Situation Stockholm 100929
By: MARIA HAGSTRÖM
Photo: MAGNUS SANDBERG
It began in a metal workshop in Sundsvall. From there Helen Sjöholm sang herself into major productions. In October she participates in Stockholm City Theatre’s jubilee performance Aniara. And releasing her first solo album in years.
Music written by Andreas Kleerup vibrates through the auditorium and 20 people on stage shake again and again when they try to touch The Mima – the human imagination machine. Helen Sjöholm staggers down along the edge of the stage. Looking for her way with her feet. She can´t see – she is the blind poetissa in Harry Martinson’s classics Aniara. It´s the story of life on the huge spacecraft Aniara that will off course when transporting emigrants to Mars from Earth, which is damaged by environmental degradation and nuclear war. For passengers remains a life aboard Aniara for all time. Or until they die of the stocks run out.
– I don´t look at it that way, I feel more that they die a kind of sense death, said Helen Sjöholm when we later find ourselves in a room in one of the many maze-like passages in The Stockholm City Theater. After 24 years in Aniara people are suffering from apathy, they are wiped out emotionally, feel no sense in fighting more. It all sounds very encouraging. She laughs ironically but adds that some scenes are absurd, comical, too – that longing to get away can be screwed.
– On the surface Aniara feels a little bit science fiction, but it´s how credible any time in the long run, Helen says. Imagine 9000 years from now as this will portray. I don´t think we can understand what it will be when or if we even remain as a species. It´s a resource we live by, a sort of cycle that must be balanced. But now it turns out all the time that it´s out of balance. Aniara is not just a sad death saga of civilization on earth, there is also a “Come on!” There is an incredible debt by these people at Aniara, that there is no limit to what humans can do against each other and against nature. You get an eye-opener.
Five years ago we could see Helen Sjöholm on the City Theatre stage. Then she played The Threepenny Opera. Now she makes a comeback at the City Theatre’s 50th birthday on October 21. But mostly, we know Helen Sjöholm from Kristina from Duvemala, the film As it is in heaven and the song “You are my man” with Benny Andersson’s Orchestra. The song was in the Swedish charts in record-breaking five years. Almost a year ago, the song eventually was gone.
– The sad day! says Helen. No, seriously, that was quite remarkable that it remained so long, I find it hard to believe. But apparently it has gone deep into many hearts. It’s flattering.
But the song also received some criticism, it would be old and inequality, and about a woman who stands up for the man at all times while he could do whatever he wants.
– I think it was pulling in big bills for nothing, says Helen. It´s a declaration of love with a twinkle in its eye. It´s really nice – that when you are weak you need safety in the relationships you have. I didn´t think it was weird. I thought probably it was a pastiche. But I suppose it would have added some phrases like “vacuuming, you make yourself your asshole.” Helen bends over voice recorder, which is located in front of her on the table.
– That you can´t write, it was incredibly silly!
Helen doesn´t just make a comeback at the City Theatre stage. For the first time in eight years a solo album will be released in November. There she will sing Billy Joel songs, translated into Swedish by Tomas Andersson Wij. In addition, she participates in the film version of Marie Fredriksson’s book “Simon and the oaks”, which will premiere next spring. Singing has always been her way of communicating, but the theater has been there too since she was a little girl. To choose one of those careers was not really on the map. But when she cleaned his father’s metal workshop in Sundsvall, she went around singing for hours.
– It sounded so damn good there, it’s very good reverberation in the plate. I was almost always there and chimed. Sheet metal is preferred.
But Helen left the metal workshop and moved to Stockholm when she was 19 years old. To try her wings and go to “Kulturama” (a Swedish school of singing and acting)
– It took a long time for me to get to know Stockholm. I didn´t like it. I think it is because there is something cold at this pace, people unseeing, blind in one pulse. But it is also about to pee in certain territories. I felt very strange for a while. But then…
…Peed you into home ranges?
– I made so, from Enskede into town.
Helen then moved to Malmö for a few years when she got her first job in a musical – Elvira Madigan. She also did Kristina from Duvemala in Malmö. Then she returned to Stockholm.
– Then I started working and got to know people and Stockholm became more “home”. Now I feel great. Now I’ve finished peeing.
HELEN SJÖHOLM
Born: 1970 in Sundsvall
Lives: In Nacka with husband David Granditsky and son Ruben
Profession: Singer and actress
Current: In Aniara at Stockholm City Theatre. Releasing a solo album in November.
Participated in (inter alia): Kristina from Duvemala, My Fair Lady and Chess. As it is in heaven, solo album Songs, album Through every breath with Anders Widmark, as well as several albums with Benny Andersson Band.