Oliver!

On 10 October 2015 I went to see a small production of Oliver! at Sagateatern in Borås (Sweden).
I had seen the movie, but not very recently and not more than once or twice - though I was familiar with quite a few songs from the musical before I saw it.

I just love visiting these smaller productions, it's amazing that extreme inflation has not reached the world of musical theatre yet, and that it's only grand and great productions left, on Broadway or in West End, or in Sweden confined to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
Instead these smaller theatre companies takes on these amazing shows and does a marvellous job of it, finding astonishing local talents and creating magic for the audience!

I very much enjoyed this production of Oliver!, it is always a delight to see a lot of children having fun on stage, and they did such an amazing job, I am very impressed with all of them.
Filippa Johansson Rydberg and Karl Ström were alternate Olivers, and I love the fact that you cross over gender borders in these instances. While Oliver, granted, is a man's name, the character might just as well have been a girl - so why not have a girl play Oliver? Wonderful!
I got to see Karl Ström as Oliver (but do wish I could go back for a chance to see Filippa Johansson Rydberg as well - but unfortunately it's bit far to go ....), and I think he did a great job as Oliver!

Other favourites in the show were Alex Felle as Dodger - it's really a terrific character and Alex Felle did him every justice! Henry Augustsson as Fagin was amazing and of course Jan Hjalmarsson - the driving force behind the entire production - as Mr. Brownlow.
I think, however, that Tina Rehn-Wikström, as Nancy, impressed me the most! It's not an easy character to portray, there are a lot of layers that has to be shown to the audience, but she was fantastic! Her interpretation of "Så länge han vill" ("As long as he needs me") was one of the best I have ever heard! Amazing!

I went to the premiere of the show, and the curtain call was so much fun to see, very relaxed and very familiar and absolutely wonderful!! Karl Ström had recieved so much flowers he was hardly even visible behind the bouquets as he was coming down the stairs (I was almost scared he would trip!)!!

A lovely show, that I enjoyed a great deal!
Would love to see it again, however, Borås is a bit far to go unfortunately ...

Cast:

Fagin - Henry Augustsson

Mr Brownlow - Jan Hjalmarsson

Nancy - Tina Rehn-Wikström

Bill Sikes - Ulrik Arturén

Bet - Carin Backe

Oliver Twist - Filippa Johansson Rydberg / Karl Ström

Mr Bumble - Anders Gustavsson

Mrs Corney - Birgitta Felle

Dodger - Alex Felle

Mr Sowerberry - Bo Sköldberg

Mrs Sowerberry - Mia Hjalmarsson

Charlotte - Tuva Djupbäck

Noah Claypole - Emil Ny

Dr Grimwig - Anders Jansson

Mrs Bedwin - Christina Backe

Gamla Sally - Mairon Sigge

Charles Bates - Rebecka Hjalmarsson / Isabel Skotth

Nipper - Agnes Alth Olausson / Ellen Flodin

Bokhandlaren - Per Jacobson

Chairman - Bo Drysén

Oliver!

On 10 October 2015 I went to see a small production of Oliver! at Sagateatern in Borås (Sweden).
I had seen the movie, but not very recently and not more than once or twice - though I was familiar with quite a few songs from the musical before I saw it.

I just love visiting these smaller productions, it's amazing that extreme inflation has not reached the world of musical theatre yet, and that it's only grand and great productions left, on Broadway or in West End, or in Sweden confined to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
Instead these smaller theatre companies takes on these amazing shows and does a marvellous job of it, finding astonishing local talents and creating magic for the audience!

I very much enjoyed this production of Oliver!, it is always a delight to see a lot of children having fun on stage, and they did such an amazing job, I am very impressed with all of them.
Filippa Johansson Rydberg and Karl Ström were alternate Olivers, and I love the fact that you cross over gender borders in these instances. While Oliver, granted, is a man's name, the character might just as well have been a girl - so why not have a girl play Oliver? Wonderful!
I got to see Karl Ström as Oliver (but do wish I could go back for a chance to see Filippa Johansson Rydberg as well - but unfortunately it's bit far to go ....), and I think he did a great job as Oliver!

Other favourites in the show were Alex Felle as Dodger - it's really a terrific character and Alex Felle did him every justice! Henry Augustsson as Fagin was amazing and of course Jan Hjalmarsson - the driving force behind the entire production - as Mr. Brownlow.
I think, however, that Tina Rehn-Wikström, as Nancy, impressed me the most! It's not an easy character to portray, there are a lot of layers that has to be shown to the audience, but she was fantastic! Her interpretation of "Så länge han vill" ("As long as he needs me") was one of the best I have ever heard! Amazing!

I went to the premiere of the show, and the curtain call was so much fun to see, very relaxed and very familiar and absolutely wonderful!! Karl Ström had recieved so much flowers he was hardly even visible behind the bouquets as he was coming down the stairs (I was almost scared he would trip!)!!

A lovely show, that I enjoyed a great deal!
Would love to see it again, however, Borås is a bit far to go unfortunately ...

Cast:

Fagin - Henry Augustsson

Mr Brownlow - Jan Hjalmarsson

Nancy - Tina Rehn-Wikström

Bill Sikes - Ulrik Arturén

Bet - Carin Backe

Oliver Twist - Filippa Johansson Rydberg / Karl Ström

Mr Bumble - Anders Gustavsson

Mrs Corney - Birgitta Felle

Dodger - Alex Felle

Mr Sowerberry - Bo Sköldberg

Mrs Sowerberry - Mia Hjalmarsson

Charlotte - Tuva Djupbäck

Noah Claypole - Emil Ny

Dr Grimwig - Anders Jansson

Mrs Bedwin - Christina Backe

Gamla Sally - Mairon Sigge

Charles Bates - Rebecka Hjalmarsson / Isabel Skotth

Nipper - Agnes Alth Olausson / Ellen Flodin

Bokhandlaren - Per Jacobson

Chairman - Bo Drysén

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Les Misérables!

(image borrowed from the Les Misérables Facebook Page)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Les Misérables - celebrating 30 years today!

Amazing!!

My first experience with Les Miz was a production in Karlstad, Sweden, in 1995, I think ... I was quite mesmerized by the music (although not so impressed by the performer playing Jean Valjean, unfortunately ...), and I did buy the cd with highlights from that production.

It wasn't until I found the 10th Anniversary Concert on VHS I really fell for this musical, but ever since I saw it I have been a true fan!! Have now seen it several times in London, and have a number of different recordings ... and I have also some quite profound opinions about the show! :) 

I will try to express at least some of that in various entries in this blog in the future!

I very much wish I could have been in London for this marvellous anniversary, but unfortunately that was quite impossible! Here's a big Hurray from Sweden, anyway - hoping that the next 30 years will be just as successful!

Happy Birthday Les Miz!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Les Misérables!

(image borrowed from the Les Misérables Facebook Page)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Les Misérables - celebrating 30 years today!

Amazing!!

My first experience with Les Miz was a production in Karlstad, Sweden, in 1995, I think ... I was quite mesmerized by the music (although not so impressed by the performer playing Jean Valjean, unfortunately ...), and I did buy the cd with highlights from that production.

It wasn't until I found the 10th Anniversary Concert on VHS I really fell for this musical, but ever since I saw it I have been a true fan!! Have now seen it several times in London, and have a number of different recordings ... and I have also some quite profound opinions about the show! :) 

I will try to express at least some of that in various entries in this blog in the future!

I very much wish I could have been in London for this marvellous anniversary, but unfortunately that was quite impossible! Here's a big Hurray from Sweden, anyway - hoping that the next 30 years will be just as successful!

Happy Birthday Les Miz!!

Fame The Musical - April 1993

I simply have to start this blog off with an entry about the very first musical I saw.
My mother took me to Stockholm in April 1993 to see Fame The Musical at China Teatern - and what can I say? I have been a huge musical fan ever since.

Unfortunately I don't have a programme, or any notes or diary entries on the musical, so I am unable to write a specific review about the show, but I remember being absolutely taken in by the music and the singing and the dancing and the scenery and the lights - it was quite overwhelming (I was 15 years old at the time)!!
I was completely absorbed by the whole show and was quite startled when the interval came - and I just turned to my mother and loudly exclaimed:
- Oh wow! I never knew anything like this existed!!

The show featured well-known Swedish performers Petra Nielsen, Karl Dyall and Peter Jöback - considering in retrospect what has become of Peter Jöback it is absolutely amazing to have seen him as early as in 1993!!

I do have a cd recording of the show, and I'm very happy about that! It felt amazing to be able to take a bit of this magic world home after the show, and now, after all this time, I'm also quite happy to have this specific recording, as it makes a great memory of the show!

Cast:

Carmen - Petra Nielsen

Tyrone - Karl Dyall

Nick - Peter Jöback

Schlomo - Fredrik Johansson

Joe - Dan Malmer

Serena - Linda Söderholm

Goody - Mikael Renliden

Iris - Susanne Rodas

Lambchops - Anki Albertsson

Mabel - Blossom Tainton

Miss Sherman - Monica Sliverstrand

Miss Bell - Tina Leijonberg

Mr. Myers - Kristian Thulesius

Mr. Sheinkopf - Jan Nygren

Fame The Musical - April 1993

I simply have to start this blog off with an entry about the very first musical I saw.
My mother took me to Stockholm in April 1993 to see Fame The Musical at China Teatern - and what can I say? I have been a huge musical fan ever since.

Unfortunately I don't have a programme, or any notes or diary entries on the musical, so I am unable to write a specific review about the show, but I remember being absolutely taken in by the music and the singing and the dancing and the scenery and the lights - it was quite overwhelming (I was 15 years old at the time)!!
I was completely absorbed by the whole show and was quite startled when the interval came - and I just turned to my mother and loudly exclaimed:
- Oh wow! I never knew anything like this existed!!

The show featured well-known Swedish performers Petra Nielsen, Karl Dyall and Peter Jöback - considering in retrospect what has become of Peter Jöback it is absolutely amazing to have seen him as early as in 1993!!

I do have a cd recording of the show, and I'm very happy about that! It felt amazing to be able to take a bit of this magic world home after the show, and now, after all this time, I'm also quite happy to have this specific recording, as it makes a great memory of the show!

Cast:

Carmen - Petra Nielsen

Tyrone - Karl Dyall

Nick - Peter Jöback

Schlomo - Fredrik Johansson

Joe - Dan Malmer

Serena - Linda Söderholm

Goody - Mikael Renliden

Iris - Susanne Rodas

Lambchops - Anki Albertsson

Mabel - Blossom Tainton

Miss Sherman - Monica Sliverstrand

Miss Bell - Tina Leijonberg

Mr. Myers - Kristian Thulesius

Mr. Sheinkopf - Jan Nygren

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to my musical blog!

Named after a line in my favourite musical, Les Misérables, I'm hoping this blog will be a place where I can gather all of my musical- and concert experiences.

I will write reviews on musicals and concerts I see, but I will also try to "catch up" by including posts on other musical experiences as well.

Some of these earlier reviews have been posted in other blogs I've had, so if you have been following me and my blogs you may have read them before, but I will also try to include (short) reviews on musicals I saw before I started blogging.

Feel free to read the "About this Blog" page to find out more!
I will also try to add another page, where I simply lists the musicals I've seen, and when and where - it will be an overview of my musical experiences, as a complement to the reviews I'll be writing!

I hope you will enjoy this blog!

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to my musical blog!

Named after a line in my favourite musical, Les Misérables, I'm hoping this blog will be a place where I can gather all of my musical- and concert experiences.

I will write reviews on musicals and concerts I see, but I will also try to "catch up" by including posts on other musical experiences as well.

Some of these earlier reviews have been posted in other blogs I've had, so if you have been following me and my blogs you may have read them before, but I will also try to include (short) reviews on musicals I saw before I started blogging.

Feel free to read the "About this Blog" page to find out more!
I will also try to add another page, where I simply lists the musicals I've seen, and when and where - it will be an overview of my musical experiences, as a complement to the reviews I'll be writing!

I hope you will enjoy this blog!