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Johannes Hagman: Olof Wretling Visits a Villain in a Cellar Hole
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Johannes Hagman: Olof Wretling Visits a Villain in a Cellar Hole

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Sources not specified Context piece
  • Swedish commentator Johannes Hagman reviews Olof Wretling's "Sommar" program, noting its blend of humor and personal tragedy.
  • Wretling recounts a childhood memory involving his father's exposure to the pesticide Hormoslyr, which he links to his father's early death and his own anxieties.
  • Hagman praises Wretling's storytelling ability, comparing him to Torgny Lindgren, but finds some of his stylistic choices, like imitations, to be less successful.

Johannes Hagman, writing for Dagens Nyheter, offers a commentary on Olof Wretling's "Sommar" program, highlighting the comedian's masterful storytelling that weaves together humor and profound personal tragedy. Wretling, a familiar voice on Swedish radio, takes listeners back to a summer day in 1958 in Västerbotten.

The narrative centers on Wretling's 16-year-old father, who was spraying the pesticide Hormoslyr on a forest clearing. The program draws a stark parallel to a famous television incident where BT Kemi's CEO, Lars Foss, drank Hormoslyr live on air to prove its harmlessness. Tragically, none of the six boys present at the clearing that day, including Wretling's father, lived past the age of 55.

The one who masters the Swedish language

— Johannes HagmanHagman's description of Olof Wretling's narrative skill.

Wretling uses this devastating event as a springboard for a tragicomic exploration of his own life. With self-deprecating humor, he attributes his personal failures and death anxiety to the "poisoned blood" inherited from his father. Hagman commends Wretling's ability to connect with audiences, likening his narrative gift to that of the acclaimed author Torgny Lindgren, and appreciating the warmth and self-awareness in his anecdotes.

Despite praising Wretling's overall skill, Hagman notes that the comedian's penchant for metaphors can sometimes be excessive, and his imitations of artist Lars Lerin are found to be "incomprehensible." Nevertheless, Hagman concludes that listening to Wretling is a comforting experience, affirming the power of true storytelling mastery.

The one who masters the Swedish language

— Johannes HagmanHagman's description of Olof Wretling's narrative skill.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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