Åsa Wikforss. Foto: Sören Vilks.
Åsa Wikforss has thought and written extensively about knowledge and truth. She battles against the forces that threaten knowledge. When she was the guest-host on the daily “Summer” programme on Swedish Radio’s P1 network last year, she began her monologue with the words:
“The struggle for reality is in full swing!” Now she is continuing her battle in a Performance Lecture at Dramaten in Stockholm that will include explaining how distorted thinking and our own emotions trip us up. She will have the help of two Dramaten actors, who will serve as guides. Carolina Frände is the director of this staged lecture, which in both its set design and expression will be inspired by David Lynch’s television series Twin Peaks.
“We are living in the post-truth era. Fake news, conspiracy theories and skewed narratives are engulfing us. So we have to equip ourselves to understand why we are so vulnerable to falsehoods, what knowledge is, and how group-think is threatening the democratic conversation,” Åsa Wikforss says.
Åsa Wikforss is professor of theoretical philosophy at Stockholm University, a member of the Swedish Academy and author of the book Alternativa fakta (Alternative Facts). She earned her doctorate at Columbia University in New York and in 2008 became one of Sweden’s two first female professors of theoretical philosophy. Today she does research on the philosophy of language and on epistemology (theory of knowledge).
Carolina Frände is a stage director with a track record of some 70 productions. She has been artistic director at UngaRiks, the youth department of Sweden’s National Touring Theatre (Riksteatern); prorector at the National Academy of Mime and Acting Arts (Teaterhögskolan i Stockholm); and artistic director of the Skärholmen children and youth stage of Stockholm’s Kulturhuset Stadsteatern (municipal cultural centre and theatre).
A co-production by Dramaten& –the side production unit of Dramaten –and Nobel Prize Museum.
Featuring
Åsa Wikforss
Two Dramaten actors
Director Carolina Frände
Scenographer and costume designer Carolina Frände
Performance Lecture
“On truth”, world premiere on 8 November at Lilla scenen (the Small Stage), Dramaten.
About the Performance Lectures
Science and stagecraft join forces as the Nobel Prize Museum and Dramaten& collaborate in presenting a series of Performance Lectures − a format that conveys knowledge by using the tools of theatre, based on the daily lives of various researchers. It is a new way of exploring and communicating science with the help of stagecraft techniques. Acclaimed robotics researcher Danica Kragic Jensfelt presented an earlier Performance Lecture on robots, Professor of Theoretical Physics Ulf Danielsson lectured about the universe, psychology researcher Armita Golkar lectured on fear and economics professor Micael Dahlen on happiness.
About Nobel Prize Museum
The Nobel Prize shows that ideas can change the world. The courage, creativity and perseverance of the Nobel Laureates inspire us and give us hope for the future. Videos, in-depth guided tours and donated artefacts tell about the Laureates and their contributions for the greatest benefit to humankind. Based on the Nobel Prize’s unique combination of fields – natural sciences, literature and peace – we examine the great issues of our time and show how we can respond to them with science, humanism and cooperation. Through our exhibitions, school programmes, lectures and dialogues, we at the Museum would like to generate public engagement for a better world. Today we are located on Stortorget, the main square in Stockholm’s Old Town. In the future we will be creating a new home for the Nobel Prize in the heart of the Swedish capital.
For further information, please contact
press@nobelprize.org