Panic! In Swedonia.
The King is dead and the prince next in line to the throne is unmarried – if he doesn’t find someone soon he must forfeit the crown!
In New York City, baker Aaron Butcher is butchering his career as a family baker. Maybe a commission in the non-location-specific country of Swedonia will fix his problems…
Following the sold-out, award-winning shows Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, Awkward Productions are back with a brand new show that Flicks through the Net of traditional holiday movies, bringing all their Hallmarks together in the signature awkwardprods way - queer, chaotic, comedic and heartfelt.
Written by and starring Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, with original music by Leland and multiple surprise cameos, this highly anticipated show is as much a love letter to Karp’s native Sweden as it is a subversion of heteronormative romcoms.
Ahead of the show we caught up Linus and Joseph to learn more.
What can you tell me about The Fit Prince?
It’s a holiday rom-com Awkward Production style – full of comedy, audience participation, pop music bangers by Leland, puppets, multimedia appearances and it’s VERY queer. You get to travel to the fictional country of Swedonia, which is like Sweden but even more queer. (Which says a lot as Sweden is the country responsible for ABBA, Robyn, Young Royals, Loreen, Alexander Skarsgård, Blåhaj… the list goes on.)
What inspired the creation of the piece?
One of our obsessions is Netflix and Hallmark holiday movies. For a long time, we wanted to make our own gayer version. Playing with the stereotypes and finding the surprising moments in the predictable cliches.
One of our obsessions is Netflix and Hallmark holiday movies. For a long time, we wanted to make our own gayer version. Playing with the stereotypes and finding the surprising moments in the predictable cliches.
The show is described as "a joyous subversion of heteronormative romcoms". How have you approached putting your own Awkward Prods style to this story?
Did I mention we made it gayer? We also added puppets, obviously. Gerta is my favourite puppet I’ve ever seen, can’t wait for London to fall in love with her. We’ve added some absolute BANGERS by Leland, multimedia appearances and, as always with Awkward Prods, a lot of audience participation.
Did I mention we made it gayer? We also added puppets, obviously. Gerta is my favourite puppet I’ve ever seen, can’t wait for London to fall in love with her. We’ve added some absolute BANGERS by Leland, multimedia appearances and, as always with Awkward Prods, a lot of audience participation.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run?
We try our best to stay vocally, physically and mentally healthy, we are quite good at supporting each other at this point. I did however realise I made a big mistake when I cast myself as the Fit Prince in a show called The Fit Prince and then cast a lot of people much fitter…
How has the collaboration with Golden Globe nominated Leland been and how does the music enhance the world of the show?
He’s a dream and just the most wonderful person. He wrote the songs for Gwyneth Goes Skiing, which really helped elevate that show and take it internationally, so we are so thrilled to have him back. Just you wait until you hear his BAAB songs…
He’s a dream and just the most wonderful person. He wrote the songs for Gwyneth Goes Skiing, which really helped elevate that show and take it internationally, so we are so thrilled to have him back. Just you wait until you hear his BAAB songs…
You welcome a number of digital cameos to the show, how do these fit in to the piece?
We want to create a big show with a big cast on a small budget - so adding video cameos, audience roles and puppets very much helps with that! The majority of people are performers we already know and who are wonderful – like Kate Butch, Sebastian Croft, Geri Allen, Jeremy McClain and Yshee Black. Given that the show is set in Swedonia, heavily inspired by my native Sweden of course, we wanted to have a really badass woman to play the Prime Minister. We’ve been fans of Tove Lo for ages and wrote the role specifically for her. When she said yes we couldn’t believe our luck. We wanted to make sure the show had a Swedish feel to it, so besides Tove, we are so happy to have our friends Malte Gårdinger and Julia Bender in the show, who are both so funny. And as it is inspired by Netflix Holiday romcoms, we wanted to have someone from that world, and we got the brilliant Josh Whitehouse, Sir Cole in A Knight Before Christmas (one of our favourite films!), to make an appearance. And take off his shirt.
We want to create a big show with a big cast on a small budget - so adding video cameos, audience roles and puppets very much helps with that! The majority of people are performers we already know and who are wonderful – like Kate Butch, Sebastian Croft, Geri Allen, Jeremy McClain and Yshee Black. Given that the show is set in Swedonia, heavily inspired by my native Sweden of course, we wanted to have a really badass woman to play the Prime Minister. We’ve been fans of Tove Lo for ages and wrote the role specifically for her. When she said yes we couldn’t believe our luck. We wanted to make sure the show had a Swedish feel to it, so besides Tove, we are so happy to have our friends Malte Gårdinger and Julia Bender in the show, who are both so funny. And as it is inspired by Netflix Holiday romcoms, we wanted to have someone from that world, and we got the brilliant Josh Whitehouse, Sir Cole in A Knight Before Christmas (one of our favourite films!), to make an appearance. And take off his shirt.
How do you approach the artists you want to feature?
We contact the ones we know directly. With Tove Lo and Josh Whitehouse, who were both new to us, we reached out to their agents. We’re blessed to have reached the level where we have a big network of performers who we love to work with and who want to work with us. Everyone in the show were our first choice for the parts, it’s amazing they all said yes.
We contact the ones we know directly. With Tove Lo and Josh Whitehouse, who were both new to us, we reached out to their agents. We’re blessed to have reached the level where we have a big network of performers who we love to work with and who want to work with us. Everyone in the show were our first choice for the parts, it’s amazing they all said yes.
How do you reflect on the journey with Awkward Prods so far?
I am so grateful that I get to do what I love for a living, that I get to travel and meet amazing people while pretending to be Princess Diana, Gwyneth Paltrow and a fictional prince. I love making queer work, especially at a time where I feel queer joy is very much needed. I aim to keep levelling up and taking our work further, and hopefully into other medium. Come on, let us write a Netflix Christmas film already!
I am so grateful that I get to do what I love for a living, that I get to travel and meet amazing people while pretending to be Princess Diana, Gwyneth Paltrow and a fictional prince. I love making queer work, especially at a time where I feel queer joy is very much needed. I aim to keep levelling up and taking our work further, and hopefully into other medium. Come on, let us write a Netflix Christmas film already!
What are your own favourite Christmas traditions?
I am Swedish, so I celebrate on the 24th. Controversially, in my family we don’t do presents which I actually love. It means we get less caught up in the spending money (which as a theatre maker I rarely have much of anyway!) and it becomes more about spending time together.
I am Swedish, so I celebrate on the 24th. Controversially, in my family we don’t do presents which I actually love. It means we get less caught up in the spending money (which as a theatre maker I rarely have much of anyway!) and it becomes more about spending time together.
What are your top 3 Christmas films?
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, The Knight Before Christmas and The Princess Switch trilogy. Vanessa Hudgens Supremacy.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, The Knight Before Christmas and The Princess Switch trilogy. Vanessa Hudgens Supremacy.
What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
I remember seeing a local production of Peter Pan as a kid. People playing opposite gender, animals and multi-rolling. Pretty magical.
I remember seeing a local production of Peter Pan as a kid. People playing opposite gender, animals and multi-rolling. Pretty magical.
What keeps you inspired?
I love queer work. It’s been great to see a lot of great queer shows on TV recently, like Juice and What it feels like for a Girl. I also went to see Oh Mary! On Broadway while performing in New York. I love things that stupid and queer. And if Jane Krakowski is in it is obviously an added bonus.
I love queer work. It’s been great to see a lot of great queer shows on TV recently, like Juice and What it feels like for a Girl. I also went to see Oh Mary! On Broadway while performing in New York. I love things that stupid and queer. And if Jane Krakowski is in it is obviously an added bonus.
I want them to have had the most fun in their lives and leave at least 80% more gay than when they arrived.
The Fit Prince (Who Gets Switched On in the Square in the Frosty Castle the Night Before Insert Public Holiday Here) is at King’s Head Theatre from 2 December 2025 – 3 January 2026. Tickets available https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/the-fit-prince-who-gets-switched-on-the-square-in-the-frosty-castle-the-night-before-insert-public-holiday-here-hp3z
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