Archive: The Big Dialect Show - By and with Fredrik Lindström
About the show
What is unique about the show is the specially written material for each location that Fredrik and his sidekick Helena Lindegren visit. The show dissects questions like why dialects exist, why they sound the way they do, and everything in between. The show was directed by Emma Peters and premiered in Falun in March. Dagens Nyheter wrote that it is “the funniest lesson of the year,” Aftonbladet gave the show four stars, and Falu-Kuriren described Fredrik as “the country's most ingenious expert.”
How many dialects are there really in Sweden? Who decides what is a language and what is a dialect? Is it kex or tjex? Do animals also have dialects? Fredrik Lindström is one of the country's most beloved hosts and language experts. He previously released the critically acclaimed book “100 Swedish Dialects,” which came to be loved by the Swedes and became the starting point for the work on “The Big Dialect Show.” Over the years, he has encountered countless questions about language in general and dialects in particular. Now he provides answers to some of the questions in his new show!
– This is the first performance I do about language. I've noticed how interested people are in the subject, and there are always a thousand questions about why dialects exist, why people speak differently, and where different words and expressions come from. Now I finally get to do a public performance on this theme, and also have the opportunity to adapt the show depending on where we are! About a third of the performance is specially designed for the location in question and focuses on the local dialect, says Fredrik.
In “The Big Dialect Show,” the audience gets to delve into our Swedish dialects in an entertaining way. It is a fun, sketchy, and fact-based show where the audience gets an overview of the big questions but also gets to dive into their own dialects. Do they really whine in Västerås, and are people from Gothenburg really that happy? Why do some people speak more dialect when they are angry or when they have sex? Which is the country's most incomprehensible dialect? On stage with him is actress Helena Lindegren, a sidekick who helps Fredrik visualize and illustrate the show.
– Helena is a perfect sidekick! She can sing, dance, clown around, and will elevate the show to new heights, he says. She also has a lot of experience with improvisation, which is perfect since every night will be different here. And of course, she's great at mimicking dialects!
NOTE! The performance will be recorded!
Wheelchair space can be purchased via Cirkus at tickets@cirkus.se
