Anna Davidsson is a social media star who blogs under the name Apan Satt I Granen (The Monkey Sat in the Tree). Now she’s bringing a performance version of her experiences to the stage for the first time.
First of all, can you tell us a little about who you are?
A spontaneous, curious woman in the best years of my life, who likes to make use of every adventure that life presents. Along with my work as a high school teacher I devote myself to maintaining my title as an Instagram queen. I’m also a single mom to three kids and I find an outlet for my energy when I do roller-derby and BJJ. I love tattoos and have been under the needle for nearly one hundred hours of my life.
Where did the idea for the show come from? Is it a challenge to transfer these stories from a blog and social media environment to a live show?
It was an impulse decision. I was asked if I was interested in doing a performance, I felt honoured and at that time it felt like the most obvious thing in the world to do. On reflection, I got a little performance anxiety and began to doubt myself. But challenges are there to be met and I love the feeling of being outside of my comfort zone. I have collected the material over the years so I have a lot to say and now I’m saying it live, directed at an exclusive audience.
Is it liberating to do a show with this level of honesty? And is that liberation something you hope the audience can experience as well?
Yeah, very liberating. Liberating and scary, but important at the same time. Everyone carries good and bad experiences of life, that’s how it is – life is partly a bed of roses, and inevitably you encounter thorns. What are your failures worth if you don’t share them with others?
How has it been to collaborate with Stina Rautelin as your director on this project?
Wonderful. Stina is very skilled at pulling the best out of people. I have no experience of being on stage but I feel very secure doing it under Stina’s influence.
And finally, anything you’d like to say to the potential audience before they see the show?
I’m looking forward to it. All people have raw feelings and confessions and on this evening I’ll be sharing some of mine. Because I’m only doing one performance, it feels like now or never. But who knows? It’s maybe the first dance of a project I’ll continue onwards in my life. Hope to see you!
En Afton Med Apan Satt I Granen plays at Kägelbanan on Oct 6.
