Hasseåtage

Hasseåtage ("Hasse & Tage") is the commonly used name for the popular Swedish comedy-duo featuring Hans "Hasse" Alfredson and Tage Danielsson. The term was created by the Swedish press in the 1960s, and was never used by the duo themselves. But it's the "adopted" popular name for the duo in Sweden when spoken about of and referred to by the Swedes.

History

Alfredson and Danielsson first met each other when they were both working at Sveriges Radio back in the 1950s, first at different departments and programmes. But one day they were put on the same project and they soon became close friends. After this they made lots of radio sketches at Sveriges Radio and the variety show Doktor Kotte slår till eller Siv Olson.

Hasseåtage defined Swedish entertainment in the 1960s through the 1980s and their work is still extremely popular in Sweden.

In 1961 they started the entertainment company AB Svenska Ord ('Swedish Words Ltd') which subsequently produced all their shows and films, productions that have gained cult status in Sweden. They often both acted in their productions as well as directed (separately or together) and wrote their material themselves. They gave their work a special trademark (with for example costumes, set decorations, and by using the same actors in many projects) and a feeling that was totally their own and unmistakable for Swedish audiences.

Their productions are also very often ripe with political insight, most often with a libertarian socialist and environmentalist view, using a wonderful unique type of humour as a liberating force for their message.

People who regularly worked with the duo and therefore are associatad with it include actors Gösta Ekman and Lena Nyman, as well as artist and animator Per Åhlin.

The comedy duo broke apart in 1985 with the passing of Tage Danielsson.

Productions