Since its inception in Edinburgh, Scotland back in 1947, the idea for the Fringe Festival has been a huge success ever since – and has spread like wildfire to major cities all around the globe. Not to be outdone, Stockholm created its own unique version of the festival, Stoff, bringing old and new artists from a plethora of countries and putting them on the same great platform in our country’s capital.
Stoff 2013 marks the fourth consecutive year of the festival and it includes artistry of every hue, from music and art installations, to theatrical performances.
And it doesn’t stop there. Stoff will offer further entertainment with delicious cocktails at the unique rooftop festival bar with a speciallay-selected DJ spinning the tunes. The creators of Stockholm’s Fringe fest have assured us that Stoff has pushed the envelope even further this year to ensure a journey that will take its audience on an emotional roller coaster. TS got the scoop from one of the founders and directors of Stoff, Adam Potrykus, on what’s in store.
What makes Stockholm’s Fringe Fest unique as compared to the original in Edinburgh and the other ones that have spread around the world?
Stoff is a fringe. It’s unique by default. The fringe recipe is simple. Mix fresh local produce with rare international flavours. Unknown talent is put to the test side by side with their more experienced counterparts. This is an energy-generated formula that aims to ignite the minds of its audience.
Although “baked,” according to an international recipe, Stoff has a distinctively unique flavour. A fringe showcases tomorrow’s cultural movers and shakers in their unpolished and often unapologetic form.
Is there a specific theme for this year’s Fringe Fest?
Not intentionally. The stories told, ideas presented and the subjects touched during Stoff are freely chosen by our artists. All we ask for is for the artists to be creative, daring and have fun. Whether it’s theatre, dance, music or visual art, the works presented are fueled by a curiosity. We ask our artist and audiences to arrive at our doorstep with open minds.
We know Fringe prides itself on providing a platform for creative innovators. How do you go about choosing who will be included in the festival?
The road to Stoff 2013 started during the fall of 2012. An artist call was spread via our extensive artist network. While daydreaming about hot summer nights at Kulturhuset, our team worked their way through a record-breaking number of applications. In some cases industry experts were consulted to help the team identify parts of the line-up.
What do we look for? Firstly we like to offer a wide range of artists who utilize different art forms in order to challenge the society they live in. Our 2013 programme is packed with big and small treats for a variety of tastes.
The big news is John Malkovich will be having his Swedish debut at the festival. What makes his performance of The Infernal Comedy so special?
It’s not every day you have Hollywood royalty coming to town with two mezzo sopranos and a 30-piece baroque orchestra. This one-night-only performance of The Infernal Comedy starring John Malkovich will be the final show of Stoff 2013. We like to go out with a bang. It’s important to remember that John used to be a Fringe artist and its only natural that he makes his Swedish stage debut at Stoff.
The Infernal Comedy has been a global phenomenon for a few years now. The show has toured extensively around the world. Although the story is the same, the presentation of the show varies from country to country. Each time a unique cast and orchestra is put together to accompany John Malkovich through en evening of epic proportions.
We are invited to witness a serial killer’s (Jack Unterweger) return to the stage on the eve of his autobiography launch. The evening begins with ease as a casual audience chats, but soon after the gruesome yet fascinating story of a murderer teleports the spectators to the darkest corners of the human mind.
And you don’t want to miss out on your chance to meet John Malkovich and the creators of The Infernal Comedy during an intimate Q&A (August 23).
Stoff’s Adam Potrykus picks five other Stockholm Fringe Fest highlights:
Show and Artist: Jane Badler
I grew up watching “V”. Imagine the butterflies I got in my stomach when through some Aussie connections Jane Badler was introduced to team Stoff. This is after all Diana! A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the “V” days. Jane and I had tea in London talking about her upcoming project, a residency at the legendary Spiegeltent in Melbourne. What we get to see in Stockholm is yet another new show, now with the support of DuoRaw (Swe) with whom Jane has recently been rehearsing with in New York. This is going to be a Stoff exclusive. See a woman’s journey through self-discovery and re-invention.
Jane Badler 22 Aug @ HÖRSALEN, 20:20 and 23 Aug @ HÖRSALEN, 21:00
Show: The Adaptors
Artist: The Typewriters Collective
We love when “old” Stoff alumni return to new editions of the festival. London-based The Typewriters had their Swedish debut at Stoff 2010. Not unlike the festival, The Typewriters have grown and developed. Roberta Vaz, the creative genius behind this show, presents us with “The Adaptors”, a show that takes its audience on a gender-bending journey that swept both the hard-to-impress critics and dance fans of the London dance community off their feet. This show is totally Hot Stoff.
21 Aug @ Bryggan, 21:00
Show: My First Ten Sexual Failures and Other Stories About Growing Up
Artist: Andrew Silverwood
Stoff travels a great deal to other Fringe festivals across Europe, and these roadshows gives a direct access to some of the most happening young emerging theatre groups. When we arrived at the Prague Fringe 2012 this show caught our attention for its raw, honest and uncompromising attitude.
It took a few beers at the festival bar to smooth over the fact that we had (a month earlier) just rejected this show for our own programme. And here we are, a year later…
23 Aug @ Bryggan, 20:00
Show: Sexy Swedes
Artist: Daniel-Ryan Spaulding
This man has a love for all things Nordic. His tongue is razor sharp and he has been perfecting his routine through a year-long trek across Europe’s stand-up scene. Don’t miss Mr Spaulding.
23 Aug @ Bryggan, 21:10
Show and artist: Louis Lander Deacon
Each year we pick an artist to represent us on the programme cover. Stoff encourages young people to create and express themselves and this year it’s a visual artist from the UK named Louis Lander Deacon who belongs to our growing pool of Young Stoff artists (Aged 15-25). Deacon showcases an advanced visual language with the willingness to go the extra mile to capture “that” image. This is an artist to look out for in the future. For now enjoy his work every day at Stoff 2013 on level 3 of Kulturhuset, Stadsteatern.
For more information about this and over hundred other Stoff 2013 programme points please go to: www.stockholmfringe.com
Words by Angela Markovic
