“Hey, could we stand side by side?” A discussion about the musical Hlið við Hlið

Translation: Jakob Regin Eðvarðsson

Photo: Stefanía Elín Linnet

The Student Paper went to the play Hlið við Hlið which is now being performed at the Gamla Bíó theater. Hlið við Hlið is the second project of an independent performing arts group and, as the title implies, it is inspired by the songs of nationally renowned singer Friðrik Dór Jónsson, better known as Frikki Dór. The art group has previously set up the acclaimed performance Ðe Lónlí Blú Bojs at the Bæjarbíó theater in Hafnarfjörður. We got to ask Höskuldur Þór Jónsson, the director and author of the musical, some questions. 

The story stands on its own

Höskuldur got the idea to create a musical based on Frikki Dór's songs a few years ago when he went to one of the singer's concerts at the Harpa Concert Hall. “There it simmered and germinated for some time until I decided to take the plunge,” he says. Frikki Dór has, as everyone knows, so many good songs and the more Höskuldur thought about it, the more exciting possibilities he could imagine. “But it was certainly challenging since he does sing a lot about love, or well, only about love really.” Still, he believes they managed to create a true and beautiful story that stands on its own merits. 

Höskuldur says the process has gone really well. “The group clicked quickly and had good chemistry early on, which is very important. For my part, the work went smoothly and we had a lot of fun setting up the show.” More than once, he says, they had to take care not to lose focus due to how much fun they were having during the preparations.

The group wasn't spared by the pandemic and its strictures but, despite the challenges of getting the group together, they were able to prepare and set up the musical. “It's always a bit tricky to organize everything around such talented people but we always get there in the end. Of course, it's a privilege and you're incredibly grateful to the group responsible for the show. There's nothing better than when young and talented people come together and get the space to create something, let alone getting to spend the summer with such a group that's working together towards a shared goal.”  

It was challenging to choose which songs to use

We asked Höskuld which had come first, the song choices or the storyline. “I think I can say that we wrote the story with the songs in mind but, of course, there's always an interplay between the two,” Höskuldur says. “Naturally, when I began the project I was listening non-stop to Frikki's catalog, picking out the songs I thought would fit and then kind of created a throughline connecting them.” The story, then, mostly came from the songs. “But also, as I mentioned, it was quite the challenge to choose which songs should be in the play and then organize them into some kind of story.” While choosing songs, he kept in mind the goal of keeping the musical varied. “I didn't want it to become too repetitive.” 

The play has been received exceptionally well and Höskuldur says the group is on cloud nine from the reactions. “People appear to be very pleased with the play and we're seeing people coming for the second time, and that's really the best compliment you can get.” Ticket sales have been quite good and Höskuldur says he can tell that people are starting to yearn to go out and see live shows “not just on a flat-screen at home.” 

Doesn't know what he's doing but always follows his conviction

Photo: Stefanía Elín Linnet

Höskuldur says he always has some ideas floating about. “So, it's just exciting to see what you'll go for next.” The advice he gives young artists who are taking their first steps in theater is to believe in what they're doing: “If you don't believe in the project, then no one else will either. Then, of course, you need to put in the work,” he adds. “It won't happen on its own, nobody is going to do the work for you.” 

First and foremost, it's about taking pleasure in the work and enjoying the process. “Otherwise, there's not much point to it, is there?” Höskuldur's motto is relevant to this: “I don't know what I'm doing, I'm just following my conviction.” He believes that the best education is just trying things. “Jump into the deep end and bump into the walls that meet you along the way. I don't think there's anything more instructive than going for it and facing the storm as it comes.”

Many from the art group are former students from the Commercial College of Iceland (Verzlunarskóli Íslands). Asked whether the nod towards the school in the play was on purpose, Höskuldur says that isn't the case but that it's certainly pleasant how strong the play's connection with the school is: “My little ‘Verzló-heart’ always enjoys that.” He says the connection is primarily there because he personally got to know most of the people affiliated with the play when they were together in “Verzló”. “Passionate people that burn for doing something like this show - and, of course, nobody will deliver a better result than the one who is passionate about the work.”

Passion is the driving force 

Finally, we asked Höskuldur what advice he would give young people wanting to create their own performing art group. He doesn't take long to answer: “Get to know people who are interested in the project, and I think this applies to anything. To find a good group of people that want to work towards the same goal.” He himself holds very dear the group that shaped the play together. “Of course, it's incredibly delightful to see a group like this that connects so well and, in my opinion, is blossoming beautifully.” He thinks back to when he first had the idea: “It would have been quite easy to just think ‘yeah, that's a good idea’ and then never do anything with it. But what drives a project like this is the passion - that's what gets the show to the place where it is now.”