When we were younger

Oliver Lovrenski made his debut with the novel When We Were Younger in 2023. This is the stage version directed by Aksel Hennie. In 2026, it will be Serhat Yildirim, known from the NRK P3 series 18, who takes on the lead role. The entire critical corps praised When We Were Younger when the book was released in 2023. Only 19 years old, Oliver Lovrenski provided a portrayal of Oslo and a youth culture that many were not familiar with before. Lovrenski was described as a sort of hyperactive Ivar Aasen, who gathered and played with street language. When We Were Younger is a raw narrative from street life in Grønland, where youth from the TikTok generation make quick cash by selling drugs. Raw Coming-of-Age Story The main character is Ivor. He grows up too fast and longs for what he has never had. He is accompanied by his friends Marco and Jonas. They don’t have many others, but they have each other. It’s not school, but the city and the street that they want to own. Too bad the junkie on the corner tells them: You may love the streets, but they will never love you back. When We Were Younger is a story about friendship, girls, grief, drugs, and surviving in today’s Oslo. It offers a rare glimpse into a rough environment, and it's an intense and raw coming-of-age story told with warmth and humor.