Review: PIRATERNA PÅ VÄTTERN (THE PIRATES AT LAKE VÄTTERN) at Forsviks Bruksteater

Since 2019, Smofa has been staging newly written theatre/musicals at Forsviks Bruksteater, which has a connection to Forsvik and the surrounding area. This year's performance was created by Kolja Schallenberg (idea, book and direction), Matthias Denke (music and orchestration) and Adam Gardelin (text and dramaturgical collaborator).

This year it's time for the pirates who ravage Vättern and we are transported back to 1650. The location is Visingsö, Hjo or Forsvik. In a time filled with folk beliefs and mysterious beings, the pirate captain Kapar-August (Therese Persson) has received a royal letter of hijac from Queen Kristina. The mission? To transport prisoners across Vättern from Hjo, Vadstena, Askersund, Jönköping and Forsvik to Pehr Brahe's Visingsö. But the coffers need to be stretched so they plunder and kidnap people in the villages and thus strike terror into the people around Vättern. August's right-hand man is Kontagamus (Robin Lake), who has plans to take over the ship and become captain himself. To help him, he enlists the mysterious Emanuel Marino (Teodor Wickenbergh), a gift from a slave trader.

This is an adventure full of action for the whole family with everything from a confused court jester to dramatic fencing scenes and magical elements. The dialogue invites laughter several times and is mixed with hand-clap-friendly singing and dancing. One of the numbers has a verse feels like a wink to En sång till livet from Så som i himlen but here it is the swords that are raised with the same captivating joy.

The ensemble includes both well-established musical artists such as Robin Lake and Teodor Wickenbergh and local talents who, together with the orchestra, entertain the audience for almost three hours. This is probably the first time I have seen Robin in a leading role and he really has a powerful voice and I would like to see more of him in the future. I was already impressed by Teodor Wickenbergh in 2018 in Spring Awakening and since then he has appeared in various roles, most recently in Kinky Boots at Uppsala Teatern. Here as Emanuel Marino he really gets to blossom and show off both his comedic and musical side. Therese Persson is powerful and matches her male counterparts well – her Kapar-August is a real powerwoman!

I can really recommend a trip to Forsvik and the Pirates on Lake Vättern. For me, it is a wonderful overall experience in a beautiful summer location where you can also see the Göta Canal lock, a wonderful view of Lake Vättern, a nice working environment and good food. Well worth a trip of its own or a detour!

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