Stars on the Ceiling
Jenna Wilson is thirteen. She is supposed to be worrying about things like her breasts, that they never ever seem to be growing, about the far too popular classmate Maggy, Shaggy Maggy, who Jenna detests. She is supposed to worry about how to get Zacharias, Zac, amazingly looking Zac on page 22 of the School Year Book, to notice her. And she is. But more than that - more than anything. She worries about mum. Mum who is wonderful, who always understands and wants the best, sweet mum who is so sincere and honest. Mum who is constantly suffering from shortness of breath, thirst, tiredness, nausea, who keeps falling over when she has her pain-days. Mum who's got cancer!
A play about the hardest and most difficult of all – your mum dying of cancer, about being strong and weak at the same time, about nothing turning out exactly how you planned it and about your first real and most sincere love that nobody else really understands.
A play about the hardest and most difficult of all – your mum dying of cancer, about being strong and weak at the same time, about nothing turning out exactly how you planned it and about your first real and most sincere love that nobody else really understands.
The book ”Stars on the Ceiling/ I taket lyser stjärnorna” was published in 2003 by debuting young writer Johanna Thydell and won the most prestigious book award in Sweden, the August Price. It was also recently chosen as winner of Slangbellan - The price of the Swedish publishing Association. It has sold over 100.000 copies and has been translated into 12 different languages. When director and artistic manager of Theatre Fredag, Anders Alnemark came across the book, he immediately decided to dramatize it. The play became an instant success and has been performed 347 times and watched by 40.000 people in Sweden and Finland.
2009
Produktion:
Writer: Johanna Thydell
Version for the stage: Cleo Boman, Anders Alnemark
Translation: Henning Koch
Director: Anders Alnemark
Light design: Mikael Tham
Set design: Susanne Bergström
Sound design: Anders Nyström
Medverkande:
Jenna: Emma Mehonic
Ullis etc: Niki Nordenskjöld
Mamma etc: Johanna Wilson
Susanna etc: Anna Jälevik
Fotograf: Hans-Ola Larsson
”Brilliantly acted by every cast member, this is a superbly told story. …
Theatre Fredag create an easily accessible narrative with great pace and humour…” – Sacha Voit, The British Theater Guide
”..it’s simply staged, with only a series of differently sized tables as props, but it has an honest quality… Emma Mehonic is appealingly open-faced as Jenna…” – Natasha Tripney, Stage Edinburgh
”..beautifully evokes the varied tapestry of real life..” – Sally Stott, The Scotsman
”A gentle, heart-warming play” – Andy Leask, Three Weeks
”it's beautifully directed. Lovely movement. Lovely appropriate sentiment. And very funny too. " – Claire Wood Edinburgh Evening News
”The acting is superb and the play really engages the audience's emotions. It is funny and heartwarming” – Margaret, UK
”I was totally taken aback at how excellent it is in terms of story, actors, set, everything! …. It's a serious play with some lovely light and funny moments. The actors are exceptional and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. It's been the top event of the festival for me so far.” – Rachael, UK