Per Gessle and Hanna Hedlund were guests on Morgonstudion, SVT. The program leaders ask Per how he is doing. Mr. G says he feels great, but a bit jet-lagged after Australia.
The program leaders inform that Joyride – The Musical moves from Malmö to Stockholm in autumn and they are curious how it feels for Per. Mr. G says it feels fantastic. It has been a tremendous success down in Malmö with 84 sold-out performances and it will be absolutely wonderful in Stockholm. It will be a bit different to Malmö, because in Malmö there is a special round stage and China Teatern in Stockholm is a different type of theatre. It’s going to be exciting.
Turning to Hanna, the program leaders ask her about how this musical came into her life. Hanna says she went to auditions. She was thirteen when the Look Sharp! album was released and she really wanted to get the role, because it’s a part of her in a way and her upbringing in the songs. She also says that it’s really a dream role for her. For someone her age, there aren’t that many musical roles like this. It’s a funny, crazy, wacky, annoying and wonderful character that she is going to play. The program leaders say it’s hard to imagine how crazy it must be to have a relationship like this with Roxette and then to stand on stage and do this. Hanna confirms it and she admits she is a little starstruck today, sitting next to Per.
The guys talk about the base book of the musical, Got You Back, written by Jane Fallon. Per explains she is an English author who in Sweden, is best known for being the partner of Ricky Gervais. She is a very talented writer and this book is magically good. They have been working on the idea of a Roxette musical for many, many years. But it always failed because the scripts simply didn’t work. When this book came into sight, it turned out that it was possible to make a musical out of it. They are grateful for that.
To the question how many songs fit in, Per replies it’s probably 25, 27, 28 songs. When he is asked if he has a favourite Roxette song, Per replies it’s The Look. Hanna says there are so many great songs, but Listen To Your Heart is really a favourite for her.
Here they show some footage from the rehearsals, so you can hear how Hanna sings LTYH. She has listened to this one so much. It’s her youth. You were never more in love than you were then and never more heartbroken than then. There is a lot of emotion in that song, she thinks.
For Per, it’s a magical song. Marie sang it and her vocals made this song really big. It was recorded in 1988 before they broke through. The break-through was in 1989. Back then they said, now we’re going to make a production that’s as American as it can be. And it eventually became No. 1 in the US. It’s fantastic.
Per is also a co-producer of the musical in Stockholm. The program leaders are curious how much he will be involved. PG says he will get involved when needed, but he trusts those who can do it better than him. He is mostly a producer to show that he cares and it’s important for him that it turns out well, so he would really like to be involved.
Hanna says she plays a character who helps the main character in her career. She is an annoying lady, but also lovely. Hanna went to see the musical at Malmö Opera and she says that you stand up at the end and just want to dance. It’s really, really good. It feels luxurious to have been able to see it. She is proud to be in the next production of the musical.
The program leaders ask Per about the Roxette tour in South Africa and Australia. Here they show a short footage where Lina Philipsson sings It Must Have Been Love. The reception was absolutely magical. It’s just like it was in the old days. People sing along. Per says that the Roxette audience is very active. They want to sing, sing, sing and they let them do it. Lena has done a fantastic job. It’s a tough situation for her, to put herself into Marie’s shoes, but she does it magically well. She does it in her own way. And that’s what makes it so good. She is such an enormously talented front person.
The program leaders are curious how the audience accepted her. Per says they love her. They are singing along. It’s two fantastic hours. Per has to pinch his arm every now and then that this is happening. It’s awesome.
To the question if it brings back a lot of memories when they are out there again Per replies that of course it does. They are playing the classic Roxette catalogue. There are 24-25 songs from the past. So of course you are talking about old memories backstage after the show. But when you are performing the songs, you are thinking ahead. You are there and then. You are not digging up the old stuff right away. It’s great fun to do this. It’s the classic Roxette band and we have Lena and a new drummer.
They are doing a pretty big European tour this summer. And then they will see if there is a continuation later.
With the musical, the ambition is of course to take it abroad as well, so Per hopes it goes further.
Hanna says they have just started the whole process for Stockholm. There is a new translation in the works which they haven’t read yet. Rehearsals start in July.
The program leaders ask Hanna if she is nervous to do this in a good way so that Per is happy. Hanna says she is not nervous, she has been given the trust and got the role. So it should work. They have six weeks of rehearsal time and that’s needed for it to land in a proper place.
Stills are from the morning show.
