Joyride – The Musical will be staged in Stockholm this fall. After that, Per Gessle hopes for an international venture. The idea of the musical is to spread like a carpet over the planet, he says and smiles.
The musical premiered last fall in Malmö. Roxette’s classic songs as a backdrop for a romantic comedy were a success.
This fall the musical will move to Stockholm. On September 11th it will premiere at the historic China Theatre. But that’s just the beginning, hopes Per Gessle, who aims for Joyride to be staged abroad.
That’s my vision. Roxette was so big, so there is a capacity to get there.
Planet Earth next
Gessle is tight-lipped about the concrete plans.
We can’t talk about that now, but let’s say that planet Earth is the next step.
It will be a slightly different Joyride that comes to Stockholm compared to the Malmö version. Several new members of the ensemble will be added and Calle Norlén has, among other things, done a new script adaptation. But Jessica Marberger continues in the lead role as Stephanie.
She says:
I’m looking forward to doing this in Stockholm and to coming to the China Teatern. I love being able to stand there and tell this story.
The plot of Joyride is based on the English author Jane Fallon’s book Got You Back and is a love triangle drama about stylist Stephanie who discovers that her husband Joe has another woman.
And then you think it can only be “Thanks and goodbye, I don’t want to live with you, we don’t give a damn about this”. But it won’t really be like that. There will be a little more exciting things, Jessica Marberger says and laughs.
“New” Roxette
It’s now been just over five years since Marie Fredriksson passed away, and Per Gessle has just restarted Roxette. He has recently returned from a tour in South Africa and Australia with Lena Philipsson as the new singer in the band.
Per says:
It is a challenge for all of us to embark on a project like this. But it has gone really well. On a scale of 10, it would be an 11. It has been truly magical.
Several gigs are expected this summer in Sweden and the rest of Europe. Will there be a continuation?
That is not the idea right now, anyway. Now we are going to do a big summer tour and then we will see. We will have to decide in the next few weeks what will happen.
Facts: “Joyride – The Musical”
The Stockholm production will premiere on 11th September at China Teatern.
Cast: Jessica Marberger, Lucas Krüger, Emilie Evbäck, Anton Lundqvist, Pia Ternström and Hanna Hedlund.
Article by Mikael Forsell / TT
Photos by Magnus Lejhall / TT