The new show - “Nour El Refai - glows in the dark” - will premiere in November in Kalmar. She came up with the title when she thought about glowing toys for children and how “cool” it was back in the 1990s when she was growing up.
I thought, "How silly if my show was called that," and laughed so hard when I thought of it. Then no one else laughed, but I still felt like, "This feels right."
"That's a bit true too. In the light, I'm more uncomfortable," she continues.
Ways to process
Her latest stand-up show was about being a mother and a partner. She is now approaching 40, has recently separated from Henrik Schyffert and has a new pet - a bearded dragon. Writing a show about it is a way to process everything that happens in life, she says.
Is it a “divorce settlement”?
We're two people who both do stand-up, and we talk about our lives and we're part of each other's lives. It's more like this: it's pretty weird to suddenly be single after 13 years, and as a public figure, everyone knows about it.
The comedian doesn't find it difficult to joke about what might be perceived as private - she has a clear boundary. However, she is happy to talk about herself and her emotional life. In the marketing for the show, El Refai says that she is "sad and has opinions about everything".
It's sad and hard to have gone through a separation. But I would say that my basic feeling is a little sad. You probably recognize that tone from me, that I really want to be happy but that everything else gets in the way all the time.
“A whopping 40”
El Refai's opinions include that women her age are expected to try to look younger and that there is a worrying and harmful internet culture. She herself is "very much 40".
You are expected to be happy when you receive a comment that you look younger, as if being your age is a bad thing.
At the same time, she struggles with an "unrequited love for herself" that is largely about having to mask her autism - which makes her unhappy.
It's a balancing act to be liked by others or to be liked by myself, without having to sacrifice myself.
Current: New stand-up show this fall - "Nour El Refai - glows in the dark".
Has previously done: Toured with self-written comedy shows, hosted Melodifestivalen and "Landet lyckopiller", participated in television programs such as "Parlament" and "Masked Singer", acted in television series such as "Bonusfamiljen" and "Trolltider" and directed the youth series "Skitsamma".
Autumn 2026:
13/11 Kalmar
14/11 Oskarshamn
15/11 Vaxjo
27/11 Nykoping
28/11 Linköping
4/12 Orebro
5/12 Falun
17/12 Jonkoping
18/12 Kristianstad
19/12 Lund
Spring 2027
15/1 Gothenburg
16/1 Halmstad
21/1 Umeå
22/1 Skelleftea
23/1 Luleå
5/2 Uppsala
6/2 Gavle
19/2 and 20/2 Stockholm
4/3 Ornskoldsvik
5/3 Ostersund
6/3 Sundsvall
19/3 Eskilstuna
20/3 Vasteras
13/4 Karlstad
14/4 Oslo, Norway
