Festen (Danish for The Party) is originally a 1998 Danish film, directed by Thomas Vinterberg. David Eldridge’s theatre adaptation had its premiere in London in 2004, and on Broadway in 2006.
Helge celebrates his 60th birthday at his former family hotel. His wife Else, son Christian, daughter Helene and a number of acquaintances gather for a big party. Helge’s second son, Michael, is not invited. But he comes with his family anyway. The big absentee is daughter Linda.
Helge asks Christian to give a speech at the dinner because – given recent events – he is feeling too emotional. During dinner, Christian therefore takes the floor. He tells in front of everyone what his father did to him and his sister Linda. Family members and guests are perplexed, fall silent, but decide to follow the party’s agenda. This leads to ever-increasing tension. In the end, no one escapes facing up to things.
Festen is about transgressive behaviour and how a society deals with it. It tells a story of perpetrators, of victims and of the bystanders who don’t know what to do, and therefore do nothing.
