NEWSNEWS FROM SSWEDISHWEDISH TTHEATREHEATRE focus: gender equality Lasting impressions AT a temporary address c/o Stockholms stadsteater is an international platform introducing artists and companies from all over the world to a Swedish audience.

Since opening August 2009 the repertoire has mixed genres; Cirkus Cirkör, CirkörLab, Danshögskolan Riksteatern (Sweden)˘ Spoken word (England/Botswana/USA) dance, theatre, circus, mime, Jaunais spoken Rigas Teatris word (Latvia) and seminars. Teatro Chapitô (Portugal) Slovensko Mladinsko GledališceRosas (Belgium/England/Japan) (Slovenia) Teater Viirus/Blaue Frau (Finland) Jo Strømgren Kompani (Norway) Joey Arias och Basil Twist Superamas (USA) (Austria/France) Teatr Weimar (Sweden) Skånes (USA/France/Sweden)Gunilla Heilborn (Sweden) Teater Galeasen (Sweden) ”Teatret” (Denmark) Varietéteatern Barbès (Sweden) NIE Company (Norway/Chech republic/England/France) Die Bühne (Sweden) Regionteater Väst (Sweden) Spinning Jenny (Sweden) Salar Theatre, (Iraqui Harlem Kurdistan) Heat, (Sweden) Dansteater (Sweden)

Contact: +46 8 506 20 100 www.stadsteatern.stockholm.se/co

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2 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE In search of gender equality

HERE IS IN SWEDEN a rich and varied the- But there are still unmotivated differences in salary by Ann Mari Engel atrical life that extends over the whole of as well as some surviving patriarchal structures. Director the country. There exist over thirty mu- In the beginning of the 2000’s it became increas- Svensk Teaterunion Tnicipal and regional theatres performing, both for ingly clear that even in the theatre, the balance be- Swedish Centre of the ITI children and grown-ups, works of theatre, musical tween the sexes often placed power in the hands of theatre and dance. The national stages; The Royal men. This affected not only the work within the Dramatic Theatre (known widely as Dramaten) theatres themselves, but to a large degree also what and The Royal Swedish Opera (Operan) are lo- our stages offered in terms of repertory and the cated in Stockholm as is a mobile national theatre, manner in which it was presented. In 2006, the Riksteatern, which tours throughout the country. government appointed a committee to investigate There are also independent theatres in numbers ex- gender equality in the performing arts. This ceeding two hundred, either with their own stages, resulted in a 650 page long document en- playing in borrowed venues, or touring for example titled Plats på scen (Places, please). The to schools. Theatre for children and youth has a document outlined many problems strong position and is the source of important ar- and indicated a variety of ways tistic development. The total audience in Sweden is forward. over six million per annum, within a total popula- tion of nine million. A program for change Since the initiation of a seri- Gender equality in focus ous discussion in the theatre The theatre is a part of the civil society and often branch, a lot of things have at the center of public discussion. The past years happened: theatres have cre- have seen the theatre itself and its structures, often ated conscious programs to as the subject of animated debate. One issue that effect change and to high- has greatly influenced theatre life in the new mil- light inequalities. Employ- lennium has been the question of gender equality, ers and Unions have joined through an increasing awareness of gender related together to develop courses, issues. including one for women aspir- In Sweden, questions of gender equality are cen- ing to leadership positions as ar- tral to society. In some areas great progress has been tistic and/or managing directors. made, for example in lawmaking. In Sweden’s gov- The theatre academies have erning Parliament, half the delegates are women. grouped together behind a two-year

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 3 s t udy, A tt ge s t a l t a k ö n ( P o r t r a y i n g G e n - We h ave long b e e n aw are th at the m ajor ity of d e r ) th at i n no s m all w ay h as aff e c t e d the at re audienc e s are women . St i ll, the m ajor ity t e a c her s , s t ud e nts and thei r re l at ion - of the at re c re ator s , here we re f e r to di re c tor s , pl ay- s h ips . wr i ghts , c ompo s e r s and c onduc tor s , are s t i ll men . Dr am at u r g e s h ave rum m ag e d Thi s re al ity i s , howe ver, c h an g i n g and we are mov- th rou gh arc h i ve s i n s e arc h of ”f org ot - i n g tow ards a the at re th at i s re le v ant to e veryone. t e n” wom an d r am at i s ts and pl aye d thei r The g e nde r di s c u s sion s h ave le d to e xc it i n g art istic works s uc c e s s fully. O ther produc t ion s c hoic e s and a fu rther d e ve lopment of the at re i n h ave ut i l i ze d ”g e nde r bl i nd” cas t i n g or Swe d e n . We hop e th at th i s i s s ue wi ll outl i ne s ome switc he d the role s of men and women to of the que s t ion s c onc e r n i n g g e nde r e qu al ity i n the g i ve the audienc e new p e r s p e c t i ve s . p e rf or m i n g arts and wi ll s t i mul at e fu rther di s c u s - sion. Hard numbers Sinc e 2 00 6 , we at Sven s k Te ater u n ion, Swe- d i s h C ent re of the I TI h ave doc u mente d i n ou r d at a bas e , al l profe s sional st a g e produc t ions . Here we note the gender of al l cre at ive ar t i s t s and p er former s i nvolved i n any produc t ion. From the d at a s tored , we publi s hed i n 2 007 and 2 00 8 , g ender rel ate d s t at i s t ics rel ate d to thos e worki n g on s t a g e , ba c ks t a g e , i n the b oard rooms and i n the work - s hops . We c an se e th at a lot has be en done and th at a lot i s left to do. The s e s t at i s t ics h ave b e en g iven a g re at de g re e of at tent ion and h ave led to i mpor t ant d i s c u s sions at theat re s acros s the c ou nt ry. G ender and power I n th i s i s s ue of New s we pre s e nt a numb e r of f a c ts of c onc e r n to men and women i n Swe di s h p e r - f or m i n g arts . We d e s c r ib e s ome of the art i s t ic and p e d ag o g ical proje c ts th at h ave r i s e n f rom a g row - Illus tr a tion : i n g c on s c iou sne s s re g ardi n g g e nde r on s t ag e and S t i n a E i d e m the ne e d for ge nde r equ al ity. We al s o prov ide some ” I n s e ar c h of g e nd e r gl i mps e s of c u r re nt the at r ical produc t ion with f o - e qu al ity ” c u s on port r ayi n g a g e nde r p e r s p e c t i ve .

4 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Definition Gender

The Gender Concept of p ower. A g roup i s wom an- dom i n at e d i f women Illus tr a tion : G e nde r d e note s the w ay i n w h ic h we s o c i ally, c ul - m ak e up more th an 6 0 % of a g roup. I f men m ak e S t i n a E i d e m t u r ally and h i s tor ically u nde r s t and the me an i n g up more th an 6 0 % of a g roup it i s m an- dom i - ” D ance i s d om i n a t e d by of wom an and m an, m ale and f e m ale . Thi s u nde r - n at e d . w ome n – f e m ale c omp o- s t andi n g v ar ie s . Q u a l i t a t i v e ge n d e r e q u a l i ty i mpl ie s th at the s e r s ar e f ew ” know le d g e , e x p e r ienc e s and v alue s of b oth women Feminism and men are g i ven e qu al wei ght and are u s e d to Fem i n i s m, b oth as a the ore t ical di re c t ion and as e n r ic h and di re c t all s phere s of so c ie ty. a p ol it ical ide ology, i s b as e d on the thou ght th at women i n all known s o c ie t ie s h ave b e e n s u b or - di n at e to men i n the s o - calle d s e x u al h ier arc hy. Fem i n i s m c onc e r n s s o c i al ju s t ic e b e twe e n the s e xe s , but al s o ex t e nds to the ge nde r rel at e d repre s- sion of other group s be cau s e of se x u al or ient at ion, e th n ic ity or c l as s . G ender Equalit y Me an s th at women and men h ave e qu al p ow- e r to s h a p e s o c ie ty and thei r own l i ve s . Thi s i mpl ie s the s ame opp ort u n it ie s , r i ghts and obl i g at ion s i n all s phere s of l i f e . I n Swe d e n, ge n d e r e q u a l i ty i s u s u ally l i m- ite d to d e fi n i n g the re l at ion s h ip b e twe e n men and women . Howe ver, e q u a l i ty i s a s omew h at wide r c onc e pt . It re f e r s to p ar- ity i n re l at ion s among all i ndi v idu al s and g roup s i n s o c ie ty. Unde rlyi n g th i s not ion i s the b e l ie f th at all p e ople are of e qu al v alue, re g ardle s s of s e x, e th n ic or i g i n, re - l i g ion, s o c i al c l as s , e t c . G e nde r e qu al ity i s one of the c or ner s tone s of e qu al ity. Q u a n t i t a t i v e ge n d e r e q u a l i ty i mpl ie s an e qu al di s t r ibut ion b e twe e n women and men i n all s phere s of s o c ie ty, s uc h as i n e ducat ion, work , re c re at ion and p o sit ion s

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 5 Ups and downs in Swedish gender equality

Regarding gender equality in the Swedish performing arts; successes line up alongside failures. The year 2009 brings us joy when we see the percentage of women as artistic director, while the acute shortage of women conductors causes us worry.

by Vanja Hermele N SWEDEN WE ARE accustomed to hearing We observe the same pattern when examining Journalist and that we live in the world’s most ”equal” na- the number of employees at the Sweden’s thirty- Gender Studies specialist tion. Unfortunately this isn’t entirely true. The four performing arts institutions during 2007. The IWorld Economic Forum, the organization that percentage of women to men employed is exactly Illustration: measures gender equality in the nations of the 50–50. If you look closer, you can see that men Stina Eidem world, passed the title ”world champion” already and women occupied different positions in the hi- ”A sex change rather than three years ago to neighboring Norway. And since erarchical structure. The administration was 71 % an education?” them we’ve been sliding steadily, year after year: in women while roughly the same percentage – but 2008 we took third place and in 2009, fourth. this time for men – applied to artistic or managing Scendatabasen (The Stage Arts Data Base) is directors. One hardly needs to mention the ocean a living archive that documents theatre, dance, of difference between these two categories when it opera and performance in Sweden. We took a look comes to honor, praise, prestige, and – paychecks. at gender equality there. Measured in numbers, Swedish performers are Ups divided almost equally between men and women The male dominance of directorships at national during the years 2007–2009. Large, demand- and regional performing arts houses has been ques- ing roles for women, central to the development tioned and discussed. Collaborative action has been of the plot, are still sought after by our actresses. taken by The Swedish Union for Theatre, Artists The American cartoonist, Alison Bechdel, hits the and Media and the employers’ organization, Swed- problem elegantly on the head in her Bechdel Test. ish Performing Arts. This has had visible effect. She asks: Are there women on the stage? Do they They started a leadership education for women that speak to each other? About something other then not only changed attitudes and raised competence, men? She underlines the fact that an equal number but actually created a situation in 2008–2009 in of women and men on the stage doesn’t necessarily which women were not only accepted as directors mean that the production is ”equal”. of these institutions but were also welcomed. From

6 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 69 % men in 2007 to exact equality 2009. 19 male Light design seems to be an occupation reserved directors and 19 female. for men. Men designed the lighting in 77 % of all stage productions in 2009, a percentage that has Worlds apart remained roughly equal since 2007. Unfortunately there are still a large number of oc- Worst of all is the field of sound design where cupations in theatre houses categorically divided male dominance was 88 % in 2007, 84 % in 2008 into either female occupations or male. It hap- and a whopping 90 % in 2009. pens, but rarely, that you would encounter a man in the make-up department. Here the dominance Downs of women is expressed as at least 80 % during the The largest problems with male domination can years 2007 to 2009. The same three years showed be found in musical theatre and opera. And it has a female dominance in costume workshops of only been getting worse as years go by. Since 2007, 73 % women. women have been disappearing from leading posi- One is led to suspect the existence of a glass ceil- tions. ing between the positions of assistant director and In 2007 and 2008 a little over one hundred director. What else could account for a relative ab- musical theatre or opera productions were pro- sence of women from the director’s chair? In 2009, duced in Sweden. Of these productions, 10 % 73 % of director’s assistants were women, but only were in 2007, composed by women, while 8 % 39 % of directors. This constitutes a drop from the had woman conductors. In 2008 only 4 % were years 2007 and 2008. composed by women and the number conducted by women had also decreased to 4 %. In 2009 eighty-five musical theatre productions were produced. Women composers did at least ac- count for some of these works, making up 17 % of the total, but not a single work was con- ducted by a woman. Such broad divergences are always de- trimental to gender equality, no matter which sex is favored. The whole idea of gender equality is that an individual’s talent, desire and vision should deter- mine his/her choice of occupation and possibility to advance in the field.

Note: The statistics for 2009 were taken from Scendatabasen in March 2010. Vanja Hermele has previously investigated equality in the fields of professional culture in the books Konsten så funkar det (inte), (Art, The way things (don’t) work), 2009, På span- ing efter jämställdhet (In Search of Gen- der Equality), 2008 and I väntan på vadå (Waiting for Who Knows) 2007. The illustrations were first published in In Search of Gender Equality, 2008.

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 7 Swedish theatre has come out

by Tiina Rosenberg, Professor in Gender Studies and Theatre Scholar T’S A FAR DISTANCE that separates Europe and the USA”, wrote one critic in a review of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America when it played Stock- holms Stadsteater in 1995/6. The play was considered difficult in Sweden Ibecause in the tolerant and open Swedish society there was no stigmatization of homosexuality or people with aids. Angels in America was however, in line with a major national coming-out process for homosexuals in Sweden. In the ”year 1998 photographer Elisabeth Ohlsson’s photo exhibit Ecce Homo, por- traying Jesus in a queer environment, started an unprecedented debate fo- cused on homosexuality at the same time that Lucas Moodysson’s film Fuck- ing Åmål – Show Me Love with teenage Agnes and Elin, gave Swedish film it’s first teenage lesbian couple. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Angels in America, Ecce Homo and Fucking Åmål still, there is room to reflect over the historic de- velopment. Even August Strindberg was conscious of the existence of homo- sexuality and his ambivalence to it is mirrored in several of his works. This appears mostly in the form of a triangle as in The Confession of a Fool – En dåres försvarstal, Creditors – Fodringsägare, Play with Fire – Leka med elden, Married I–II – Giftas I–II, There are Crimes and Crimes – Brott och brott, The Dance of Death – Dödsdansen and To Damascus – Till Damaskus. For Strind- berg the lesbian woman was a Tribade to be feared, a product of the modern decadence, a vampire like invader who crept into good families, seducing the wife and marginalizing the husband. This theme was taken up in P.O. En- qvist’s drama about Strindberg’s own marriage, called The Night of the Tribades – Tribadernas natt. The de-criminalization of homosexuality in 1944 did not immediately lead to a less homophobic society. Instead, a wave of homophobic panic spread across the western world during the 1950’s. It was this ambience that gave rise to the so-called closet dramas of playwrights such as Tennessee Williams,

8 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Edward Albee and Harold Pinter. These were of- author and showman Jonas Gardell’s first happen- Photo page 8: ten played on Swedish stages. The banner of sexual ings in 1984/5 to his latest show Trafikplats Glädjen Peter Westrup freedom was hoisted in the sixties, but the gay plays (2009/10) one can trace dramatic changes in laws All we need is love that were being produced in the Anglo-American and attitudes concerning hbt persons in Sweden. Malmö Stadsteater theatres were seldom played in Sweden. One ex- The 2000’s present an entirely different picture. ception was the Mart Crowley play, The Boys in Queer-cultural events, festivals, meeting places, Photo page 9: the Band (1968), produced by Malmö Stadsteater alternative queer stages, have enriched the queer Åse Bengtsson Helin in 1970. In this production, several openly homo- scene in Sweden with artists such as Malin Hell- Rosa löften sexual actors took part under the supervision of a kvist Sellén, Dorte Olesen, Maya Hald, Robert Tony Friede physician. The 1970’s saw both the women’s move- Fux and Helena Sandström, to name but a few. Salong Giraff ment and the gay movement become increasingly The current season has brought us the drama docu- Orionteatern political with their own cultural content, including mentary All We Need Is Love at Malmö Stadsteater poetry, songs and even some dramatic texts. Dur- in which director Ronny Danielsson has collected ing the aids crisis in the 1980’s plays dealing with the life stories of a group of non-heterosexual men the disease were being played throughout Europe from Malmö. At the same time, Riksteatern has and the United States, while Malmö Stadsteater since September 2009 toured No Tears for Queers, in 1985 played Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Tri- another example of documentary theatre, this logy, followed shortly afterwards by a production time aimed towards crimes of hate and performed at Stockholms Stadsteater of the same play. At chiefly in schools to counter homophobia and vio- roughly the same time, a homosexual son turned lence against gays. This marks the start of a new up in Lars Norén’s drama Natten är dagens mor era in which the 2000’s more open attitudes to- – Night is the Mother of Day (1983) and the same wards homosexuality are beginning to be visible in happened in Staffan Göthe’s play En uppstoppad the repertories of Swedish theatres. The previously hund – A Stuffed Dog (1986), both of which are all too chained doors might not have burst their among Sweden’s most often produced plays. More hinges, but doors are at least open. or less openly gay actors and artists start to become popular media profiles during the 1980’s. Actor and singer Rikard Wolff is one example. And from

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 9 Female leadership at a popular opera house

by Ann Mari Engel, Director of Svensk Teaterunion – Swedish Centre of the ITI TOCKHOLM IS THE HOME of independent institution Folkoperan. Founded in 1976 the group’s aim was to develop and renew the art of opera and help it to reach new audiences. SFolkoperan has produced a long list of successful productions both of mo- dern works and of re-worked or modernized classics. They have reached a wide audience and are today the country’s largest employer of freelance singers and musicians. The operas are always performed in the Swedish language and at- tention is given works for children and youth. The latest production, widely praised, was Silversjön (The Silver Lake: a Winter’s Fairy Tale) by Kurt Weill directed by Lithuanian director Oskaras Korsunovas. One of the founders of Folkoperan is Kerstin Nerbe, one of our few woman conductors of musical theatre. Kerstin Nerbe is a composer and professor of music and has been guest conductor on stages all over the world. She has re- cently initiated a network of woman conductors. Joakim Unander, who has taken over the musical leadership from Kerstin, has opened for new conduc- tors, both men and women, by allowing them to test conduct at daily orches- tra rehearsals. Folkoperan hopes in this way to discover new talent which otherwise might remain hidden. Folkoperan’s leadership is today shared between two women with Pia Kron- qvist as managing director and Mira Bartov as artistic director. Internation- ally it is quite unique to see two women at the helm of an opera house, and it is even unusual to see any kind of shared leadership. Pia Kronqvist has the final word and responsibility, but the two work together closely. What makes the relationship work is their trust in each other and their ability to put their egos to the side. The apparent division between administration and art often blurs, demanding a large quantum of giving and taking. Each needs to re- spect the other’s expertise when engaging in dialogue about the whole picture. That these are two women makes no difference in this respect, but they are very conscious of the patriarchal structures in the music field, something that demands attention. Musical theatre is the most male dominated field in the

10 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE performing arts, especially in regard to composers and conductors. The field is dominated by classical works written by men and during times marked by patriarchal values. The old stories are often re-worked at Folkoperan to bring forth genus aspects, as in the last production of Glada Änkan (The Merry Widow). Leadership, according to Pia and Mira, is all about operating on a human level. Artists are a vulnerable group in that they are constantly opening them- selves up publically in their work on stage. The leaders of an opera house need to support them and to be aware of any discriminatory structures. It’s really all about how people treat each other at work. It is imperative to make an analysis of who has power and what this means for the artistic work created.

Photo page 10: Mats Bäcker Mira Bartov & Pia Kronqvist

Photo page 11: Mats Bäcker Silversjön Folkoperan

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 11 WOMEN’S THEATRE LIVES ON – What happened to the women and to the theatre after Jösses flickor? Was liberation, as they said in 1974, just around the corner?

by Sara Granath NE MILESTONE PRODUCTION in thea- maintained in 1974, just around the corner? An Theatre Critic and Lecturer tre history is Jösses flickor, befrielsen är exhaustive answer would require an entire season at Södertörn University nära (Jaysus girls, liberation is coming) at Dramaten’s main stage; where Gunnel Lind- Othat opened in 1974 at Stockholms Stadsteater blom, as one of few woman directors, mounted an Article published in and ran for 140 performances. The play, written interesting production of Henrik Ibsen’s Frauen fra Swedish Daily by Suzanne Osten and Margareta Garpe, directed havet (The Lady from the Sea) in 1985. On Dram- Svenska Dagbladet by Osten, portrayed women pioneers and their po- aten’s smallest stage, Lejonkulan, she directed in February 23rd 2006 litical as well as private struggles between the years 1988 Sanna Kvinnor (True Women) the feminist 1924–1974. The play’s remounting in 2006 should classic penned by Ann Charlotte Leffler in 1885. be mentioned, and the added sequel by the young In the theatre, women are primarily found in the playwright Malin Axelsson. audience. Many times the number of women than But what happened to the women and to the men apply for acceptance at the theatre academies, theatre after Jösses flickor? Was liberation, as was though the number accepted by each school is equal. The great roles are by tradition reserved for men. But some things have indeed changed, even if the women’s movement, enmeshed in the theatre in the 1970’s, gave up its place in favor of other types of initiative. And although we live in the age of the individual, woman from time to time gather together to break the male hegemony. Education at Dramatiska Institutet (University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre) has without a doubt contributed to the growing number of women playwrights and directors who, through appren- ticeships, find their way into the theatres. Suzanne Osten, the director of Jösses flickor, was, for several years, professor of directing as well as the artistic director of Unga Klara at Stockholms Stadsteater. It was at Unga Klara that Anna Takanen received her training, before taking over as artistic director of Göteborgs Stadsteater. And so it goes on! Vivica Bandler, who managed Stockholms Stadsteater, was in her day an important source of support for Suzanne Osten, but even male ar-

12 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Riksteatern (Swedish National Touring Theatre). Photo page 12: Her ticket to success was the feministic produc- Lesley Leslie-Spinks tion of Sophocles’ Electra. Jösses flickor, befrielsen Jösses flickor – återkomsten är nära brought up everything: class and gender, Stockholms Stadsteater sexuality and working life. A whole chain of plays has followed allowing concentration on particu- Photo page 13: lar aspects of being a woman. Here, independent Mats Bäcker theatre companies still play an important role: Kia Mary Wollstonecraft Berglund and Teater Giljotin with productions of Uppsala Stadsteater Inger Edelfeldt’s Ur askan (Out of the Ashes) and Den perfekte mannen (The Perfect Man). Teater Scenario was a long standing home for Daniella Kullman, and a place where we could experience Lotti Törnros in her own Mitt liv som tjock (My Life as a Fatty) and Isabell Sollman in Sara Sten- ström’s Jag var en beauty (I Was a Beauty). Sisela Lindblom has pursued her feministic project in a variety of places but most successfully at Boule- vardteatern with Flickor (Girls). Hilda Hellwig, contributing important works concerning sexual politics in her days at Teater Aurora, mounted an at once faithful and critical production of Strind- berg’s ”battle between the sexes” drama Kamrater- na (Comrades) at Dramaten. Maria Blom reached a large and young audience at Stockholms Stads- teater’s Backstage, where her productions always turned gender clichés inside out. Carin Mann- heimer wrote a sharply critical play about women’s position in the employment market, Rika barn leka tistic directors have allotted space to women. bäst (Rich Children Play Best) but is best known to Stefan Böhm, the leader at Uppsala Stadsteater audiences through television. following years in an independent group, opened Kristina Lugn, who made her debut as a poet, the doors of the main stage to women directors. grows ever in prominence as a personage in the Voula Kereklidou mounted some years ago, a femi- Swedish Theatre. She now runs her own theatre in nist version of Schiller’s Maria Stuart and in 2005 Stockholm; Teater Brunnsgatan Fyra. Åsa Kalmér on the same stage a major production concerning has established herself as the foremost interpreter the life of the 18th century British feminist, Mary of Lugn’s plays in which the world is observed with Wollstonecraft, written by Margareta Garpe, Mia a keen feminine eye. Lugn’s portrayals of feminine Törnqvist, Gunilla Boëthius, Sofia Fredén and submission and the all-powerful, all-charming, Gertrud Larsson was produced. All these are de- male, are a hard act to top. cendents of ”Jösses”; Margareta Garpe has gone on to direct many of her own plays both at Stock- holms Stadsteater and at Dramaten. Anneli Nor- berg, the director of Wollstonecraft, among other Translator’s note: The translations in parenthesis of deeds has mounted a play about rapists in which many of the titles of new dramatic works described women played all the roles. It was at Uppsala Stads- in these articles are the translator’s own, provided teater that Birgitta Englin first started along a to give the reader exactly that: a translation of the path that would lead her to the CEO position at title.

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 13 Blurring the boundaries

by Kristian Hallberg HILE I WAS WORKING on the play This survey has, in percentages and direct quota- Dramaturge Drottning Kristina (Queen Christina) tions, provided a clear picture of the theatre work- at Uppsala Stadsteater, my mind was er’s experience. I read article after article, interview Photo page 15: Wconstantly occupied with the idea of blurring the after interview, in which the reality is blurred. Ar- Linus Meyer boundaries. It was what we were concerned with, tistic Directors say that nothing of the sort has ever Drottning Kristina blurring the lines between our working roles; as happened at their theatres. They dismiss the whole Uppsala Stadsteater I who in my daily life am a dramaturge, become subject as some bizarre expression of Stockholm’s actor and set designer. We allowed our discussions syndrome. The theatre artist who can’t in her wild- of Christina’s sexual orientation to collide with est imagination believe that the survey could in the debate concerning the South African athlete any way reflect the truth. Caster Samenya. We adapted a feministic approach We live in a patriarchal society where male to writing history by giving as much credence to power is the norm. It seems to us natural that men Britney Spears and Depeche Mode as we allowed might abuse this position. I’ve known this from August Strindberg and Lars Forssell. We created childhood. I’ve learned that as a man it was okay our own classic, and with that, a new world-view. for me to interrupt others when they were speak- We wanted to blur the boundaries between all the ing, I learned how look at and how speak to men creators of this opus. And suddenly it hit me: blur- in contrast to women. Power is something that was ring the boundaries is exactly what Queen Christina handed to me at no cost. has always been about. Was she a man, a woman, a Men who paw women in the elevators or on hermaphrodite? She really crossed borders. She did the sofa; they don’t cross boundaries concerning things that were unheard of. But she didn’t blur. what is permissible in a work place. They only blur She was crystal clear. them. Artistic directors who deny the existence of I am writing at a time when the subject of sexual any such behavior at their theatre, they don’t cross harassment in our theatre and film world is being boundaries, they merely blur the paw prints on the hotly debated. It is impossible not to mention it. map.

14 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE In a scene in our Queen Christina, the actors had invited Strindberg to come and talk about the play. The discussion gets out of hand, ending up in a bloody assault on the playwright. The actors rea- soned that they would gain nothing by merely por- traying Strindberg as a misogynist. People would just shrug it off. But they felt that should force Strindberg to face charges, for turning Christina into a fawning, silly, sex obsessed and irresponsible Queen, reflecting the dissolution of his own mar- riage to Harriet Bosse. So when we got to the scene we felt that we needed to cross a line. We suggested something, we said; ”this is another way in which we can use August Strindberg”. And in doing so, we generated a discussion. Likewise, in regard to our work environment, to blur the issue would be a cowardly act. We have to ask the questions, just as we do when we rehearse a play. What is the problem and how can it be solved? What happens when we remove the text on the day of the first read through? What happens when we separate the lines from the characters assigned to them? What happens when we take the power from the hands of the men? We need to abdicate our birthright.

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 15 Gender equality begins in the brain

16 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Gender equality begins in the brain

HOREOGRAPHER MALIN HELLKVIST to understand gender related power structures, by Lena Andrén SELLÉN must be one of the leading figures otherwise well-intended equality initiatives might Theatre Critic in Swedish dance. Ever since her debut lead to prolonged inequality. One of the basic ele- Cwith Solo her work has consistently undermined all ments of this power structure is the objectification Photo: conventional bias concerning gender identity. of the female body. Which is to say the acceptance Åse Bengtsson Helin Gender equality is an easy thing to support by both sexes of the masculine gaze’s hegemony. A Inom rimliga gränser in words but hard to realize, since it forces us to direct attack against the masculine gaze’s hegem- question habitual ways of thinking, our own or ony was launched by De ger tanken kropp (2003) those in our surroundings. When one does ask (They Give Body to Thought), a work in which dan- questions it isn’t unusual to meet a reaction such cers used their bodies in ways that forced the spec- as the one I met upon asking a Swedish dance tators to see them, dressed or undressed, as active heavyweight why all the female dancers were so subjects. Despite the skepticism of many before the naked in contrast to the male dancers who were so opening, the performance was a tremendous suc- dressed. It was nothing to get excited about and I cess. was the only one who had a problem with it, was Hellkvist Sellén is a skilled choreographer who the answer I received. creates performances that are rich in content and That Malin Hellkvist Sellén in performance both thought provoking and entertaining. Her after performance is able to question all our un- work, despite the power of the message, is never consciously ingrained gender conventions demands reduced to agit-prop. Instead, thanks to their non- both courage and tenacity. Whatever theme she verbal content, her performances become as Trojan approaches in a new work, she gives her audience horses, slipping past the defenses of the audience the opportunity to see the arbitrary in accepted so- and infiltrating their modes of thought. cial conventions defining masculine and feminine. Equality is created in the brain, born of thoughts Already during her education as a choreographer at and attitudes that only afterwards make a mark on the National Academy of Dance she created a work reality. Through her work, Hellkvist Sellén invites entitled Project: a gender-neutral army on the march her audience to think along new lines, which in (2000). Costume and choreography are both free the long run can lead to a conscious redefinition of from gender demarcation, a demonstration in Hell- attitudes and ideas. kvist Sellén’s early development of an ability to ana- Malin Hellkvist Sellén’s newest work, Inom lyze, deconstruct and to reconstruct movements rimliga gränser (Within the Boundary of the Reason- from a gender perspective. able), a dance piece about unreasonable notions, This courage and competence in seeing how will be performing during the spring of 2010. The gender conventions affect all of us at very basic performance opened at Pusterviksteatern in Göte- levels, how we move our bodies for example, is the borg and will tour throughout the country. base of all gender related work. But one also needs

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 17 Portraying gender

An excerpt from the ITH REGARD TO THE increasingly in- vetna val (Portraying Gender: Stories about theatre study Att gestalta kön tensive debate concerning gender roles arts, power and conscious choice). It contains the per- (Portraying Gender) in the theatre and the way in which sonal experiences of students and teachers, records published by Teater- Wthese roles are set during the course of the aspiring some conversations and presents some strategies for högskolan i Stockholm actor’s vocational education, the four theatre acade- the future. (Stockholm Academy of mies in Sweden initiated in 2006 a multi-year artis- Dramatic Arts). tic and educational project investigating the gender Objectives for the future Project manager: perspective in the education, primarily, of actors. In the final stage of the project, the group of stu- Gunilla Edemo, Teacher and researcher Kent Sjöström formulates dent and faculty chairs formulated a number of November 2009 here one of the guiding principles; objectives for the future, based on the steering During an actors vocational training one is con- committee’s articulation of goals for the project’s stantly engaged in reflection over human behavior. implementation phase. First off, the project’s two Students and instructors dissect every character; overarching objectives concerning the desired their actions, their feelings, and the choices they learning outcomes of participating students and make. These are things discussed, but primarily instructors are as follows: acted out. Actors proceed from different perspec- Students will be educated toward making active tives, testing the dramatic material and investiga- and conscious creative choices, in regard to gender ting the life of the character down to the slightest perspectives. twitch. Students will develop their ability to describe The project facing our actor’s education today, these choices verbally, as well as reflect critically Portraying Gender, turns the torch of investigation upon their own and others’ artistic choice. inwards, towards our selves. With the same sharp Instructors shall develop their ability to make and curious eye we use to investigate the lives and active and conscious teaching choices. These choi- relationships of our characters, we will now gaze ces shall serve to establish an educational context of at our own habits, choices and the power relation- equal opportunity and full integrity for male and ships existing in our daily work at the academy. It female students alike. Instructors will also develop is challenge of the highest degree and one could their ability to describe these choices verbally, and even ask if it is at all possible. Who will investi- reflect critically upon their own and others’ teach- gate whom? Perhaps the more poignant question ing choices from a gender and gender equality per- is ”how will we who work with the education of spective. actors, deal with knowledge and insights that criti- In addition to this, a number of detailed cize us? objectives regarding course planning, admis- This project culminated in 2009 with a semi- sion procedures and criteria and other sub- nar series and the publication of a book called Att jects were formulated. These can be found at gestalta kön: Berättelser om scenkonst, makt och med- www.teaterhogskolan.se.

18 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE The empowerment of women in opera by Stefan Johansson, Chief Dramaturge at the Royal Swedish Opera OMEN AS PERFORMERS can easily be said to have dominated the international opera stage – with their voices and their acting – during the art form’s entire history. Only the castratos of the W18th century – emasculated men singing in the female range – provided se- rious competition. Many female singers also had considerable influence on the composition of the works they appeared in – or as operatic lingo has it, ”created” – and so also on the construction of an operatic canon. Sometimes great earners in a time when only women of the servant class had incomes of their own, they were also pioneers for the emancipation of women as work- ing and economically self-sufficient beings. Yet the female singer’s role as ”a public woman” was always ambiguous, liable to disrepute as well as fame. In all other professions of the opera business, women were barred from compet- ing with men. There were a few female managers already in the 19th century, but apart from Cosima, Wagner’s widow and artistic leader of the Bayreuth festival 1883–1906, there are no well known female opera directors until after the 2nd world war. Since the early 18th century women composers have written operas. But they are few and far between. Louise Bertin, Augusta Holmès, Ethel Smyth and Thea Musgrave had works premiered in some of the world’s most pre- stigious opera houses, as have Judith Weir, Kaia Saariaho and Olga Neuwirth today. (A far larger number of women have written librettos for male com- posers.) But not one opera by a female composer has, to this day, entered the operatic canon. At the Royal Swedish Opera only seven operatic works by women composers were premiered in the years 1772 to 2010. Works by Sophie Gail (France) and Helena Munktell (Sweden) were performed in 1831 and 1889–92 respectively, by Beatrice Laufer (US) and Inger Wickström (Swe- den) in 1958 and 1995, the latter a co-production with another company. (A short piece by soprano cum composer Margareta Hallin, The Stronger af- ter Strindberg, was performed in but not produced by the Royal Opera.) In the new millennium things have speeded up considerably with new works by Catharina Backman (Stackars mej, 2003), Carin Edström-Bartosch (Guld- ringen, 2008) and Paula af Malmborg-Ward (Triumf och tragedi, 2010), all world-premiers commissioned by the Royal Swedish Opera. In addition, new works have been commissioned from Karin Rehnqvist and Viktoria Borisova- Ollas while Catharina Backman recently completed Faustine, her second piece

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 19 Photo page 19: for the Royal Swedish Opera. This will not change and from 2007 is professor of conducting at the Anders Västlund the dominance of male composers in the repertory, Royal College of Music. But 99 % of all opera and Paula af Malmborg Ward yet in less than a decade more has been achieved ballet performances as well as symphony concerts than during the preceding 230 years and not by are conducted by men. Sometimes the blame is put policy of allocation by quota or affirmative action. on international agencies which allegedly do not That one of two commissions was given to women want to work with women conductors. The prob- in competition with men is due to their qualities as lem is of course a more general one and requires composers and the appeal of their projects. a change of attitude in the whole of the classical Ann-Margret Pettersson was from 1968 and for music field as well as in music education. Talent is over forty years, permanently employed as a di- not an issue of gender. There are as many women rector at the Royal Swedish Opera, presenting at as men who could become good conductors or inte- least one new production a year. Otherwise, even resting composers. Obviously there is a lack of role in progressive Scandinavia, directing opera was for models for any sufficient number of musically tal- most of the 20th century an exclusively male occu- ented young women to make these career choices. pation. Well into the 90s, Pettersson was the only There is also a lack of imagination in those men woman who regularly directed opera in Sweden. and women who decide what is performed and Beginning in the year 2000 or thereabouts, several by whom. A musical canon of works mainly com- prestigious female directors have followed in her posed by men and enjoyed by audiences all over footsteps – Gunnel Lindblom, Hilda Hellwig, Åsa the world – paradoxically, audiences consisting of Melldal, Johanna Garpe – and others will follow. more women than men – will probably be with But apart from Petterson, none have been asked us now and forever after, because wide audiences to direct repertory pieces from the canon, which continue to ask for it. But this is no reason not to means that even successful productions by these give equal place to women as managers, directors, directors tend to disappear quickly. Other than a composers and conductors. Achieving this is a few Pettersson productions, only Hellwig’s Rigo- matter of positive identification and empowerment letto from 2001 has remained in the repertory. – with active support of educators and mentors at For many spectators, though, the central artis- all stages – which must be dealt with from an early tic force in an opera performance is the conductor. age. Otherwise our art forms and the whole field of Here women are conspicuously absent. Female con- classical music will gradually become of less inter- ductors have been active in Sweden since the 50’s. est to large segments of the public, who see the arts Kerstin Nerbe was co-founder and musical direc- less as events or entertainment, but rather as a true tor of the Folkoperan. Cecilia Rydinger-Alin has reflection of our lives. conducted opera at the Royal Opera and elsewhere

20 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Leadership education for women

Teaterförbundet (The Swedish Union for Theatre, forming arts institutions in Sweden. The education by Nina Stone Artists and Media) and the employer organiza- was aimed at ”the integration of gender equality Teaterförbundet tion Svensk Scenkonst (Swedish Performing Arts) and gender perspective in leadership, organization joined together to provide in 2005–6 a course in and programming”. leadership for women who aspired to lead artistic The aim of the course was to give these directors institutions in Sweden. The background was the and artistic leaders tools that would enable them small proportion of theatres led by women. The to integrate sexual equality with their fields of ar- course attracted a large number of applicants. tistic endeavor. The Swedish Arts Council funded The course stretched over one year with students the program. A second edition of the education meeting two full days every month. The twelve starting autumn 2010 will involve another twelve applicants chosen were from the fields of theatre, leaders. dance and music and had different experiences and backgrounds. The contents of the course reflected The gender equality checklist specific needs of the branch as well as general com- Teaterförbundet created a checklist for places of petence building in leadership. Each participant employment that wished to work concretely with was appointed a mentor, who followed their work gender equality issues. There is a checklist for thea- throughout the year. tre and one for film production. The education was considered a great success The idea is that one should use the checklist, and a majority of the participating women had at- a two-page questionnaire when, for example, one tained leading positions in the years following its is planning the coming season. The checklist con- completion. tains questions that pertain to the artistic portrayal itself but also to gender perspective applied to em- A course in gender equality for leaders of artistic insti- ployment policies, repertory and marketing. tutions The checklist will be updated by Teaterförbun- Teaterförbundet, Svensk Scenkonst and Symf (an det during 2010 together with Svensk Scenkonst, organization for professional musicians) grouped the goal being a document that is supported by together in 2009–10 to arrange an education in both organizations. gender equality for 12 leading directors of per-

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 21 Working for gender equality at Göteborgs Stadsteater The leadership at Göteborgs Stadsteater is since 2006 divided between Managing Director/ CEO Ronnie Hallgren and Artistic Director Anna Takanen. In the following article, they present their work for gender equality at their theatre.

by Anna Takanen and UR THEATRE HAS, DURING the past four The theatre also does a yearly follow-up on how Ronnie Hallgren years, strived actively to implement struc- our funds for employee’s personal development tures and raise consciousness in both are distributed between men and women. In 2009 Oleading positions and among employees regarding women received 59 % and men 41 % of the per- equality and gender. We have arranged seminars, sonal development budget. group projects, discussions, and an intensive com- In an employee survey taken by all municipal petence building that have made large changes in organizations and departments in The City of our activities on all levels. Göteborg in 2009, we scored 72 points in diver- We have paid special attention to gender aspects sity/gender equality. The median for all organiza- in the artistic work, particularly regarding what tions in Göteborg was 59 points. Göteborgs Stads- we chose to play on our stages. As leaders of the teater is a model for other artistic institutions in theatre we have set goals concerning gender and Sweden and for municipal departments in our own equality, and this can be seen clearly in our reper- city. During 2010 our theatre will focus on diversi- tory. During 2009, the number of works by women ty issues in accordance with the theatre’s new plan playwrights has increased and women directors are for cultural diversity, using the experiences of our employed to a much greater degree than previous gender equality program in the process. Guest di- years. If one examines the ”creative teams” engaged rectors at the theatre are, at an early point in their by the theatre in 2009, and by this we mean play- process, involved in casting and in discussions wrights, directors, set and costume designers; you concerning the portrayal of roles and themes. We will find that 28 men and 35 women have been make it clear that the gender aspects are always in employed in these capacities, 6 men and 12 women focus, and that engaged discussions around gender on the main stage. This is the first time in the are part of the artistic process. theatre’s history that women in creative teams have Two important venues for these discussions are outnumbered men. The change is especially signif- the artistic council at the theatre, a body composed icant in regard to playwrights. In this area, largely of 10–12 employees, and the creative department, dominated by men in past years, we performed in to which all creative team members working at the 2009 the works of 12 men and 9 women. theatre at any given time are attached. The total number of women and men employed In the artistic process we find that constant re- at the theatre is, in general, quite even. Of the 148 flection on gender related topics inspires the work employees at the theatre, 79 are women and 69 are on stage. Through these discussions were are not men. Among department heads, 5 are women and looking for absolute answers concerning the por- 6 are men. trayal of a certain character, but we search for the

22 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Working for gender equality at Göteborgs Stadsteater

right questions, in order to mark the issue as one of ing the plot and taking as much space on stage as Photo: the parameters in an actors work, regardless of who the men. We believe that it does make a difference Ola Kjelbye the director is or what play we are doing. in whose company the audience spends their three Ronnie Hallgren & A crucial ingredient in our work is the commis- hours, during an evening at the theatre. So, who is Anna Takanen sioning of new plays. Göteborgs Stadsteater has the subject? And who takes up most space during commissioned 28 plays in the years 2006–2009, a rehearsal process? Because often the division of Ola Kjelbye 17 written by women, and 11 by men. This is a power and allotment of space in the rehearsal room Publiken conscious strategy designed to transform the canon is mirrored when the play meets the audience. Göteborgs Stadsteater and focus on leading roles for women actors. The theatre also weighs heavily the importance of a role in a play, that women characters are driv-

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 23 Forgotten plays by women

by Mireille Bergenström ”Nära livet documents a time that explodes right and Victoria Benedictsson. The project continued Riksteatern into our present with its baby boom, its latte moth- with a production of 1930’s playwright Stina Aron- ers and its ’sympathy pregnant’ fathers. It brings sson’s play, Syskonbädd. The project was conceived Photo page 24: the Spets Project another step along the way, not as a three-year collaboration between Riksteatern, Anders Kratz only by bringing us into contact with the modern Östgötateatern, and Länsteatern in Örebro. Räddad Spetsprojektet welfare state of the 1950’s, but also by staging a Three of these plays, Alfhild Agrell’s Räddad theme that, I am embarrassed to say, has been pre- (Saved), Syskonbädd by Stina Aronsson and Ulla Photo page 25: viously has been ignored by our theatres” says di- Isaksson’s Nära Livet (The Brink of Life) are avail- Mikael Silkeberg rector Jenny Andreasson. able in English translation. Sanna kvinnor Ulla Isaksson’s dramatic text, also the basis of The spring 2010 also saw a production of Anna Fria Teatern a film by Ingmar Bergman, will be touring the Charlotte Leffler’s play Sanna Kvinnor (True Anders Kratz country during the spring of 2010. The production Women) by the independent theatre company Fria Nära livet marks the completion of the Spets Project, which Teatern in Högdalen in Stockholm. The play was Spetsprojektet spotlighted once immensely popular but now for- written in 1883 and in its day was produced with Börje Gustavsson Syskonbädd gotten plays by women playwrights. greater frequency than any play by contemporary Spetsprojektet Jenny Andreasson is the initiator of the Spets August Strindberg. It is about a married woman’s Project, which opened in 2007 by producing the right to money of her own. Fria Teatern’s produc- work of woman playwrights from the 1880’s; Alf- tion has garnered much critical praise. hild Agrell, Anne Charlotte Leffler, Frida Stéenhoff

24 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Forgotten plays by women

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 25 The Widows

by Katharina Lind On the tenth of February 2010, Joyce Carol Oates’ up. Cecilia Nilsson and Hedwig Claesson visited Producer play The Widows had it world’s premiere at Strind- schools to talk about Joyce Carol Oates, her world, Strindberg’s Intima Teater berg’s Intima Teater in Stockholm. The theatre, her writing and her play The Widows. Themes together with the ensemble and the director de- drawn from the play were also discussed; work- Photo: cided to produce the play and play it in its original ing through grief after the loss of a loved one, the Petra Hellberg language, English. Productions in English have search for identity, friendship, and rivalry. Before The Widows drawn younger audiences to Strindberg’s Intima in the visit, students received a scene from the play Strindbergs Intima Teater the past. Joyce Carol Oates is a popular storyteller that they were to analyze and discuss. The ensem- whose work often portrays life from a woman’s per- ble could see that the classes who had taken part in spective. The Widows was written in the 1980’s for the school visits came prepared to take in the per- actress Meryl Streep but has never until now been formance and participated actively in discussions produced. The play is about finding a way out of with the actors afterwards. deep sorrow. Beatrice and Moira are two grieving It is the producer’s experience that an individual women played by Bo Corre and Cecilia Nilsson. teacher’s enthusiasm for this mixture of educa- Their sorrow and their different strategies for sur- tion and performance is crucial in stimulating an vival are at the centre of the drama. Hedwig Claes- interest in the class. The integration Joyce Carol son directed the piece. Oates dramatic writing into this form of educative Alongside performances, students have had project was a success both from the school’s per- the opportunity to meet two of the artists close spective and from the theatre’s.

26 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE NEWS IN BRIEF Current productions at the Royal Dramatic Theatre

”A play about gender, class and language”, stresses In the studio, Målarsalen, Lars Noren’s play by Magnus Florin director Margareta Garpe, who clearly saw the Om kärlek (About Love) had its world premiere. Chief Dramaturge at particular relevance of George Bernard Shaw’s Pyg- This was a meeting between Norén’s world and the The Royal Dramatic Theatre malion to present times in which ”right language” young director Sara Giese leading a young ensem- is the key to social acceptance. The play is a major ble in her debut at The Royal Dramatic Theatre. Photo: success on the main stage with Alexandra Rapa- Another first time director at Dramaten is Jenny Roger Stenberg port in the role of Eliza Doolittle and Johan Ulves- Andreasson who mounts Francoise Sagan’s for- Slott i Sverige son as Professor Henry Higgins. gotten play from 1960, Slott i Sverige (Palaces in Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern On the smaller Lilla Scenen Ellen Lamm directs Sweden). Jenny Andreasson, fresh from her Spets- Martina Montelius’ dramatization of the classic projektet (the Spets Project), bringing forgotten Jane Eyre. The young governess’s anger and revolt plays by women back into the limelight, directed is attracting a large and young audience, with Julia Rebecka Hemse in the role of melancholic female Dufvenius in the title role and Michael Nyqvist as dandy Sagan, who made her breakthrough with Rochester. Bonjour Tristess.

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 27 All we need is love

Photo: How do I know if I’m in love? Who falls in love, their lives. Many of these stories have moved him Peter Westrup and why? How forbidden is it to fall in love with strongly, in particular stories in which the facts of All we need is love another man? How do I relate to sexuality, fidel- life are tested, questioned or denied. All We Need Malmö Stadsteater ity and infidelity? What will my family say if I Is Love collects six stories from six men, all of dif- choose to live with someone of the same sex? Can I ferent ages, all unacquainted with each other. Each be married to a woman and at the same time have story addresses questions of sexuality and love. sexual relationships with men? Am I living in a All We Need Is Love by Klas Abrahamsson, homophobic environment? Ronny Danielsson and Roger Lybeck in close col- Over the past few years Ronnie Danielsson laboration with the ensemble opened at Malmö has led theatre projects in which the inhabitants Stadsteater’s Intiman in March 2010. of Malmö have been asked to tell stories from

28 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE NEWS IN BRIEF Drottning Kristina (Queen Christina) at Stockholms Stadsteater

Photo: Karolina Henke, Drottning Kristina, Stockholms Stadsteater ”Poff! Suddenly she stands there with the crown in her hands. She wants to give it back. Reared as man and a monarch. And – for the good of the nation – expected to be the woman, the wife and the baby maker. Neither, nor or both. Chosen, but an outcast all the same. Respected and obeyed. Loved? Queen? No thank you. Christina prefers to be a human being. Is it possi- ble? Drottning Kristina is a modern play about identity and power, about being a man, a woman, a human being. Director Farnaz Arbabi directs Pamela Gems play about the legendary Queen Christina who at the mere age of 28 years chose to abdicate the throne in exchange for another life. Queen Christina opened at Stockholms Stadsteater in April, 2010.

Norén and Josephsson to lead Folkteatern i Göteborg over the coming four years!

Photo: Patrik Gunnar Helin, Orestien, Folkteatern i Göteborg Folkteatern’s new managing director Ulrika Josephsson and its new artistic director, Lars Norén, took their places at the helm of the theatre on July 1st, 2009. They opened the newly renovated theatre with Lars Noréns Orestien (The Oresteia) based on Greek myths concerning the House of Atreus. Lars Noréns Orestien based on Aeschylus, premiered in March, 2010.

NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 29 The Rock Blaster’s Daughters

Photo: Rosanna, Angelica, Helena and Mia are three ders, drug addiction and, at the age of seventeen, Urban Jörén prisoners and a prison guard in a play about the custody in accordance with the law that allows Bergsprängardöttrar harsh and often inhumane consequences of incar- Swedish authorities to intervene if they consider Riksteatern ceration. Th e Rock Blaster’s Daughters describes a a young person to be a threat to him or herself. world where mental and physical care is downsized When the play toured with Riksteatern, Lo had into veritable non-existence, a world of endless the opportunity to visit three of Sweden’s high se- frustration over pointless restrictions, and the in- curity penitentiaries. Th e performances were well mate’s struggle to maintain contact with children received and many of the inmates wanted to tell and loved ones. Th is documentary drama features her their own stories. Th e play has single political absurd humor, a driven dialogue and strong elec- message, that care in the long term is cheaper than tronic music beats. punishment. Lo Kauppi, wrote and performed Bergsprängar- Th e Rock Blaster´s Daughters opened in March, dottern som exploderade in 2004–2006 about her 2010. childhood with an alcoholic father; eating disor-

30 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE NEWS IN BRIEF Women playwrights international 2012 in Stockholm, Sweden

Every three years, Women Playwrights Inter- The Democratic Stage, and taking place at Södra national (WPIC) holds a conference gathering Teatern in Stockholm, 15–21 August. The prepara- women playwrights from around the world. The tions are already underway as our global network first conference was in Buffalo, New York in 1988. grows. Last autumn the venue was Mumbai, India. Riks- Information: www.riksteatern.se/WPIC or teatern (The Swedish National Touring Theatre) www.wpinternational.net is proud to organize the 2012 conference, themed Contact: [email protected]

Borås Stadsteater

Borås Stadsteater will undertake, during 2010, an dents and adults, with performances at Borås Art initiative focused on investigating gender and gen- Museum. This playful collage will test at the deep- der equality. The objective is the examination of est levels, conscious and unconscious ideas about the working process and the rehearsal process and the nature of masculine or feminine. Blue or pink? to make gender related social norms visible to the To look or to be looked at? How are we influenced audience. The entire work force at the theatre will by the social norms, by class and power? Sur- be involved in the formulation of ideas. Lectures rounded by the collections at the museum, three and theme days will augment our research into the actors will examine our conditioned responses. The formation of a long-term, gender conscious direc- project will also look at the norms and structures tion for the theatre’s future. present in artistic processes, both internally in the The project will culminate with the production theatre and as work is presented for the commu- of a play entitled His and Hers, for high school stu- nity.

NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 31 Projekt: ID – A project for young people focusing on

Projekt:ID is an active collaboration between the theatre and the schools, gender and identity at an in depth engagement involving reference groups, participating groups and generating fi ve productions for young people to be performed throughout the region. Th e project will run for two years and focus on gender and identity Regionteater Väst and will be led by actors at the theatre: Mattias Brunn, Cilla Jelf and Peter Lorentzon. Photo: Ola Kjelbye Skolgårdens Parlament (A Schoolyard Parliament) No tears for queers About power and hierarchies. Skolgårdens Parlament introduced the project and was played during the spring of 2009 in 8th and 9th grade classrooms. No Tears for Queers A stage performance on masculinity and crimes of hate. Th e performance was based on John Hilton’s well received book, No Tears for Queers published by Atlas. It’s a book about gays, homophobia, and brutal violence targeting homosexual men. A co-production between Regionteater Väst, Riksteatern, RFSL Ungdom and Th e Forum for Living History, it toured throughout Sweden during the autumn of 2009 and the Spring of 2010. Vikarien (The Substitute Teacher) Classroom theatre on young people’s relationships to adults and other fi gures of authority. Plays Spring 2010 for classes in the 7th and 8th grades. Från 0 (From Zero) With breakneck speed, mad whims and a deadly seriousness we stage young people’s own stories concerning gender and identity. What things have we seen and heard during this project’s two-year duration? We start with an emp- ty page and aim to fi ll it with stories. We are starting from Zero. A co-production with Stockholms Stadsteater, Skärholmen. Performing in Autumn 2010 for students in the 8th grade and upwards. Bruce/Brenda/David Brenda grows up with a secret without knowing it herself. She was born a boy. Like Bruce. Th e play is based on a true story. Playing Spring 2011 for the 9th grade and high school. Fetto (Fatty) A stage performance about the body. Bodies collide in a collage of dance, theatre and stories from our own expe- riences of the body. Who decides what is normal? Performing Autumn 2011 for 7th to 9th grade students.

32 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE NEWS IN BRIEF Heterofil – a heterosexual cabaret

Language has the power to normalize or to margin- Heterofil premiered in September 2008 at Teatr Photo: alize behaviour, appearance, and action, and it can Weimar in Malmö. The performance was one of Jörgen Dahlqvist direct our feelings and control the way we view our the jury’s choices for the theatre biennial in Borås Heterofil world. Through language we can marginalize the 2008 and it has toured successfully, both in Swe- Teatr Weimar normative or normalize the marginal. The words den and abroad. black, woman and homosexual will from this mo- The performance was produced in collabora- ment be replaced with the words white, male and tion with Helsingborgs Stadsteater and is still in heterosexual. Teatr Weimar’s touring repertoire.

NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 33 The 2009 Critics Awards from the Association of Swedish Theatre Critics

Photo page 35: For work created during 2009 The Critics The Critics Award for Dance 2009 goes to: Mats Bäcker Award goes to: Knutby Choreographer and dancer VIRPI PAHKINEN Uppsala Stadsteater UPPSALA STADSTEATER Virpi Pahkinen is one of Swedish dance’s most Ola Kjelbye for artistic risk taking that paid off. Linus Tun- unique artists. In her solo work she creates her own Lille kung Mattias ström and his skilled collaborators have managed universe through her vibrant musicality and sense Backa Teater to join historical stories with artistic daring and of form. Her distinct and extremely flexible gestalt Göteborgs Stadsteater new dramatic writing with theatrical work of the seems at times to have crawled out from the dry Hans Bjurling highest quality in productions such as Knutby, waves of a vast desert, at other times to be a trans- Virpi Pahkinen Palme, Drottning Kristina and 7/3 Återbesöket. In parent membrane for cosmic power. Dansmuseet Lång dags färd mot natt (A Long Day’s Journey Into is one of her regular platforms, where this autumn Night) they offered the audience first class acting, she has allowed us to enjoy Bön (Prayer) as well while the performance festival TUPP became the as her new solo Sagittarius A, dance like distilled international feather in the cap that makes Upp- meditation, a well of energy… Even Pahkinen’s sala Stadsteater the year’s most dynamic theatre. background as an ice princess from Jyväskylä came stylishly to the fore in Moderna Dansteatern’s pro- The Critics children and youth award for 2009 duction, Contemporary on Ice. goes to: The production LILLE KUNG MATTIAS in which Backa Teater mixes artistic daring with pedagogical fantasy and transforms Janusz Korc- zak’s tale into a compelling and exciting vision of the future. Set designer Ulla Kassius and the thea- tre’s skilled technicians stage with extreme preci- sion the upheaval between acts that creates the space for an interactive, political theatre that holds the rights of children in sharp and constant focus. All children should have the right to see theatre such as this.

34 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 35 What is DramaDirectory? He/she can also find agents, publishers and other information DramaDirectory is Sweden’s largest internet based play collection pertaining to the theatre world. and contains in excess of 1 093 plays from over 400 playwrights Searches in the play library can utilize a variety of criteria; and translators. DramaDirectory has existed under the auspices titles, authors, languages available, number of actors or genre. of Sveriges Dramatikerförbund (The Swedish Playwrights Un- Once you have located the play you can read a synopsis. If you ion) since 1997, and is financed through funding from Statens desire then to read the whole play, there are two possibilities to Kulturråd (The Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs) do so. You can either download the entire play text, or you can and the theatres attached to Svensk Scenkonst (Swedish Per- order a print-on-demand paperback version. A large number of forming Arts). DramaDirectory aims to increase the availability translations of Swedish plays are available on the site. and distribution of Swedish dramatic writing. In Sweden, where plays are rarely published, playwrights find Reading plays directly on the screen it difficult to distribute their work. At the same time, theatres Theatres and theatre professionals are eligible to apply for an and professional independent groups have a hard time finding access code. With this access code they are able to read entire modern Swedish drama that they can produce. Our hope is to playscripts directly on their screens, or print them out them- fill the breach, and that DramaDirectory can function as a link selves. Each time a play is downloaded, the user is registered and between playwrights, publisher/agents, theatre groups and thea- this information sent to the playwright and the agent/publisher. tres. Even private citizens are able to search through titles and Thus, the playwrights and their agents can see who is showing read plays from our play library. This enables more people to interest in their work. read dramatic literature and may encourage more people to go out and see theatre. Author’s rights We have chosen to start with modern dramatic literature, All work included in the play library is protected by laws govern- plays that are already available to us digitally, and work back- ing copyright. Permission from the playwright is mandatory be- wards in time. We have recently begun to scan older plays, plays fore performing any of the plays represented on the site. Permis- which until now have only existed as paper manuscripts. In this sion can be granted by the playwright him/herself or through way, some of the most often asked for classical Swedish texts their publisher/agent. In the case of translation, permission must will be available digitally on DramaDirectory. The website also be granted both by the original playwright and by the translator contains some Swedish translations of foreign work. or the publisher/agent. Besides its plays, DramaDirectory has compiled an overview of Swedish contemporary playwrights and their work. These presentations of playwrights with synopsises of their plays are available in several languages. Playwright presentations are up- dated constantly. DramaDirectory has initiated a co-operation with Swedish theatres in order to present, on the top of the page, a collage of photographs from current productions. How does DramaDirectory operate? The user can both look for plays in the play library, and read about playwrights and their work under Playwright/Translator.

36 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE The Swedish Theatre Biennial – www.teaterbiennalen.se

May 11th–15th, 2011 Held every second year, this festival for Swedish arranged by Svensk Teaterunion – Swedish ITI in Photo: Theatre features performances, seminars, master co-operation with Folkteatern i Gävleborg, Gävle Lasse Halvarsson classes etc. A jury of critics chooses the best Swed- Teater, Skottes Musikteater and Riksteatern Gävle- Atlasområdet in Gävle ish productions from the past two years, which are borg. The centre for the biennial will be the area presented during the festival. The Biennial is both known as ”Atlasområdet” with its two monumen- a meeting place for theatre professionals and a pub- tal gas cisterns housing six different stages. Ap- lic festival. The first Swedish Theatre Biennial was proximately 1 500 people will visit the host town arranged in Stockholm 1993. during the festival’s 5 days. The next Swedish Theatre Biennial will take place in Gävle, May 11th–15th 2011. It will be

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 37 Svensk Teaterunion – the Swedish Centre of the ITI

Svensk Teaterunion is the forum for co-operation tional committees and working groups commit- and information within Swedish theatre and dance ted to issues concerning Swedish performing arts. and also a centre for contact and exchange across The Dance Committee will be reorganized during borders. The Centre is a member organization for 2010. 94 Swedish theatre and dance institutions, organi- Svensk Teaterunion plays an active role in many zations and groups. national and international theatre projects, for Svensk Teaterunion represents Sweden in the example the recently completed five-year project to Nordic Theatre Union (NTU), which includes develop children’s theatre in South and South-East unions in the five Nordic countries, and in the In- Asia, Children’s Voice, financed by Sida. ternational Theatre Institute (ITI), with national Svensk Teaterunion continues to develop and centers in almost a hundred countries around the operate www.scendatabasen.se, a database docu- world. The ITI is an international non-government menting all Swedish theatre and dance perform- organization, founded in 1948 by UNESCO and ances and making the information accessible to the members of the international theatre community. public. Their main objective is to promote international Svensk Teaterunion regularly publishes infor- exchange of knowledge and practice in the domain mation regarding Swedish theatre: national and of the performing arts. international newsletters as well as information in Svensk Teaterunion arranges national and in- other languages on Swedish theatre and Swedish ternational seminars, conferences and festivals. It dramatic writing. is responsible for organizing the Swedish Theatre You are welcome to visit our office, situated in Biennial, a national festival and theatre meeting the heart of Stockholm. organized in different cities in Sweden, in close col- For more information please visit: laboration with local theatres and organizations. www.teaterunionen.se Svensk Teaterunion has an Education Com- mittee, a Cultural Politics Committee and addi-

News from Swedish Theatre Cover Photo: published by Svensk Teaterunion • Swedish Centre of the ITI, 2010 Stefan Jellheden Printed with financial support from The Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs Kerstin Nerbe Editorial office: Ann Mari Engel, Ammy Kjellsdotter & Ann Sofie Nilsson Conductor Graphic design: Johannes Linde Former Musical Director Translation: Edward Buffalo Bromberg at Folkoperan Printed by: Katarina Tryck AB, Stockholm 2010 ISSN 1653-7637

38 NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE Kom ta min hand (Come take my hand) Photo: Mats Bäcker, Kom ta min hand, Folkteatern i Gävleborg A dance theatre performance by Birgitta Egerbladh with texts by William Shakespeare. Birgitta Egerbladh is an explorer. She moves fluidly between theatre and dance. In her works the seemingly trivial is transformed into masterful art. Everything is possible. Texts from the 16th century collide here with the optimism of the 1960’s, a time when the future loomed bright. Blending humor and depth Birgitta Egerbladh gives us a dance theatre tragicomedy about love and death. Come take my hand premiered in February, 2010.

Folkteatern in Gävleborg, is a theatre in the north of Sweden. We are happy to welcome you to the next Swedish Theatre Biennial in Gävle, May 11th–15th 2011 For many years Peter Oskarson was the Artistic Director of the theatre. From 2007 the Artistic Director is Michael Cocke. Visit us at www.gavlefolkteater.se or for information in english contact us at [email protected]

NEWS FROMSWEDISH THEATRE 39 Svensk Teaterunion • Swedish Centre of the ITI Kaplansbacken 2 • SE-112 24 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 462 25 30 • Fax: +46 8 462 25 35 [email protected] • www.teaterunionen.se