Jon Fosse, The Observer, interview by Chris Power, 28 October 2023

Playwriting allowed Fosse to employ silence in a way he couldn’t in prose. ‘I could use the word “pause” a lot, and “he or she breaks off”, and somehow make the silence speak and establish a second silent language behind the spoken language.’ …’I think basically writing resembles drinking to me. When you drink you become someone a bit different, and you get rid of your normal self. And to me writing … it’s not to express myself, it’s to get rid of myself.’