Norén’s play, originally nearly five hours long, is a remarkable study of realism. Often two conversations take place at once — one reply may echo or undercut another spoken elsewhere — creating layers of meaning without ever breaking naturalism. Norén himself described the work as conducting a symphony, and Øyen approached it with sensitivity to timing and listening, letting the interlaced dialogue unfold like music written into speech. The result was not abstraction but a heightened realism: lifelike, precise, and full of psychological resonance.

Set in a summer house where an extended family gathers as their patriarch approaches the end of his life, Som lauvet i Vallombrosa reveals rivalries, regrets, professional frustrations, and uneasy affections. The play is at once merciless and compassionate, written with an awareness of its own theatricality. Its characters even complain about old-fashioned theatre played flat towards the audience. Øyen drew out this meta-dimension by staging the ensemble on the porch of Fuseya’s wooden house, as if they were simultaneously inhabiting their lives and presenting them to us.

The production became a study in ensemble work, with each actor finely tuned to Norén’s demanding text. Critics highlighted Heidi Gjermundsen Broch’s dazzling, quickfire delivery, but it was the interplay of the whole cast that gave the evening its weight and vitality. With design, rhythm, and performance aligned, Som lauvet i Vallombrosa offered audiences a vivid and deeply moving encounter with Norén’s theatre.