoting new Nordic plays and playwrights.

 

TICKETS (FREE)

This event will be streamed live on Youtube.

 

Networking Room 15:30-17:00 BST:

An open networking session on Zoom, introducing the playwrights to the audiences attending the play readings.

 

Thursday 1st April 11-12:30 BST

Panel Discussion:

Theatre in Translation – Bridging the Cultural Gaps

Translators and Playwrights in Conversation. Raising awareness of the key role of the translator and the collaborative process with the playwright.

 

Panellists:

Translator Brian FitzGibbon (Iceland) & playwright Gígja Sara Björnsson (Iceland), translator Charlotte Barslund (UK) & playwright Daria Glenter (Norway).

 

TICKETS (FREE)

This event will be streamed live on Youtube.

 

Friday 2nd April

Audio / Text Extracts:

Audio readings and Text Extracts of the plays are published on Cut the Cord’s website.

NNV_black.png
bottom of page