KNAUS

For 3,500 pages, Karl Ove Knausgård [1968] exposed his soul to the world. The Norwegian author put it out there for all to see, sparing neither himself nor others. It was his way of trying to overcome the banality of his life. His autobiographical saga brought him countless literary awards, a broken marriage and damaged friendships. In their monologue KNAUS, the Flemish director Alexia Leysen [1988] and actor Valentijn Dhaenens [1976] portray a man asking himself some tough questions. Like: “Why?” or “Who am I?”. Because even though God may be dead and heaven hollow, Knaus has an inkling that somewhere in the universe there’s something of value. As he stumbles from the stars to a pile of nappies, this hope is what keeps him going. During her research for this monologue, Alexia spoke to fifty readers of Knausgård. Well-known ones alongside unknown ones. Using an old Hasselblad camera, inherited from her grandfather, she took their portraits. Her research question: do readers see themselves in Knaus, who has been called a sombre mascot of contemporary man? Leysen is a co-founder of the Flemish theatre collective BRUT.

Credits
Director: Alexia Leysen
Performance Valentijn Dhaenens
Text: Alexia Leysen naar Knausgård