An Easter drama about hope, forgiveness and new beginnings – with strings from the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra

In just a week and a half in the autumn of 1900, August Strindberg wrote his moving chamber play Easter. He called it his "rainbow manuscript" – a work that marked a break from Strindberg's dark years, a period marked by personal crises and mental breakdowns. With Easter, he turned instead toward hope, comfort and reconciliation.

The story unfolds over the Easter days in a family burdened by shame and social downfall. At the same time, the daughter Eleonora returns home after a long stay at a psychiatric hospital. She brings with her a blend of vulnerability and joy for life, and gradually a sense of hope arises – of reconciliation and a new beginning for the family.

In the spring of 2026, Easter will be staged at Kilden, directed by Victoria Meirik, with set and costumes by Katrin Bombe. On stage, six actors will perform alongside a string quartet from the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, presenting Joseph Haydn's The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross – exactly as Strindberg himself prescribed.