The circle closes for Lou Ragnar – playing in his hometown: “Funny and weird”

pleasure Poet and Skellefte resident Lo Ragnar Lindström, along with pop poet and writer Nino Mick, are on hand with “Lo Ragnar and Nino – a poetry performance about sparsely populated areas, faith and identity” which will be shown at Hallen på Nordanå on 22 March .

But if right has to be right, and it has to be, then it's really about two shows in one but with a common sounding board.

– My performance is actually a love story about meeting someone, finding a home in them and building a life together. The scene is Västerbotten, where we can follow a little bit of life for a year – anchored in history, nature and the seasons, as Lo Ragnar says.

Lo Ragnar Lindström took up a residency at the Riksteatern in 2021 and won the writing competition Aftonbladet Kultur in Min Eld med diktsviten in 2022. Bodies in the marshes About trans heritage, place, body and identity.

-It was created during residency, but it was very good to write. I didn't think there would be anything. I just wanted to send it to the Riksteatern and kind of apologize. But something great came out of it, Ragnar says.

More intimately

But if previously Le Ragnar was famous for his activism and lyrics of a political nature, the audience is now offered something much more honest. But calling it personal isn't entirely fair, Le Ragnar says.

– What I experience is that the more I delve into myself and the more specifically I write, the more universal I become. What's so great about this show is that I've dedicated myself to a little essence, to a little life. When I put details into words, they also reach further than others.

It was the National Theater who contacted Lo Ragnar and asked him if he wanted to perform a poetry show under their auspices. She accepted, but without knowing that the Rickstern was looking for someone else.

– Nino and I knew but nothing more. But it was absolutely fantastic to have Nino, as our special performances combined with the scenography, lighting and soundscape enhance both.

Lou Ragnar and Nino did an autumn tour in southern Sweden and became accustomed to facing audiences together. Photo: Marta Thiner

Great luxury

Working with a performance of this kind was new for both Lo Ragnar and Nino. None of them had worked in a team with the dramaturg and director before and were accustomed to working independently.

– It was a great luxury to work with a good dramatic actor who could find threads in the story that I had not seen myself. “It was very helpful to have another reader,” Lou Ragnar says.

Lo Ragar and Nino have already gone out on an autumn tour in southern Sweden and have begun the habit of meeting fans.

– I wasn't particularly nervous during my trip south. Glesbygd feels sparse no matter where you are in the country. But now that we're touring up north, it's different. “People here have the right to think about things because it's about them, it's about us,” Le Ragnar says.

On March 22, it's showtime to touch Skellefteå and Hallen på Nordanå. A place that means a lot to Lo Ragnar.

– Playing in Skellefteå feels fun and exotic. I used to dance a lot and danced several times in Hallein. Now I'm there again. The circles are closing.