Expressen met Per Gessle in what was once EMI Studios in Skärmarbrink. This is where Roxette’s first three albums were recorded, and on the now bare facade, the alert eye can catch a commemorative plaque engraved with the simple lines: “In memoriam Marie Fredriksson”.
On press day for Joyride – The Musical that premieres on 11th September at China Teatern in Stockholm, Maria Brander from Expressen talked to Per about the show. Before the get down to the hot topic, Expressen informs that Per is in the middle of a Roxette tour with Lena Philipsson, and has a 25-hour journey home from Melbourne behind him.
The time difference means that you get one day twice.
Expressen asks him if that is how he prolongs his life. Per answers:
Or shorten it, hahaha.
Regarding the musical in Stockholm, Mr. G says that the biggest thing is that it’s a completely different type of venue. Then it’s a different translation.
We thought there were some awesome things in the original book that didn’t really come across in the Swedish one, so we made a new version.
In addition to this, there is a largely new ensemble including Hanna Hedlund who was also on spot in the studio. She says:
My background is musicals, and I often get asked what my dream role is. But you have realized that you may be too old for some of them, and then suddenly a dream role appears that you didn’t know was coming.
She will sing one of her favourite songs, Listen To Your Heart.
Per turns to Hanna and says:
It’s a great role, the coolest in the musical, and it will be great with you.
Mr. G was not involved in the audition part, even though he can now call himself a co-producer.
It’s actually a way for me to show that I care. I really want to be part of Joyride – The Musical’s journey around the world, because I hope it will reach outside of Sweden.
To the question how many times he has seen the production in Malmö, Per replies:
Four, five times, and it’s been good all the way through. But it’s been a long process over many years that has led to “Joyride”. Before we ended up in Malmö, there was an English production company that wanted to put on a musical. They made one with eight songs just for me and Marie. She was still with us at the time. I was struck by how well they fit into this format, the choreography and gestures. Then I stopped it anyway, because I didn’t like the script. It was too depressing, and it was a depressing time, because Marie was sick. At the same time, it didn’t really suit Roxette either.
To the question if Per can feel that Marie is still with him in this musical, he replies:
Yes, it’s her and my journey, and the legacy from it is being carried forward. It’s the same with my tour with Lena. Marie is sitting there on your shoulder the whole time. You can’t get away from that. And all of us who work with this – actors, singers, choreographers – we talk a lot about Marie: “Marie would have liked this. These clothes are so typical of Marie”. So her whole being, her spirit is there.
Expressen is curious if Per feels that the memories have been strengthened now during his and Lena’s Roxette tour.
No, when you play live you look forward, not back. Lena and I didn’t even have a rehearsal before we stood on stage together for the first time in front of 10,000 people in Cape Town. Anything can happen, and you have to learn along the way. For us, there was a huge difference between the first and now eleventh gig, in how relaxed we were.
Earlier Per said said that musicals are not really his area of interest.
No. How can I put it without stepping on some toes now? There’s a kind of manner in the musical world where you sing nicely and cleanly. I myself come from a different tradition, where it’s a lot about personality instead. But in Malmö we’ve gone around it a lot with different types of singers, and it will be the same in Stockholm.
Maria thinks Per seems careful and she wants to know if Per’s word is law in the production.
No, my whole career has been built on being careful, as you say. But I have also put a lot of focus on finding collaborators. I could never have written all these songs for Roxette if Marie hadn’t had the capacity to sing them. I also needed a producer like Clarence Öfwerman. It’s the same with the musical. I need help, but in my life I have succeeded in finding good people and long-term relationships. Whether it’s my business manager, my record label or my wife.
Per says Åsa thinks that the musical is fantastic. She has also seen it five times.
Yes, damn it. I’m not allowed to see it myself. Haha.
PG about what Jane Fallon, who wrote the book, thinks:
Both she and her husband Ricky (Gervais) were at the premiere in Malmö. He was quite serious as a person, but proud to be next to Jane. I have met her several times at meetings in London, and she has been super positive since day one.
To the question what he feels when he sees the musical, Per replies:
I feel proud. That it works, and that the audience stays and sings along. You are reminded of the power of these songs. To get a response from an audience, it is magical.
Stills are from the video included in the original article.
