Joyride the Musical | Malmö Opera

The feel-good story Joyride the Musical, featuring music by the legendary pop duo Roxette, had its world premiere at Malmö Opera in 2024. In the autumn of 2026, the smash hit returns. C’mon, rejoin the joyride!

Joyride the Musical is one of Malmö Opera’s greatest box office hits ever. Nearly 120,000 tickets sold out quickly, and demand has far exceeded supply. The musical has received rave reviews, and performances have ended with thunderous applause and dancing in the aisles.

“This will be a success far beyond Sweden’s borders.”
Broadwayworld

“Amazing! Awesome! Fantastic! Wonderful! Superb! M.a.g.i.c.a.l.!!!”
RoxetteBlog

Iconic Music Videos

The duo Roxette, Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, have sold over 80 million albums. Songs like Listen To Your Heart, It Must Have Been Love, and The Look have topped charts all over the world. The musical is inspired by Roxette’s iconic music videos and the fashion scene of the 1990s.

For those who were there the first time around, it’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane. For those who discovered Roxette later—or have never heard their songs—it’s the ultimate introduction to the band that ruled the ’90s with upbeat pop anthems and soaring power ballads.

A Love Triangle

The musical is an unforgettable rollercoaster of joy, humor, and spectacular dance numbers—a fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt story about love and relationships.

The plot centers around Stephanie, a stylist living in London with Joe and their teenage daughter Stella.

One day, Stephanie finds a message in Joe’s pocket and begins to suspect he’s having an affair. She contacts the sender, who turns out to be Katie. Katie is shocked to discover that her boyfriend Joe hasn’t separated, as he claimed, but is leading a double life.

The two betrayed women decide to teach Joe a lesson and form a secret pact—to make his life a living hell. But their plan, which seemed so clever at first, soon spirals out of control. Will things really turn out as they imagined? And once they’ve had their revenge, what happens next?

Per Gessle’s Involvement

A few years ago, Malmö Opera approached Per Gessle with the idea of creating a musical based on Roxette’s music. Gessle loved the concept, and on September 6, 2024, Joyride the Musical had its world premiere on Malmö Opera’s main stage.

As the songwriter, Per Gessle was involved in developing the musical. Gessle is a pop phenomenon who began his career in the late 1970s as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Gyllene Tider, a band that achieved massive success in Sweden and Scandinavia.

The group disbanded in 1985 but has reunited several times and most recently toured in 2023, when they also released a new album. In 2024, a film about the band, Sommartider, premiered.

In 1986, Gessle formed Roxette with singer and songwriter Marie Fredriksson, and their international career took off. The band reached its peak in the 1990s but continued until 2019, when Marie sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Their music lives on and continues to inspire millions all over the world, just as it inspired the creation of Joyride the Musical.

Information på svenska

Bags

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Foyer Opening Hours

For performances in the Main Stage ("Storan"), the foyer opens two hours before the show. For performances in the foyer or at Verkstan, doors open one hour before.

Pre-Booked Refreshments During Intermission

Have you made a pre-booking? Your table number will be displayed on signs in the foyer when you arrive. Feel free to locate your table number before the performance begins.

Accessibility

The opera house is partially adapted for people with mobility, visual, and hearing impairments. If you have a Malmönyckeln card, you may bring a support person to activities at Malmö Opera. You pay for your own ticket, but your support person enters free of charge.

Cloakroom

Please hang your outerwear in the cloakroom – it’s free of charge.

Auditorium Doors

Your ticket indicates which entrance to use for the auditorium.
Doors A, B, C, and D are located in the lower foyer (A is farthest to the left).
Doors E, F, G, and H are in the upper foyer (E is farthest to the left).
If you are seated on the balcony, you can reach doors I, K, L, and M via a staircase in the upper foyer.