Library-Karens Library

Sagliocco ensemble

“I have to look in to that!” says Bibliotek-Karen. Because in the books there are answers to many strange things. Could it be true that monsters like poo? In her library there are many books! And just like in the nursery, there are many different departments. Department for large books and for small books, for yellow and blue, for cookbooks, fairy tales and poetry.

Here there are sad books and funny books and a separate section for scary books that almost no one dares to borrow. In the library there are also very old and valuable books that no one is allowed to borrow. It is Henrik Ibsen’s collected works, first edition, handwritten. Karen loves to read it, even though she hardly understands anything. But she loves to taste the words – enjoy them like candy.

But then something strange happens. Karen discovers a tiny newborn baby book, which only has completely white glossy pages. It is very small and terribly cute. But it can also howl! Is it hungry? Or is it tired? Holding a newborn book in your lap is certainly not easy … “I wonder what it will be when it grows up?”, Karen wonders as she cradles the entire bookshelf.

Through the performance, Karen takes the children through an experience where something is familiar, something is new, and with a big dash of humour, this becomes a stew of literature, books as objects, and surprising sounds. In Library-Karen’s library we will not only dive into the world books paint with words, but equally how they feel, smell and sound. As Astrid Lindgren says “Books need children’s imagination, that’s true. But it is even more true that children’s imagination needs books in order to be able to live without books.”

With this performance, the Sagliocco Ensemble wants to awaken young children’s interest in books and stimulate their curiosity for literature through the theatre’s playful approach. In an increasingly digitized world, we believe it is becoming more and more important to focus on the physical book. Books, and the stories that live in them, are not only a source of knowledge, but just as much a tool for developing imagination, empathy and language.

Duration: 35 minutes
Target group: From 3 years
Language: Norwegian

Direction and script development: Anders Borchgrevink
Actor and script development: Guandaline Sagliocco
Scenography/objects: Mari Lassen-Bergsten Kamsvaag
Musician/sound designer: Geir Bremer Øvrebø
The voice of little book: Albert Borchgrevink Hildarson
Artistic sound consultant: Nadine Esteve
Production: Sagliocco Ensemble
Co production Teater Ibsen

The performance is supported by the Norwegian Cultural Council, Vestfold and Telemark county council, Spenn, Porsgrunn municipality and Fund for Performing Artists. Thanks to Karen Dalevoll for inspiration and support.