#Så Som I Himmelen

[starlene]

So @neroushalvaus told me that in the current Finnish production of Så som i himmelen, after a big assortment of other questionable choices, they interpret the finale as some sort of Literal Vision of Heaven... and in there, Tore magically heals of his disability.

The more I think about this, the more disappointed and angry I feel about it.

I mean. The whole entire point of the character of Tore is that the others learn to accept him exactly as he is, and that he has a unique, valuable voice just like everybody else. Besides that, he's a very rare instance of disabled representation within musical theatre. Sure, he's often played by non-disabled actors – but the Helsinki production showed us how you can achieve great results by splitting the role between a disabled and a non-disabled actor, so the role can also be an opportunity for disabled actors, given that they're provided enough support throughout the process.

Or it can be an opportunity for a non-disabled actor to treat disability like a costume you can simply take off when you're done with it and for a production to imply that disabled people are not good as they are, I guess. Cool beans!

Incredibly disappointed with the director and everyone else involved.

[musicals-in-sweden]

A proshot of the original Oscarsteatern production of Så som i himmelen is coming to SVTPlay!

It will be available to watch between December 29th 2023 and January 28th 2024 and can only be viewed in Sweden.

[littlebluestars]

Helen Sjöholm in Så Som i Himmelen (2004) dir. Kay Pollak

[neroushalvaus]

"Fråga Arne is the best I Am song in musical theatre", I say into the mic. The crowd boos. They scream the names of different, more well-known songs. I turn away from the mic, ashamed, when I hear a voice from the back row. "She's right." I turn to see who is talking, and there he is: Magnusson, with a fixed toupée.

[fyeahfinnishmusicaltheatre]

Oona Airola as Lena and Jaakko Lahtinen as Tore in Helsingin kaupunginteatteri’s 2021–22 production of Niin kuin taivaassa / Så som i himmelen.

Photo by Otto-Ville Väätäinen.

[notupforpolo]

Trots att jag älskar så sol i himmelen och musikaler har jag aldrig lyssnat på musikalen, men ni gjorde jag det och asså den var ju jättebra (varför väntade jag). Jag har dock lite tankar ändå:

Det började spelas dansbandsmusik i mina hörlurar och jag tänkte ’undra om det här är Arnes låt?’ Genialiskt. 10/10 det är klar det ska vara dansband när det är Arne.

Anders Ekborg är så sjukt Anders Ekborg och det är en sjuk bra sak. Jag har bara bra associationer med den mannen och han levererade. Jag behövde inte en titta vem som sjöng ”Hur tror du att det känns”.

På tal om skådespelarna - sjukt bra casting på nästan alla fronter. Philip Jalmelid började sjunga och jag kände att det är klart han är Daniel. När han och Tuva B Larsen sjunger tillsammans… jag var nära på att behöva sätta mig på golvet inne på Åhléns. När alla öppnade munnen kände jag bara att det fall på plats.

Med det sagt, jag har svårt för Malena Ernman. Jag tror att min bild av Gabriella är lite för synonym med Helen Sjöholm för jag älskar henne med hela mitt hjärta (ska på hennes julkonsert i december) och därmed har jag svårt för Gabriella med operarröst. Malena kanske var jättebra annars men hon är inte min Gabriella

Slutsats: varför har jag inte bara gått och sett den? Jag har sett reklam för den sen innan den kom ut men inte bara gått? Det hade inte ens varit svårt??? Nu måste jag ju se den!

[jars-artcollection]

I need whatever possessed me while drawing that hypnos to do it again please

[esters-notepad]

Vad ljus över griften!

Han lever, o fröjd!

Fullkomnad är skriften,

o salighets höjd!

Från himmelen hälsad,

han framgår i glans,

och världen är frälsad,

och segern är hans.

Bortvältad är stenen och inseglet bräckt,

och vakten har flytt för hans andes fläkt,

och avgrunden bävar.

Halleluja!

Här var mellan ljuset

och mörkret en strid,

dock segrade ljuset

för evig tid.

Nedstörtad är döden

och tron står opp

bland jordiska öden

med himmelskt hopp.

I sörjande kvinnor, vem söken I här?

Den levande ej bland de döda är:

Uppstånden är Jesus.

Halleluja!

Så himlen med jorden

försonade sig,

så graven är vorden

till glädjen en stig.

I huvu'n, som böjdens

vid korsets fot,

upplyftens och fröjdens

trots världens hot.

Kom, skingrade hjord, till din herde igen:

Han lever, han lever och följer dig än

osynlig från himlen.

Halleluja!

Nu stormen, o tider!

Hans kyrka står fast.

Som ljuset sig sprider

hans lära med hast.

Ut gå i all världen

hans sändningabud

och vittna bland svärden

och bålen om Gud

och vittna om honom, o tröst i all nöd,

som, död för vår synd, blev genom sin död

en förstling till livet.

Halleluja!

I fromma, vi klagen,

vi misströsten I?

Hur fort är båd' dagen

och natten förbi!

Snart jorden upplåter

sin famn till er ro,

snart uppstån i åter

likt kornen som gro.

Han själv, som dem sådde, skall komma till slut

och samla in skörden, men skilja förut

ogräset från vetet.

Halleluja!

-Frans Michael Franzén

[astriiformes]

Wait okay, seeing as I made a bunch of you have Pentiment feelings with me tonight I have to share a song rec (and lyric translation, since it is not in English)

You all may remember I had to do a whole presentation on a Norwegian music group for my Norwegian language class last semester. It turned out the band I picked, a folk rock group called Glittertind, has a whole concept album they released on October 31st, 2017 to mark the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation.

Technically the album is inspired by the Norwegian Reformation, but it's not like there are a lot of concept albums out there about the Protestant Reformation to begin with, and there's enough, like, general existential reflection and metaphor in them that there's one song in particular, that really gives me some Pentiment (and Andreas Maler) feelings

(Also it's just a really good song)

Lyrics and translation under the cut:

Etter stormen såg eg ingenting Ingenting av alt eg såg Etter stormen dreiv eg rundt i ring Og undra på kor landet låg

Etter stormen blanke auge bar Himmelen så rar og bleik Etter stormen fann eg ingen svar Viljevarden visna veik

Eg kom drivande som båt i brann På dei blåe bylgjer knust i strand Eg drøymde ein draum Eg trudde var sann Eg livde eit liv Som forsvann

Etter stormen reiv ut ryggen min Såg eg ingen slott som skein Etter stormen ingen glitretind Såg eg ingen himmelheim

Eg var ’kje klar for denne kalde jord Eg var ’kje klar, eg hadde ingen ord

Eg drøymde ein draum Eg trudde var sann Eg livde eit liv Som forsvann

Eg ville flyge langt derifrå Ut til allheimen den blå Eg virra rundt i ein ynskjebrunn Og lengta etter mysterium

Sjå verda spinn bak det kvite-grå Med alle skapningar på skrå Me virrar rundt i ein ynskjebrunn Og lengtar etter mysterium

Eg var ’kje klar for denne kalde jord Eg var ’kje klar, eg hadde ingen ord

Eg drøymde ein draum Eg trudde var sann Eg livde eit liv Som forsvann

---

After the storm I saw nothing Nothing in everything I saw After the storm I drifted around in circles And wondered where the land was After the storm, my vision was empty The sky looked strange and pale After the storm I found no answers My will to watch for them withered I came adrift like a boat on fire On the blue waves that broke on the beach I dreamed a dream I thought it was true I lived a life Which disappeared After the storm tore out my spine I didn't see any castles that shone After the storm, no glittering mountains I saw no heaven I wasn't ready for this cold earth I wasn't ready, I had no words I dreamed a dream I thought it was true I lived a life Which disappeared I want to fly far from there Out to the blue universe [wild blue yonder?] I stare, confused, in a wishing well And yearn for mystery See the world spinning behind the white-grey With all of creation lopsided I stare, confused, in a wishing well And yearn for mystery I wasn't ready for this cold earth I wasn't ready, I had no words I dreamed a dream I thought it was true I lived a life Which disappeared

[aromantisk-fagforening]

The translation of "it" to Norwegian is "den" or "det".

den generally replaces a noun, especially one that's masculine or feminine. It can also replace "the one" or "they" when that means unspecified.

det replaces verbal phrases and nongender nouns

However it's also not a perfect easy translation and "den" & "det" also replace "the" in certain english sentences (usually for emphasis).

8 examples below the cut featuring different situations

examples: (all in Norwegian Booklanguage)

1. den acting as a (im-)personal pronoun

The one who wins gets a prize

Den som vinner får en premie

den (the one) som (who) vinner (wins) får (gets) en (a) premie (prize)

2. den replacing a masculine noun

Ser du krukken på hyllen? Vær forsiktig så den ikke faller fordi den er skjør!

Do you see the pot on the shelf? Be careful so it doesn't fall because it's fragile!

Do you see (ser du) the ceramic pot (krukken) on (på) the shelf (hyllen)? Be (vær) careful (forsiktig) so (så) it (den) doesn't fall (ikke faller) because (fordi) it (den) is (er) fragile (skjør)!

3. den replacing a feminine noun

Sola skinner høyt på himmelen. Ikke se rett på den fordi da får du vondt.

The sun shines high in the sky. Don't look right at it because then you'd hurt.

Sola (the sun) skinner (shines) høyt (high) på (in) himmelen (the sky). Ikke se (don't look) rett på (right at) den (it) fordi (because) da (then) får du vondt (you will get pain).

4. det referring to a verbal phrase (verbalet) (linguistics term, might've mistranslated)

Hvis jeg ikke ser det selv så tror jeg ikke på det.

If I don't see it myself I don't believe it.

if (hvis) jeg (i) ikke ser (don't see) it (det) myself (selv) så (then) tror jeg ikke på (I don't believe) det (it)

The word order "tror jeg ikke på" is used because it's a second part of a sentence with two verbals (it's a "leddsetning" - jointed sentence).

7. Det replacing a nongender noun

The jump, været, fallet, blodet, havet

Havet er vakkert. Jeg skulle ønske jeg kunne bodd langs kysten.

The sea is beautiful. I wish I could live on the coast.

Havet (the sea) er (is) vakkert (beautiful). Jeg (i) skulle ønske (wish) jeg (I) kunne (could) bodd (live) langs kysten (on the coast).

I would wish would be the literal translation, but I think you say "I wish" in english idk. It's verbs those are always weird.. Also "could live" is different to " kunne bodd" because live is Infinitum but "bodd" is something else "kunne bodd" is like preteritum or some funky shit like that.

vakkert is changed because the noun is nongender. If a boy was beautiful that's "vakker" and if it was a girl that's "vakker". (do nonbinary Norwegians use vakkert? idk but one of my friends used that form of an adjective on me & that was epic pog personally).

5. det is used for weather (weather is nongender that's probably why)

Det regner i dag. Jeg lurer på om det blir sol i morgen.

literal: it rains today. I wonder if it becomes sun tomorrow.

actual: it is raining today. I wonder if there will be sun tomorrow.

Det (it) regner (is raining / rains) i dag (today). Jeg (I) lurer på (wonder) om (if) det (there) blir (becomes / will be / is) sol (sun) i morgen (tomorrow).

6. den and det referring to different things within the same paragraph

Jeg så på en serie i dag. Den var bra! jeg må gjøre det oftere.

I watched a television show today. It was good! I have to do that more often.

jeg (i) så på (watched) en (a) serie (television show) i dag (today). Den (it) var (was) bra (good)! Jeg (i) må (have to) gjøre (do) det (that) oftere (more often).

7. "den" acting as "the" for emphasis

Det var den kongen som sa at alle skulle gå med hatt.

That was the king who said everyone should wear a hat.

That (det) was (var) the king (den kongen) who (som) said (sa) everyone (alle) should (skulle) wear (gå med) hats (hatt).

sidenote that "hatt" is singular because it's a imperative statement I think idk. "everyone should" statement.

8. den is used to say "the most" form of adjectives

det var den eneste gangen hen så ham.

that was the only time they saw him. (they singular)

Det (that) var (was) den eneste (the only) gangen (time) hen (they singular) så (saw) ham (him).

[starlene]

Så som i himmelen original cast proshot on SVT on the 29th!

Wahoo or what!!

[musicals-in-sweden]

A farewell video from the original cast of Så som i himmelen.

[littlebluestars]

I was trying to find så som i himmelen (2004) at my local recycling centre today but sadly they didn't have it so instead I got these for 3 euros

[neroushalvaus]

i want to eat en sång till livet

[arc-en-disco]

Let me translate some real-people fanfic about Joe Strummer and Mick Jones for you real quick...

Du har Ellen si hand i armkroken. Fly og helikopter og stjerner heng på himmelen, som om New York har pynta seg for dykk. De går opp trappa til Gramercy Park Hotel, tar heisen opp og går ut på takterrassen. Det var her Humphrey Bogart gifta seg med Lauren Bacall. Du elskar det. Bare tanken. No er det dykk. Du har med deg Ellen. Joe har med seg Gaby. Paul har med seg Pearl. Men du veit at det er Joe og du som er det viktige paret her. Strummer & Jones. Strummer & Jones skal overleve alle andre par. Strummer & Jones skal leve i fem hundre år. (p. 81) You have Ellen's hand in the crook of your arm. Planes and helicopters and stars are hanging in the sky, as if New York has made herself pretty for you. You go up the stairs to Gramercy Park Hotel, take the elevator and walk out on to the roof terrace. It was here where Humphrey Bogart got married to Lauren Bacall. You love it. The thought alone. Now it's you. You are with Ellen. Joe is with Gaby. Paul is with Pearl. But you know that the important couple here are Joe and you. Strummer & Jones. Strummer & Jones will survive all other couples. Strummer & Jones will live for five hundred years. *****

Du syng <Somebody got murdered>. Du er 26 år, og du står på scena i Bond's International Casino. Rommet fordampar, og verda er enkel. Døden finst ikkje, smerta finst ikkje, sorga finst ikkje. Du er framleis nervøs før konsertane, skjelvande og ein smule komisk, men du elskar å smelte saman med dei andre i gruppa, å kvervle inn i dei, alle desse konfigurasjonane av lys og kjøtt, forvirrande, uventa, likevel så enkelt, opplagt, aldri sjølvmedvitande, alltid galvanisert av musikken, du og Joe, som to fyrstikker klare til å flamme opp.(p. 91) You are singing "Somebody got murdered". You are 26 years old, and you are on stage at Bond's International Casino. The room evaporates, and the world is simple. There's no such thing as death, no such thing as pain, no such thing as sorrow. You still get nervous before concerts, shaky and a bit comical, but you love to melt together with the others in the group, to swirl into them, all of these configurations of light and flesh, confusing, unexpected, but nevertheless so simple, so obvious, never self-aware, always galvanized by the music, you and Joe, like two matchsticks ready to burst into flame.

***** BRENN HUSET NED (2013), Frode Grytten, Forlaget Oktober, Norge So I have been reading this book 'Burn down the house' in Norwegian (Nynorsk), thanks @slashonmydash, and it's essentially a fanfiction about the Clash. Like, real-people-fanfiction but totally printed on paper and sold in bookstores. Which gives me hope for my own career as an author, LOL, but I digress.

Reading this novel is astonishing. This man, Frode Grytten, in his fifties, is writing more sentimental wallowing about this punk band than I ever did, EVEN AS A SMITTEN SEVENTEEN-YEAR OLD FANGIRL. This is amazing. Frode, my man, cheers to you.

I cannot believe they let this go to print. It has their real names and all the real dates and locations. Two of these people are dead but the other two are still very much alive. How does copyright / portrait right work in Norway? Must be nice...

[fyeahfinnishmusicaltheatre]

Lukuvinkki!

Näyttelijä ja tutkija Riikka Papusen kirjoittamassa artikkelissa käydään läpi prosessia, jonka tuloksena Niin kuin taivaassa -musikaalin kehitysvammaista roolihahmoa Torea esittämään valittiin HKT:n taannoiseen tuotantoon kehitysvammainen näyttelijä Jaakko Lahtinen.

Artikkeli pureutuu siihen, mitä kaikkea on otettava huomioon, jotta kehitysvammaisen näyttelijän on turvallista toimia osana suurta musikaalituotantoa. Kokemuksiaan jakavat artikkelissa Lahtisen lisäksi tuotannon muut näyttelijät ja ohjaaja Jakob Höglund.

Artikkelin voi ladata linkin takaa suomen- tai ruotsinkielisenä pdf-tiedostona.