Kulturleveranser invites audiences to The Girl Who Wanted to Save the Books, premiering on 13 December 2026 at Fredrikstad Library. The production is made possible with support from the Regional Cultural Fund (Østfold) and Fredrikstad Municipality, allowing us to offer the performance free of charge and thereby ensure that children can access the experience regardless of their family’s financial situation. We are passionate about making theatre experiences accessible to everyone. The performance, aimed at children approximately 5 to 12 years old and their families, is based on the enchanting book by Klaus Hagerup, illustrated by Lisa Aisato. This will be a performing arts experience developed specifically for the library setting, where literature is literally brought to life between the bookshelves.
The performance draws on the compelling story of Anna, who discovers that books that no one reads at the library are being destroyed. What happens to the characters in the stories when this occurs? Anna decides to save them all from disappearing — one story at a time. Each time we read a book, the characters within it come to life. Through her journey, new worlds and friendships unfold, along with a deeper understanding of why stories matter.

The Girl Who Wanted to Save the Books has been developed with the intention that children should not simply be spectators, but active participants in the artistic experience. Through interactive elements, a meeting emerges between the performers, the children and the library space itself. The audience is invited to use their imagination, collaborate and draw on their own perspectives to solve tasks and influence the journey through the stories. In this way, the performance explores what happens when literature, performing arts and a familiar public space come together. The library is not merely a setting for the performance, but an active part of both the scenography and the narrative. Bookshelves, books and the distinctive atmosphere of the space become artistic tools in their own right.

The performance explores the significance that stories and literature can have for children. It addresses themes such as imagination, friendship, empathy and belonging, while giving children a physical and sensory way into literature. The aim is not to communicate one particular interpretation of a book, but to spark curiosity and give children an experience of how a story can be encountered, interpreted and further developed through the performing arts.

The project also responds to a current challenge: How can performing arts and literature engage children in a world where an increasing amount of their attention takes place on digital platforms? By moving literature out of the pages of books and into a live theatrical encounter, we aim to create an experience that inspires children to continue exploring stories on their own.

The project aims to stimulate children’s desire to read, imagination and creative joy. We want to create a site-specific performing arts experience that brings together literature, space and audience.In the long term, our ambition is to further develop the production into a touring performance that can visit libraries and other literary venues throughout Østfold.

Team

Producer: Kulturleveranser AS
Director and Playwright: Martine Tufvesson Lundberg
Anna: Aurora Reed-Jenssen
Milton Berg: Terje Brevik
Photography/Video: Kine Jensen