Interview: Samuel Fröler, Kim Sulocki, 'Ankan' Johansson And Anki Albertsson

In 2010, Spamalot was first performed in Sweden and now it's time again. On September 25th, it will premiere at the Nöjesteatern in Malmö. Remaining from the original Swedish production are musical veterans Kim Sulocki as the valet Patsy and Anki Albertsson who will once again play Lady of the Lake. Otherwise, a completely new ensemble where Samuel Fröler portrays King Arthur and "Ankan" Johansson takes on Sir Robin.

What does Spamalot and Monty Python mean to you?

- This was the opening to a whole new host for me, says "Ankan". I was very little when Monty Python came out and I remember we rented the movie "The Holy Grail" and were completely knocked out in our seats down in my friend's basement when we started watching. It was already crazy in the opening credits. I became completely obsessed with this humor. They were really ahead of their time. Super silly but they took it very seriously. It was nonsense with education. One moment they could hit each other with a fish and the next quote some philosopher. They got history and other things into their sketches. It suited both academics and factory workers. But not everyone got it, like my dad. But it made it more exciting for me that I understood something that he didn't understand and liked. 

- Samuel says that he has followed Monty Python since they came out and they were really unique when they came out. From Monty Python they then went on to do other things like Fawlty Towers, A fish Named Wanda and then Spamalot. 

- In a way this is a timeless comedy, says Anki. There is some social criticism but above all it is incredibly funny. It will be great fun to do Lady of the Lake again. 

- Kim also agrees that it is fun to do his role, Patsy the Butler again. He goes on to say that he did the role both in Malmö, Stockholm and in Oslo. It is so fun to work with something that is as well written as this. Then it is easy to be good.

How do you approach working with a new production and with new colleagues?

- Be kind, friendly, listen and don't be stingy, says Samuel. You need to fit in and adjust to the collective. But you have to maintain your integrity and pursue your role as well. 

- Ankan says he is often a bit cautious. Some put in a five but I drive in neutral. I need to find my way in the group. 

- Most of the people you work with are easy to get to know and many open up quickly, says Anki. Everyone is working towards the same goal. This is more of a collective production and there are not exactly any stars, but everyone is on stage almost all the time. When working with humor, it is very important that you follow the script, she continues. 

- It feels like a great group to work with and I go into it with open eyes, says Kim. I try to be responsive and see what place there is for me in the group. See how the group dynamics develop and we wait for each other a little to find their places. Then we'll live together and then we'll hang out more and it's good when you don't know each other. Maybe go to the movies and eat together. Everyday necessities don't exist in the same way.

How do you experience Malmö as a city of culture?

- I really like Malmö, says Kim. I was here a couple of weeks ago when we performed The Play That Goes to Hell and every time I come here I think about how it reminds me of New York. I recognize the atmosphere from New York. It's welcoming in some way. So it's going to be great fun to play here for a longer period again. 

- I live here half the time, says "Ankan". I've been on stage for quite a while and seen a lot of what's being played here. It's a very good city of culture and there's a strong humor community here. It's a big city but still small. Friendly and helpful. Kind and thoughtful. If you have sharp elbows, you're not allowed to play. It's fun to come back and play here. 

- Anki says there's a great audience in Malmö. I've worked a lot here, most recently in Jamie at Malmö Opera. Then the real Jamie came to Malmö and stayed for a week with his mother. So that's a nice memory I have.

- The last time I was here and played was with the Riksteatern and Lida, says Samuel. The audience liked it. It's both nasty and funny. But Spamalot is not nasty. It's fun to play so many different roles and performances. It's necessary to develop as an actor, he continues. I myself went to see Malmö Dockteater not so long ago.

Tell us a little about your roles and how you work with them.

- Lady of the Lake is great fun to do, says Anki. She is a diva who comes in and out of the stage. In act two she wonders what is going to happen to her role and she turns to the audience and breaks the fourth wall when she sings “Diva” (Diva's Lament / Whatever Happened to My Part). I also like the duet “En som tror på oss” (The Song That Goes Like This) that I do with Sir Galahad.

- It will be fun and exciting to play King Arthur, says Samuel. The text is very important and must be delivered alertly and with the right timing.

- My role Patsy is a servant to King Arthur and I am also his horse, says Kim. Not that he is sitting on me but I have all my stuff in a backpack and then I use coconuts to make it sound like we are coming on horseback. My task is to cheer up the king and then I sing “Always look on the bright side” for him. Even though I've played Patsy before, it's going to be different because it's a different cast now. 

- I think it's so fun to work with heights and that's why Sir Robin suits me very well, says "Ankan". Sir Robin is cowardly and scared but gets a big assignment. He dresses like a knight but inside he's a little guy and the physical collision is fun to work with. I'm very meticulous when I work out a role, he continues. The big thing often arises in the details. So I think about what you do when you get scared? Take, for example, a guy who's going to buy underwear for his girlfriend and he's not completely comfortable with it, what's going on inside him. Or like the time I was on a beach and there were a bunch of well-trained guys there. What they didn't know was that it was like a big hole in the water and it was interesting to see how they tried to maintain their manner even when they ended up in the hole. How they worked on maintaining their dignity. That's interesting to have when working on a role like this. You have to be analytical about the nonsense to get it right. I think it's great fun to work with nonsense, but sometime it would be fun to play a real ace. Imagine being mean when you have a friendly face. 

Some of you have previously worked with Anders Albien, who is the director of Spamalot, what is it like working with him?

- Anders has very good structure, order and is well prepared, says Anki. It is fun to work with him because you can say things out loud. You can be involved in influencing the role and you are quite free, but you have to make sure that the lines are as they should be. When it comes to humor, the lines have to be precise. 

- It has probably been three years since I worked with him, says "Ankan" but it feels like three minutes. Anders is very good at big projects. Fantastic at casting the right people. He has great trust in the actors. 

- Kim agrees that Anders is good at working with big projects. He is good at kicking them off, says Kim. I enjoy working with him and he is also very good at keeping the pace, which is very important when it comes to comedy. As an actor, you always have to be a little ahead, surprise the audience and also give room for laughter. When you start rehearsing you might think something is funny, but then after a while you don't think about it. Rehearsing comedies can be really boring. But as soon as the audience comes in and you notice they're laughing, it becomes fun again. The bridge that forms between the audience and the actors is the glue and without it you can't act. The audience is involved in the production and is needed to provide energy. Then the jokes become funny again.

Kim and Anki, when Spamalot was first staged, did you meet Erik Idle, what is he like?

- He is absolutely fantastic, says Kim lyrically. Wonderful and very committed. He gave tips and he still wants a lot and is productive. He is a real whirlwind and he has more energy than me, says Kim and tells us that he will see Erik Idle's show when it comes to Stockholm on April 14.

- Anki agrees and hopes that he will come and stay for a week like last time and not just come for the premiere.

At the curatin call on the opening night,  what do you want the audience to remember from the show?

Everyone says that they hope the audience will laugh a lot and take it home with them.
- Kim says that they will bring the crazy world of English knights who go on a crusade but don't get very far. They like these crazy characters.

- Anki sums it up very well that the audience should experience "true joy". It is something that we all need now.

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