En ville, dans un appartement au mobilier moderne, Katarina et Frank vivent ensemble depuis des années.Le couple se fonde sur un rapport de forces bien connu : la plupart des phrases qu'ils prononcent contient une attaque plus oumoins cachée, une provocation qui est une invitation au conflit.
Norén is considered Sweden's most prominent contemporary playwright of today. He wrote his first play at age 19. His first publication was a collection of poems - Syrener, snö (Lilac, snow) in 1963. His plays are realistic and often revolve around family relations and the impoverished and routed at the bottom of society. Norén became well known in connection with the murders of two policemen in Malexander in 1999. The culprits had received furlough from their incarceration at Österåker jail to participate in Norén's play 7:3.