Al Pitcher's Sverige Syndrome in NYC

On the surface it can't always be easy to be Al Pitcher, a born Brit, growing up in New Zealand and now living in Sweden. After Eskilstuna and possibly New York, the city of Norrköping audience will be the first to find out how things really are...  

  • The show "Sverige Syndrome,” which [partly] comes to New York in October, is according to Pitcher his most personal show. Photo: Robert Eldrim
  • How things really are is something you’ll learn if you're near New York (and manage to get a ticket for one of two shows) or Norrköping, Sweden where the actual world premiere of his new show “Sverige Syndrome” takes place at the end of October.

  • Photo: Robert Eldrim
  • Not Crocodile Dundee
    Announced as the English speaking comedian’s love letter to his new home country, local New York Swedes will get a taste of Al Pitcher's humor and appreciation of Sweden at the Comedy Club on Oct. 5.
    The transformation to Sweden seems to have been somewhat easier than his earlier moves, however, at least judging from what the comedian himself says as we catch up with him between two script rehearsals in Eskilstuna.
    “I never really felt like a Kiwi while growing up in New Zealand and then when I returned to England everybody was wondering why I speak like Crocodile Dundee …”

  • His stand up career in Sweden took off after a 2009 performance during Open Mike at the Big Ben Pub in Stockholm’s Söder district. Pitcher starts his fourth tour in sweden this October, following up “Fika,” “Påtår” and “Fy fan Sverige” with “Sverige Syndrome,” which, according to him is his most personal show yet. But If you think this is comedy mostly for the urban Stockholmer, think again. “I was lucky and my first show Fika was picked up by Riksteatern and we must have run 130 shows all over the country. I performed in Kiruna, Gävle, in places I would never have seen otherwise.” And, Pitcher’s performances are mostly sold out.

  • He met his Swedish born wife while tending bar in London and now lives south of Stockholm with what’s become a family of four with two young children. “Moving here, I never thought I would be able to do shows in Sweden. The plan was to commute to England to do shows there, then go back to the family. As things turned out I rarely perform in England, I simply don’t have time.”
    “Besides, I love it in Sweden, it’s just quiet enough and just lively enough [simply lagom],” he says. “I like the people and I like the landscape, this is where I’ll stay.”

  • See the comedian in action, read a bit more and book tickets to shows: www.alpitcher.com

  • Ulf Barslund Martensson