SWEDISH READINGS Partners: A co-production with Polka Theatre Supported by: The Embassy of Sweden - part of the Small Feet Go Far season   Directed by: Roman Stefanski Tralala by Thomas Tidholm Angel and the Blue Horse by Ulf Stark The Dreamed Life of Nora Schahrazade by Mia Törnqvist Dates: Unicorn Theatre: October 16, 2006            Polka Theatre: October 20, 2006 As part of the Swedish Embassy's Small Feet Go Far season, Company of Angels and Polka theatre presented three new Swedish plays for young audiences in staged rehearsed readings at the Unicorn and Polka Theatre. About the plays: Tralala by Thomas Tidholm Translation: Gabriella Berggren Hilda and Arnold are building a kingdom in the shade under a climbing frame at their playground. The children test their identities through play. Angel and the Blue Horse by Ulf Stark Translation: Frank Perry Angel and God are best friends. One night Angel dreams about a horse so wondrous that God must create it. God does so - unwillingly, he is jealous - will he lose Angel to this new friend? And God's fears come true - Angel and Horse can not bear to be apart. During the hours of darkness God secretly sends the blue Horse to Paradise. But Angel says that love is to always want to be together and braves darkness and danger to fetch his beloved Horse. At last God, too, understands that they can be friends - all three. The Dreamed Life of Nora Schahrazade by Mia Törnqvist Translation: May Brit Akerholt The moving tale of a couple broken by grief at the death of their daughter, Nora. A mystery girl whose imagination knows no bounds comes into their life and together they play out the life of Nora Schahrazade throughout her childhood, until she is old enough to marry and go on a honeymoon far, far away... About the writers: Thomas Tidholm Thomas is a poet, playwright and a writer of children's books. He received the German Deutsche Jugendliteraturpreis in 1994 and has been nominated for the prestigious Swedish August Prize three times. In 1997 he received the Astrid Lindgren Award as well as the Swedish Theatre Critics Award for widening the poetic landscape of children's plays. Tidholm's plays have been translated into French and English. During the last couple of years, he has been writing and directing films. Ulf Stark Born in 1944 and brought up in Stureby, a suburb of Stockholm. He wrote his first collection of poems at the age of 19, soon followed by a second collection and a novel. His first children's book was published in 1975. Since then, Ulf has written around 30books for children and young adults, as well as a number of film, TV and theatre scripts. His books have ben translated into more than 20 languages, and he has won several awards both in Sweden and internationally. Ulf was awarded the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis in 1994 and the August Prize in 1996. Mia Törnqvist Born in Stockholm in 1957, Mia lived in Italy where she studied language and literature in the late '70s and early '80s. She then returned to Stockholm and attended the Institute of Dramatic Art where she studied dramaturgy and playwrighting. She works both as a playwright and dramaturge. She has written eleven plays for children and adults. The Dreamed Life of Nora Schahrazade was awarded with the critics award and the government award in Sweden. She has also translated plays into other languages (English, Italian and German). Mia is also responsible for the education of playwrights at the Institute of Dramatic Arts in Stockholm. Some comments from the audience: "Fantastically acted, very convincing, great energy." "Even though it was a reading, the passion, emotion and imagination was quite vivd." "It never got boring!" "The play didn't patronise the audience!" "I liked that you could make an image fo what was happening and it had lots of emotions that I could feel." "Genuine emotions, well portrayed. Convincing theatre."