I Am Astrid from Småland

The story of a great woman.

She was born in the age of horse-drawn carriages, and when her father died, the first human set foot on the moon. She grew up in a world without telephone, radio, or television. She became a woman whose media presence was unmatched anywhere in the world. When she was born, women still had no right to vote, married women were under the guardianship of their husbands, and the social hub of her hometown Vimmerby was the cattle market. When she died, the world was different - after two world wars, the sexual revolution, and the invention of the internet. The life of Astrid Lindgren is a mirror of the twentieth century, and her books reflect and accompany it in a fascinating way. Yet while the world changed at unprecedented speed, the protagonists of her books embody the values that hold them together: Pippi Longstocking, Emil of Lönneberga, Mio. Strong child characters who stand for justice, generosity, and respect.

From interviews, quotes, and letters, Martin Mühleis has crafted a stage monologue about the life of Astrid Lindgren - the first, family-authorized stage autobiography. A concentrated, moving, and humorous first-person narrative for one actress and three musicians. In this theatrical evening, both humorous and touching, Gesine Cukrowski takes on the role of the great Swedish children's author and tells, in a compelling stage monologue, the story of a small farm girl who became one of the most influential women of the past century.

An emotional theatrical performance blending drama, reading, and music.