The play is based on the investigation 'Maktens chattar' by journalists Anna Ekström and Michael Verdicchio, which revealed how three top politicians in Alingsås compromised democracy and made power deals in secret chat rooms behind the backs of voters and colleagues. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Nanna Olasdotter Hallberg described how the more she read of this investigation, the more she thought the story itself was so grand that it would be suitable for a theater stage. The production features actors Martin Nick, Manuela Gotskozik Bjelke, Marcus Vögeli, and Gustaf Hammarsten, with Hammarsten making his return to the stage after a decade-long absence.
Nanna Olasdotter Hallberg brings diverse experience to the project as one of three hosts on SR's 'P3 Klubben' and author of the debut novel 'Syndernas förlåtelse' published last year. She has previously written for the Riksteatern and SR Drama, and directed an adaptation of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' for SR Drama. The exact premiere date of the play at the Stockholm City Theatre has not been announced.
The more I read of this investigation, the more I thought the story itself was so grand that it would be suitable for a theater stage.
The creative approach involves changing all names in the play, though the specific new names have not been disclosed. Published chats will be incorporated, with some rewritten as dialogue and others displayed on three large phones on stage. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Hallberg described how a good group chat is like a humor ensemble, based on everyone turning up their personalities and pushing the boundaries a bit. The play is based on interviews with experts and those involved, as well as Göteborgs-Posten's publications, though which specific experts and individuals were interviewed remains unclear.
The original investigation 'Maktens chattar' involved about 10,000 chat messages between three of the city's leading politicians, though the specific contents of these messages and the identities of the politicians have not been publicly detailed. The investigation exposed sexting, trash talk, infidelity, boundary-crossing, and leverage, highlighting issues of power, democracy, and hypocrisy among representatives. It won the Swedish Newspaper Publishers' award for 'Coverage of the Year' and was previously nominated for the Stora journalistpriset award.
The foundation of our democracy is built on people voluntarily taking on this assignment, where they have enormous responsibility and often get a lot of crap. And they are no different than the rest of us. It's so relatable that sometimes you're not the person you want to be, especially in a group chat.
Immediate consequences included both municipal councilors in Alingsås resigning just hours after the reporters' questions, even before the first investigation was published. The investigation had major consequences in Alingsås, where the political map was redrawn. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Anna Ekström described feeling really great and really fun about the impact, noting it was a local political investigation that got people to start talking about democracy.
Broader impacts include a research report showing the revelation actually revitalized democracy in the town, and the investigation led to discussions about municipal democracy and ethics. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Hallberg described how the foundation of democracy is built on people voluntarily taking on assignments with enormous responsibility, and they are no different than the rest of us, sometimes not being the person you want to be, especially in a group chat.
A good group chat is like a humor ensemble. It's based on everyone turning up their personalities and pushing the boundaries a bit.
The investigation continues to receive recognition as one of around 200 submissions for the Guldspaden award, with the winner to be announced at the investigative seminar in Kristianstad on March 28. Other nominees for the Guldspaden award in the major newspaper category include three entries from Dagens Nyheter: 'Talmansparets resor', 'Våldtäktsindustrin', and 'Livvakterna'. Other nominees for the 'Coverage of the Year' award included Svenska Dagbladet's 'Den blomstrande ADHD-marknaden' and Dagens Nyheter's 'Örebropolisens utredning inifrån'. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Hans Peterson Hammer, investigative editor at Göteborgs-Posten, described being very proud that they can compete at this level with journalism that makes a difference, noting the report revitalized democracy in a West Swedish municipality.
And that is very poorly suited for leaks. That round jargon looks terrible from the outside. It still says something that we are getting more and more such leaks, like the Epstein emails and the Yemen chat, which were absolutely not meant to be read by any outsider.
He has not been on stage for ten years, so this will be his comeback.
It feels really great and really fun. It's so fun that it's a local political investigation that got such a big impact and got people to start talking about democracy.