The Great Dialect Show by and with Fredrik Lindström

About the Performance

In the spring of 2026, the immensely acclaimed host and language expert Fredrik Lindström will once again embark on a Swedish tour with “The Great Dialect Show – By and with Fredrik Lindström.” A unique aspect of the show is the specially written material for each location that Fredrik and his sidekick Helena Lindegren visit. The show dissects questions such as why dialects exist, why they sound the way they do, and everything in between. The show was directed by Emma Peters and premiered in Falun in March 2024. Dagens Nyheter wrote that it is “the funniest lesson of the year,” Aftonbladet gave the show four stars, and Falu-Kuriren described Fredrik as “the country’s most ingenious expert.” On January 29, Fredrik Lindström returns to UKK in Uppsala!

How many dialects are there actually in Sweden? Who decides what is a language and what is a dialect? Is it called kex or tjex? Do animals also have dialects? Fredrik Lindström is one of the country’s most beloved hosts and language experts. He has previously released the critically acclaimed book “100 Swedish Dialects,” which came to be loved by Swedes and became the starting point for the work with “The Great Dialect Show.” Over the years, he has encountered countless questions about language in general and dialects in particular. Now he provides answers to some of the questions in his new show!

– This is the first performance I’m doing about language. I have noticed how interested people are in the subject, and there are always a thousand questions about why dialects exist, why people speak differently, and where different words and expressions come from. Now I finally get to do a public performance on this theme, and also have the opportunity to adapt the show as we go! About a third of the performance is specially designed for the location in question and focuses on the local dialect, says Fredrik.

In “The Great Dialect Show,” the audience can, in an entertaining way, delve into our Swedish dialects. It is a funny, sketch-like, and fact-based show where the audience gets a review of the big questions but also delves into their own dialects. Do they really whine in Västerås, and are people from Gothenburg so happy? Why do some people speak more dialect when they get angry or when they have sex? Which is the country’s most incomprehensible dialect? He is joined on stage by the actress Helena Lindegren, a sidekick who helps Fredrik visualize and illustrate the show.

– Helena is an absolutely perfect sidekick! She can sing, dance, act, and elevates the show to new heights, he says. She also has a lot of experience in improvisation, which is perfect because every night will be different here. And of course, she is a master at imitating dialects!

“The Great Dialect Show” premiered at Magasinet in Falun on March 16 and will be played throughout 2024 and spring 2025 around the country. Now the tour is extended with another season in the spring of 2026.

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