Aske til aske, støv til støv

by Astrid Saalbach

Skuespil. Et kærlighedsforhold indledes mellem to modne, intelligente mennesker med styr på tilværelsen. Men hans forhold til sine børn sætter betingelserne, og hendes kærlighed bliver til morderisk had.

99 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1998

About the author

Astrid Saalbach was born on November 29, 1955 in Søborg, Denmark. She grew up in Elsinore, graduated from Senior School in 1975. On leaving Senior School she went straight to The Danish National School of Theatre from which she graduated in 1978. She worked as an actor until 1985.

She made her debut as a playwright with the Radio Drama: “Traces in the Sand” (Spor i Sandet) followed by two other dramas for radio: “The Confirmation” (Bekræftelsen), and “Children of the Shadows” (Skyggernes Børn) during 1982 and 1983, respectively. Then followed two plays for television, “A Fading World” (En Verden der blegner) and “Myung” in 1984 and 1989.

“Face of the Moon” (Månens Ansigt) an anthology of short stories from 1985 constitutes her debut as a writer; next the novels: “The forgotten Forest”, 1988 (Den glemte Skov), “Country of the Enemy”, 1994 (Fjendens Land), “The Person who she is” 1999 (Den hun er) and “The Finger in the Flame”, 2005 (Fingeren i Flammen).

1986: The plays “The Invisible Town”(Den usynlige By) and “The Dancing Lesson” (Dansetimen). 1993 – 1998: The Trilogy: “Morning and Evening” ( Morgen og Aften) “The Blessed Child” (Det velsignede barn) “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust” (Aske til Aske, Støv til Støv). 2002: “The Cold Heart” (Det kolde hjerte). 2003: ”The End of the World” (Verdens Ende). 2007: “Pietà”. 2010: “ Red and Green” (Rødt og Grønt).

All of the plays have been produced in Denmark, and many of them also in Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and the US.


List of professional posts:

1992 – 1994: Co-editor of the periodical “Kritik”
2000 – 2002: Member of the Literary Council
1984 – 1998: Member of the Board of the Society of Danish Playwrights
1992 – 1995: Resident playwright at Aarhus Theatre
2011 – Member of The Danish Academy


Awards inter alia:

1983: Nordic Radio Drama Prize
1986: Edvard Pedersen’s Library Fund Prize to Authors
1987: The Kjell Abell Prize
1995: The Prize of Honour of the Society of Authors
1996: The Holberg Medal
1997: Danish Arts Council: Lifelong Endowment.
2002: The Wilhelm Hansen Foundation Award
2004: The Reumert Award for best play
2004: The Nordic Playwright Award
2012: The Dan Turèll Medal