04.03.2020, Scandic Falkoner, Kopenhagen 

L: Nanna ROSSEN R: Frederikke VEDEL

Interview with NANNA ROSSEN and FREDERIKKE VEDEL from DEN SKÆLDEDE FRISØR

Susanne Bier’s DEN SKALDEDE FRISØR (engl. Love Is All You Need is beeing transformed into a musical and set to premiere on March 5th in Copenhagen’s Scandic Falkoner. We were very lucky to get an interview with NANNA ROSSEN playing Alexandra and FREDERIKKE VEDEL playing Tilde to talk about working on this brand new production, their roles and what makes this story not only special for them but also for so many others. 

DEN SKALDEDE FRISØR is a very popular movie - not only in Denmark. What’s your relation to the movie? Was there anything that stood out to you when you saw it for the first time?

Frederikke: I can definitely relate to the movie and I think that is why I love it so much. Every family has problems and it’s good to put that message out there. In this movie you also have all these different emotions coming together in a very nice way. It’s hurting my heart but it’s also so funny.

Nanna: I actually do remember going to the cinema to see the movie when I was about 15 or so. I think it portrays this whole family drama in a very funny way. It's so much fun to watch, because I can relate to it as well. It's just a very good story to tell.

Is there something you especially love about Tilde and Alexandra? 

Frederikke: I have never played a character like Tilde before. She is like way too much. I think maybe even more so than in the movie, because here we just took her a step further into the “wrong” direction. So that’s just a lot of fun. 

Nanna: It has been really funny to figure out how to play a teenager. In the script Alexandra is described as a teenager from hell. And of course she is that, but when you know her mother, then you also know the reasons why she turned out to be that way. It’s also great to watch Bodil [Jørgensen] who plays her mom Benedikte and see how their relationship has made Alexandra who she is. I just love that Alexandra has her own story.

Did you put something of yourselves into the characters? 

Frederikke: Definitely. I think you almost always have something of yourself in the characters. Sometimes it's more and at other times it’s just a little bit that you turn up. 

Nanna: I really try to remember myself as a teenager and how I reacted to certain situations. So I used my own experiences and just turn them up. Because Alexandra really says what’s on her mind. But I've never yelled at my parents. I was more of a quiet teenager, so I punished them with quietness. That was a fun thing to take with me and try to use for playing Alexandra.  

Is there something that you find difficult in creating or playing your characters?

Nanna: The balance between playing a person with a heart but also a specific part in the story. Because I feel like I should be the person with a heart, but in regards to the story that might not be that important. So that balance is something I am still trying to find. 

Frederikke: I am from Jutland and I have to turn the dialect up a lot. And I find that actually very hard. 

Nanna: You also had to train not using the dialect and then suddenly you’re going back to using it.

Frederikke: Yeah, so that’s probably the most challenging part for me. But the dialect actually changes the character a lot and it's fun to play around with that. 

A lot of performances are already sold out or nearly sold out. So there are a lot of people really looking forward seeing this musical. What do you think they love so much about this story that they want to experience it on stage?

Frederikke: I think it's because they can relate to it. And that’s great, because I believe this is not your typical musical. It’s a lot like the film, so everything that’s not important got cut. We are still in the process of getting there and that has been an exciting journey. 

Nanna: I think they find it interesting that this movie is being turned into a musical and they want to see how that’s done. A lot of the people I have talked to are also really excited to see how the collaboration of Thomas Helmig who has written the music and Susanne Bier who has written the script has turned out. 

Frederikke: It's also so Danish with both Thomas and Susanne working together! The film is for everyone and everybody just loves it and everybody also loves Thomas Helmig. So it’s a very good cocktail - a musical cocktail. 

Without spoiling anything, is there something you think people who have seen the movie will be surprised by? Maybe something that is different here? 

Frederikke: There will be more history around Patrick and Alessandro. So you understand what's going on in Patrick's head a bit more. 

Nanna: That's true. In our version there is more attention on all the different relationships there are. But I don't think there are any big plot changes. The musical sticks actually pretty closely to the movie - just with singing and dancing.

Frederikke: And with having the songs, you can get to hear the person's thoughts. That’s the great thing about music: It’s another way of expressing yourself and relating even more to the characters. So that will be the main thing that’s different.

Do you have a favourite moment in the show?

Frederikke: That’s very hard. There are so many great songs, but I also love the relationship between Benedikte and Alexandra. Benedikte is just so mean and that works so well between them.

Nanna: I’m really looking forward to the toilet scene, even though it’s so short. I just love saying “I hate you” to my mum and then just throwing up.

Frederikke: I also love the song Ida sings. In English it’s called “I'm good enough”.  All these feelings and expressions, I just get that. It’s such a good song and Xenia [Lach-Nielsen] is amazing and delivers it so good.  

Nanna: That's one of my favourite moments too.

Was it exciting to create these two characters, especially since you’re the very first that get to play them in the musical?

Frederikke: It is always very fun when it's the first time. Because you get to do the colouring yourself - though it’s still teamwork of course. 

Nanna: It's definitely a very interesting and exciting process to be a part of. Though it can also be a little confusing sometimes. Because some things take a bit longer until they are set, so you just have to be patient. 

Frederikke: Yeah, because we need to try out so many things. We don’t know what will work yet, so we just have to be open minded. But it’s really nice to be in the process and to be that creative.

For those few who have not bought their tickets yet, give three reasons why they should not miss this show!

Frederikke: The music, because that adds a whole new layer. 

Nanna: Then the story. It has something to say and I feel like this show wants to help people to -

Frederikke: - to open their eyes. And the main number one reason would be that you get a bit of everything. Because it touches all of your emotions. That is just such a great thing and not that many musicals do that. And I think that is because it’s so close to the movie. 

Thank you both again very much Frederikke and Nanna for your time and best of luck for the premiere of DEN SKALDEDE FRISØR! 

© Lisa A. Murauer