Introducing Zobolam, Hamlet & Cameo
Protagonists in the work of Anna Sofie Mathiasen speak with PRAKSIS’s Nicholas John Jones and artist Elise Hoebeke
1. Hamlet
Hamlet in Campaigning (Bottle Broadcast) (2020)
You’re named after one of William Shakespeare’s most famous characters, and you sometimes play him, but you also inhabit other roles. What effect has this had on your offstage identity?
Hamlet, my namesake, is my favorite character to play, particularly because of his really long monologues. I love being on stage, taking the lead role. Acting the hero is my thing! I have to live up to my name (laughs) but it can also be a weakness. Sometimes I get bored on stage when I have to wait for the other actors to do their bits. My mind wanders off - I can lose focus. I’d like to correct that.
You’re known for playing two significant Danish figures, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Danish mason, freedom fighter and poet Henry Jul Andersen. What values do you consider to be quintessentially Danish, and how do you personally relate to them?
After working on Bottle Broadcast, I would definitely say humour and trickery. Humour plays an important part in the history of the mason’s unions and their activism. They would haunt cheating employers by building a hidden, mysteriously whistling bottle in the brickwork of their buildings. I wouldn’t call Hamlet humorous but he’s definitely a trickster, plotting and scheming and simulating madness to avenge his father. I’m not really a joker offstage, though. Maybe I seem a bit dull and serious - but I find Shakespearean insults can be quite hilarious. I always laugh out loud reading Shakespeare at home.
What would you fight for today?
The history of the Danish brickwork union shows how they grew in strength by showing solidarity with other unions. All the unions became stronger together. I wish that kind of solidarity between different unions was possible today. Imagine if the artists’ unions supported the nursing unions and vice versa, joining each other's strikes and demonstrations. I am aware that some of these actions would be illegal our current systems and laws but a little vigilantism can never hurt in my opinion. Unions would be more influential!
2. Cameo
Cameo (to the right) in Onion Skin (2020)
You have a close relationship with Anna Sofie Mathiasen. How did the two of you first meet, and how has your relationship evolved over time?
We met just before Covid 19 hit in 2020, when she was writing the script of Bottle Broadcast. She needed a performer to act as a kind of narrator, and we really look alike. So I now function as a kind of avatar in Anna Sofie’s films. That requires me to restyle myself for each project, so that I stay up to date with her appearance.
You appeared in the work Onion Skin. If you were a root vegetable, what type would you be and why?
Hmm, a radish, I think. They look so attractive on top of a salad or an open sandwich. They can be eaten as a snack or combined with so many dishes. In my role as narrator I need to introduce each story, to set the scene and enhance whatever setting I’m placed in - very much like a radish, really.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I would like to play an evil character - a villain. I could explore the darker sides of Anna Sofie - and believe me, they are there!
3. Zobolam
Zobolam posing for a photoshoot, Pigen på anatomikammeret
What led you to become an accountant?
I was looking for a really effective way to approach weak people that I can exploit (evil laugh). For example, impoverished artists who don’t know how to do their taxes (longer evil laugh). They are too confused and self-absorbed to notice my devious tricks (very long evil laugh). Anna Sofie told me she was once advised by an older male artist that she would be a better accountant then an artist. Initially she was hurt by his malicious comment but now she finds it quite flattering. She says she'd rather be “an accountant” than tricked by devils.
You’ve been described as “very scary”. Do you feel this is fair, or are you being misunderstood?
Of course it's fair, I'm good at being scary. That's my method. It’s why I´m one of the top actors to play villains! However I’m very easy to work with. I'm always on time and well prepared.
You’re quite the snappy dresser. What are your top fashion tips?
Get a good tailor. Avoid trends and polyester. Get a small, sophisticated capsule wardrobe and pick the finest materials. That's how you should dress. Dress like a winner and you win, dress like a loser and you lose. Iron your shirts, keep your shoes shined and only take your clothes to a good quality dry cleaner.
Edition: Zobolam, Hamlet & Cameo, signed fan poster
Anna Sofie Mathiasen, 2022
1500 NOK, edition of 10, 40 cm x 30 cm, signed and numbered on the back, print and permanent marker on Fuji CA DP matt paper, unframed (enquire for framed)
For enquiries please email office@praksisoslo.org
Anna Sofie Mathiasen, Onion Skin, 2021
Anna Sofie Mathiasen, Bottle Broadcast, 2020
