Short years, long days - SPKRBOX

"Short years, long days" by and with Samir Madad - a hip hop monologue about being a child on the run                   

In 2001, Samir was six years old and fled Afghanistan with his mother, father and older brother. The flight lasted two years.

Since 2003, Samir has lived in Norway where he works as a youth worker, musician and photographer. But when the pandemic knocked on the door and the world closed in, Afghanistan and the journey to Norway pushed forward in the cerebral cortex.

In a monologue performance spiced with his own songs, Samir Madad talks about his home in Afghanistan, about the sunlight through the trees around the courtyard and about the dramatic journey that took him to a tiny village in Northwest Norway. "Short years, long days" is a story about being invited to his first Christmas party and about having Norwegian grandparents. About discovering hip hop, about wanting a bunad, about living in a shack in Helsfyr. About a father who disappears. And about how the streets of Oslo might as well be the mountains.

Samir's story is a tale of sitting as an adult, in the silence of a lockdown, and for the very first time having to take in "what that kiddie really had to go through".           

"Short years, long days" had its world premiere during the SPKRBOX festival at The Norwegian Theatre December 15, 2022

Short Years, Long Days is produced by SPKRBOX 

Directed by: Hedda Sandvig

Performer: Samir Madad

Idea and script: Hedda Sandvig and Samir Madad 

Scenography and lighting design: Agnethe Tellefsen 

Music: Samir Madad

Music consultant: Beatur 

Sound engineer: Andres Oliver Siegrist 

Lighting technician: Andreas Ohldeick 

Inspisient: Cici Henriksen 

Producer: Anja H. O. Kjærnl

Tour manager - Bjørn Tore Grøntvedt

Technician - Kristoffer Andreas Johnsen

Photo: Dag Jenssen

The performance is supported by the Arts Council Norway, Scheiblers legat, Bergesenstiftelsen and Fritt ord.