What happens when a family gathers for Christmas – year after year, generation after generation? In Julemiddag, audiences follow the Berge family through a century of Christmas celebrations, family tensions, social change and all the familiar moments that unfold around the dinner table.
The story begins in 1915 and takes us through the Second World War, the rise of the welfare state and the dawn of the oil age, right up to the present day. Through the family’s Christmas dinners, a changing Norway comes into view, as prosperity, hardship, expectations and social developments leave their mark on both the family and their celebrations.
There is warmth and humour, but also the less comfortable sides of family life: old stories that refuse to disappear, tensions simmering beneath the surface, generational differences and traditions being challenged by each new generation. The result is an entertaining and thought-provoking story about who we are – and how the times we live in shape us.
Julemiddag is inspired by Thornton Wilder’s The Long Christmas Dinner and has become a much-loved Christmas tradition in Stavanger since its premiere.
From 28 October 2026, audiences are invited to take their seats at the Main Stage. The table is set for a Christmas dinner with a difference, with the Berge family as hosts and a century of Norwegian history as its backdrop.
Please note: Haze effects will be used during the performance. The performance will be conducted in Norwegian.
