Earlier this month, Vinita and I had the supreme pleasure of visiting Sweden as a guest of the Riksteatern, the company that is sending Försvinnandet (also known as Absence) on tour through the country. We were able to see the final dress rehearsal before the tour commenced, and then we attended the opening performance in the small but lively town of Surahammar.

The show (a revival of a production presented by Dalateatern earlier this year) was a vibrant and powerful Swedish-ized version of the play, as translated by Eleanora De Loughery Nordin and directed by Åsa Ekberg. Eleanora and Åsa are also part of the richly talented cast led by Maria Selbing in a powerful and moving performance as Ellen.

While we were thrilled to see the production, Vinita and I were most impressed by the generosity and warmth of everyone we met, from the cast and crew of the show to the Riksteatern administrators to the citizens of Surahammar. Everywhere we went, we were treated as honored guests. We were particularly impressed by the work of the Riksteatern, which produces dozens of shows, large and small, every year, and sends them out on tours through the cities and towns of Sweden.

Försvinnandet  continues on tour through November 23rd. A complete schedule can be found here.