MALIN AXELSSON

AWARDS

2025 – Swedish Theatre Critics’ Association Award for Children’s and Youth Theatre.
2016 – Mare Kandre Prize, for the novel Anropa.
2008 – Henning Mankell Scholarship.

NOMINATIONS

2014 – August Prize nomination, Jag blir en bubbla (som blir ett monster som blir ett barn).
2013 – Swedish Theatre Critics’ Association Award for Children’s and Youth Theatre.

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP & PROFESSIONAL ROLES

2021–present – Artistic Director and Head of Unit, Riksteatern Barn & Unga.
2015–2019 – Artistic Director and Head of Unit, Swedish Radio Drama.
2009–2015 – Artistic Director and Head of Unit, ung scen/öst (Östgötateatern).
2005–2008 – Playwright-in-residence, Unga Riks (Riksteatern).
2020 – Audio drama consultant, Munck Production Company (development of Spotify’s first scripted audio drama).

Malin Axelsson is a Swedish playwright, writer and director with a long and influential career across theatre, radio drama, television and prose. She has a rare ability to combine grand, classical dramaturgy with warmth, recognition and humor, and is a leading voice in contemporary Scandinavian storytelling. Rooted in recognisable human experiences and the perspective of the everyday individual, her work travels effortlessly across borders.

Her work is marked by linguistic precision, emotional intensity and a fearless engagement with form. Axelsson has written and directed critically acclaimed productions for major institutions including Dramaten, Riksteatern, Stockholms Stadsteater and Folkteatern Göteborg, with works touring nationally and internationally and translated into multiple languages. Her writing frequently explores power, desire, identity and vulnerability through intellectually rigorous and emotionally raw narratives.

Malin is the author of the award-winning novel Anropa and several celebrated works for children, has played a key role in the development of contemporary Nordic audio drama, and continues to develop original ideas for television.

WORKS

THEATRE

2024/25 – En berättelse om smärta, stage production, writer and director, Stockholm City Theatre.
2023/24 – Extas, stage production, writer and director, Riksteatern / Östgötateatern.
2023 – Flickor som försvinner, stage production, writer and director, Riksteatern / Dramaten.
2021 – Eufori, musical, writer and director, Riksteatern / Östgötateatern.
2020 – Chefen, stage production, writer and director, Stockholm City Theatre / Riksteatern.
2020 – Monsieur Venus, musical, stage production, writer (freely adapted from Rachilde) and director, Folkteatern Göteborg.
2019 – Lauras läppar, stage production, writer and director, Unga Dramaten, Royal Dramatic Theatre.
2015 – Revolution by Dimen Abdulla, director, ung scen/öst (Östgötateatern).
2014 – Rose Rose Rose, co-writer and director, ung scen/öst (Östgötateatern).
2010 – ROFLMAOWTIME, stage production, writer and director, ung scen/öst (Östgötateatern).
2008 – Kladdet, stage production, writer and director, ung scen/öst (Östgötateatern).
2006 – Deffad, stage production, writer and director, Teater Scenario.

TV

2003 – Dream Team, drama comedy series, storyline and script, SVT.
2003–2005 – Skeppsholmen, drama series, episode writer and storyline, SVT.
2004–2005 – Faktum, current affairs programme, concept and programme dramaturg, SVT.

AUDIO / RADIO DRAMA

2018 – Kraschen, podcast series (6 episodes), head writer and director, Sveriges Radio Drama.
2017 – Parmiddagen, podcast series (6 episodes), head writer and director, Sveriges Radio Drama.
2016 – Cheferna, podcast series (2 seasons), head writer and director, Sveriges Radio Drama.

PROSE

2015 – Anropa, novel, Albert Bonniers Förlag.
2014 – Jag blir en bubbla (som blir ett monster som blir ett barn), picture book.
2010 – Mitt liv som detektiv, picture book.