Dramaten
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Royal Dramatic Theatre ( sv, Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages. The theatre has been at its present location in the Art Nouveau building at Nybroplan, Stockholm, since 1908. The theatre was built by the architect
Fredrik Lilljekvist Johan Fredrik Lilljekvist (Stockholm 8 October 1863 - Stockholm 18 December 1932) was a Swedish architect. He is best known for his controversial restoration of Gripsholm Castle and as the architect of the new building for the Royal Dramatic Thea ...
. Famous artists like Carl Milles and
Carl Larsson Carl Olof Larsson (; 28 May 1853 – 22 January 1919) was a Swedish painter representative of the Arts and Crafts movement. His many paintings include oils, watercolors, and frescoes. He is principally known for his watercolors of idyllic fa ...
were involved in making the decorations, and some of the interior decorations were made by Prince Eugen. The theatre's acting school, the Royal Dramatic Training Academy, produced many actors and directors who would go on to be famous, including
Gustaf Molander Gustaf Harald August Molander (18 November 1888 – 19 June 1973) was a Swedish actor and film director. His parents were director Harald Molander, Sr. (1858–1900) and singer and actress Lydia Molander, ''née'' Wessler, and his brother was th ...
(who also taught there), Alf Sjöberg,
Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic ch ...
, Vera Schmiterlöw, Signe Hasso, Ingrid Bergman,
Gunnar Björnstrand Knut Gunnar Johanson (13 November 1909 – 24 May 1986) was a Swedish actor known for his frequent work with writer and director Ingmar Bergman. Biography Björnstrand was born Knut Gunnar Johanson in Stockholm as son of actor Oscar Johanson a ...
,
Max von Sydow Max von Sydow ( , ; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish-French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...
, and Bibi Andersson. The school was split off as a separate institution in 1967 (see Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting).


History


17th and 18th century

The first Swedish theatre opened in Bollhuset and Lejonkulan in 1667 and employed only foreign companies. While the plays were sometimes open to the public, it remained more or less a court theatre. The first Swedish play, ''Den Svenska Sprätthöken'', was performed in 1737 by the first Swedish theatre company. The
Swedish theatre The Swedish Theatre ( sv, Svenska Teatern) is a Swedish-language theatre in Helsinki, Finland, and is located at the Erottaja ( sv, Skillnaden) square, at the end of Esplanadi ( sv, Esplanaden). It was the first national stage of Finland. Hi ...
was turned out of their playhouse by Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia after the 1753–54 season, and the playhouse was given to a French company. In 1771, king Gustav III fired the French company and encouraged Swedish talents, and thus, the Royal Swedish Opera was founded in Bollhuset. A theatre of spoken drama was founded by Fredrik Ristell in the same building in 1787, but was not to last long. In 1788 Ristell fled the country to escape his creditors. The actors formed a company and asked for the king's protection, which led to the establishment of the national theatre. Sweden's national stage for dramatic art (spoken drama) was established by
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Gustav III in 1788. It was then that the Royal Theatre (''Kungliga Teatern'') in Sweden was officially split in two, and the Royal Theatre (today known as the Royal Swedish Opera) became thereafter solely an opera stage. For spoken drama a new theatre was built specifically, called Kungliga ''Dramatiska'' Teatern—the Royal ''Dramatic'' Theatre, to distinguish it from the Royal Theatre (the opera stage). The king became the formal director and placed the theatre under Royal protection, to be ruled by the actors themselves by votes every fourteenth day under the supervision of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. This rule was quite chaotic, and the voting is described as capricious and temperamental: "The male actors arguing with each other, one of the ladies voting yes because another lady voted no, others of them counting their buttons and letting fate decide", and in 1803, the actors themselves asked for the system to be replaced by a director. The Royal Dramatic Theatre was located in the old premises at Bollhuset during its first years, but in 1792, the old building was deemed to be to run down, and 1 November 1793, the theatre was opened in the Palace of Makalös, also called Arsenalen, where the theatre was to be located for the next thirty years; it was now often commonly called the Arsenal Theatre. In 1798, the theatres and operas of Stockholm were united by a royal monopoly, and the "Two Stages" ruled uncontested over the city for over forty years.


19th and 20th century

In 1825, the old Palace building of the theatre caught fire and burned down in the middle of a performance. The theatre was now located in the same building as the Opera, an arrangement that was to continue for almost forty years. The middle of the 19th century was to mean changes both within and without the theatre. In 1834, the actors, infuriated by a new system that replaced their percent of the theatre income by a set salary, went on strike, knowing they had succeeded with a similar action against an unpopular director in 1828. This time, however, the strike was broken by the government, which gave some of them raised salaries and fired the others with pensions. The fired actors founded a theatre company that performed all around town, and in 1842, the theatre monopoly was broken and a second theatre was founded in Stockholm; by the 1850s, there were several theatres in the city, and the Royal Dramatic Theatre experienced heavy competition, especially from the Svenska teatern (Swedish Theatre). There was much criticism about the sharing of localities between the opera and the theatre, as the localities of the Opera were built for singing and considered unsuitable for spoken drama. In 1863, the Royal Dramatic Theatre purchased the playhouse of an old rival theatre,
Mindre teatern Mindre teatern (''The Smaller Theatre''), Nya teatern (''The New Theatre''), Lindeberska teatern (''The Lindeberg Theatre''), was a Swedish theatre at Kungsgatan in Stockholm, active 1842–1863. The building was used as localities for the Royal ...
, and moved the theatre to it. Here the Royal Dramatic Theatre remained until 1907, and it was here new dramas of the 19th Century were performed: the pioneering plays of Ibsen and Chekov, as well as
August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...
's late dramatic works, for example ''Till Damaskus'' ('' To Damascus''). But at the beginning of the 20th century, the playhouse was rundown and in desperate need of renovation and a more modern, functional stage. From the 1880s the national stage had suffered stiff competition from several new private theatres in Stockholm, in particular, the Svenska teatern (Swedish Theatre), which was run by the charismatic theatre personality
Albert Ranft Albert Adam Ranft (23 November 1858 – 5 October 1938) was a Swedish theatre director and actor. Biography Albert Adam Ranft was born in Stockholm, the son of Adolf Fredrik Ranft and Katarina Amalia Reijhell. His brother Gustaf Adolf Ranft ...
. Many of the original Swedish stagings of Ibsen's plays had been produced at the Swedish Theatre instead of the national stage, as well as new German and French dramatic works, and the national stage was at the same time accused of being old, dusty and overcrowded. There was lively debate in the press on the subject of refurbishing the national stage at Kungsträdgården. Many different kinds of restoration were proposed, but King
Oscar II Oscar II (Oscar Fredrik; 21 January 1829 – 8 December 1907) was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death in 1907 and King of Norway from 1872 to 1905. Oscar was the son of King Oscar I and Queen Josephine. He inherited the Swedish and Norweg ...
was not satisfied with any of the suggestions. Instead, the decision was soon made to completely tear down the old theatre building and to build a new, bigger, fresher and more modern one at a more suitable location. From the 1850s onwards, Stockholm as a city and as Sweden's definitive capital had changed considerably as had its centre. In 1881, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, which had until then been financed by the royal court—which gave the actors status as court staff—was separated from the court and the royal family and made a state theatre, which was completed in 1888. The new location that was eventually picked out for the new Royal Dramatic Theatre Nybroplan was closer to what was then becoming the heart of Stockholm and was beautifully situated by the waterfront.
Fredrik Lilljekvist Johan Fredrik Lilljekvist (Stockholm 8 October 1863 - Stockholm 18 December 1932) was a Swedish architect. He is best known for his controversial restoration of Gripsholm Castle and as the architect of the new building for the Royal Dramatic Thea ...
was appointed the head architect, and on February 18, 1908, the national stage's new theatre building at Nybroplan opened with
Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...
's new play ''Mäster Olof''. This building is the present Royal Dramatic Theatre. Here the legendary theatre directors, brothers Olof and
Gustaf Molander Gustaf Harald August Molander (18 November 1888 – 19 June 1973) was a Swedish actor and film director. His parents were director Harald Molander, Sr. (1858–1900) and singer and actress Lydia Molander, ''née'' Wessler, and his brother was th ...
, Alf Sjöberg, and Ingmar BergmanShakespeare, William. Bate, Jonathan, editor. ''The Winter’s Tale''. Modern Library. 2009. Page 142. formed the Swedish theatre and helped shape Sweden's theatrical history with their 20th-century performances. When mentioning the national stage in Sweden, the reference is generally the old Royal Dramatic Theatre (meaning ''Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern'' that was located at Kungsträdgården 1788–1907) and then the new/present Royal Dramatic Theatre, a.k.a. ''Dramaten'', located at Nybroplan since 1908 ("Dramaten" is not used when referring to the old Royal Dramatic Theatre).


Stages

Dramaten currently houses five stages: * Stora scenen – the main stage, since 1908 (720 seats) * Lilla scenen – the second stage, since 1945; renovated and re-opened in 2000 (340 seats) * Målarsalen – since 1971; a former painting studio for theatrical scenery (160 seats) * Tornrummet – the small, intimate stage; stage formerly used by the old Royal Dramatic Theare's acting school (60 seats) * Lejonkulan – Young Dramaten; Dramaten's regular stage for school plays


Managing Directors

''of the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten):'' * (2020-) - * (2015-2019) - Eirik Stubø * (2009-2014) – Marie-Louise Ekman * (2002–2008) –
Staffan Valdemar Holm Staffan Valdemar Holm (born 7 October 1958 in Tomelilla, Skåne) is a Swedish-German theatre director. Staffan Valdemar Holm was trained at Statens Teaterskole in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was managing director of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in ...
* (1997–2002) – Ingrid Dahlberg * (1986–1997) – Lars Löfgren * (1985-1985) – Ingvar Kjellson * (1981–1985) –
Lasse Pöysti Lasse Erik Pöysti (24 January 1927 – 5 April 2019) was a Finnish actor, director, theatre manager and writer. He was born in Sortavala. Biography Pöysti began his career as a child actor, becoming known to the Finnish public as Olli Suomin ...
* (1975–1981) –
Jan-Olof Strandberg Jan-Olof Strandberg (9 September 1926 – 2 May 2020) was a Swedish stage and film actor. He appeared in 45 films since 1947. On stage one of his most famous parts was as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's '' Waiting for Godot'', at Sweden's Royal Dr ...
* (1966–1975) – Erland Josephson * (1963–1966) – Ingmar Bergman * (1951–1963) – Karl Ragnar Gierow * (1948–1961) – Ragnar Josephson * (1938–1948) –
Pauline Brunius Pauline Brunius, née ''Emma Maria Pauline Lindstedt'' (10 February 1881 in Stockholm – 30 March 1954 in Stockholm) was a Swedish stage and film actor, screenwriter and film and theatre director. She was the managing director of the Royal Dr ...
* (1934–1938) – Olof Molander * (1928–1934) – Erik Wettergren * (1922–1928) – Tore Svennberg * (1910–1922) – Tor Hedberg * (1908–1910) – Knut Michaelson ''of the old Royal Dramatic Theatre:'' * (1904–1907) – Gustaf Fredriksson * (1898–1904) –
Nils Personne Lieutenant General Nils Birger Valdemar Personne (29 June 1918 – 26 August 2013) was a Swedish Air Force officer. Personne's senior commands includes Vice Chief of the Air Staff (1961–1966), commander of the 4th Air Group (1966), chief of st ...
* (1888–1898) – Gustaf Fredriksson * (1883–1888) – Anders Willman * (1881–1883) – Henrik Westin * (1866–1881) – Erik Vilhelm af Edholm * (1861–1866) – Eugène von Stedingk * (1860-1860) – Daniel Hwasser * (1856–1860) –
Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius (1818–1889) was a Swedish scholar of cultural history, librarian, theatre director, and diplomat. Gunnar was the son of a clergyman from Vislanda, Småland, and the brother of the chemist Carl Erengisle Hyltén-C ...
* (1852–1856) – Knut Bonde * (1848–1852) – Svante Gustaf Schyberg * (1844–1848) – Hugo Adolf Hamilton * (1840–1844) – Svante Gustaf Schyberg * (1838–1840) – Karl David Forsberg (financial director) * (1838–1844) – Alexis Baeckman (director of scenery) * (1832–1838) – Per Westerstrand * (1831–1832) – Bernhard von Beskow * (1827–1831) – Karl Johan Puke * (1823–1827) – Gustaf Lagerbjelke * (1818–1823) – Gustav Fredrik Åkerhielm * (1818-1818) – Crown Prince Oscar * (1818-1818) – J.P. Törner * (1812–1818) – Gustav Löwenhielm * (1810–1812) – Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand * (1804–1810) – Abraham Niclas Clewberg-Edelcrantz * (1798–1804) – J. Hugo Hamilton * (1792–1798) – Klaes Rålamb * (1788–1792) –
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (russian: Граф Густав-Маврикий Максимович Армфельт, tr, ; 31 March 1757 – 19 August 1814) was a Finnish- Swedish- Russian courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one ...


See also

* Stockholm City Theatre (Stockholms stadsteater) * Gothenburg City Theatre (Göteborgs stadsteater) * Malmö City Theatre (Malmö stadsteater) * Helsingborg City Theatre (Helsingborgs stadsteater) *
Riksteatern Riksteatern is the name of the popular ''"National Touring Theatre"/"National Theatre Company"'' (~Eng. transl.) in Sweden. It's the biggest theatre company on tour in Sweden and can, in one way, almost be described as Sweden's national stage ...
(~The National Touring Theatre Company)


Footnotes


References

* Georg Nordensvan, ''Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Första bandet 1773-1842'' ('Swedish Theatre and Swedish actors from the days of Gustav III to our days. First book 1772-1842') * Georg Nordensvan, ''Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Andra bandet 1842-1918'' ('Swedish Theatre and Swedish actors from the days of Gustav III to our days. Second book 1842-1918')


External links


DRAMATEN - The Royal Dramatic Theatre
(official website)
Dramaten's current repertoire
{{authority control National theatres Theatres in Stockholm Theatre companies in Sweden 1788 establishments in Sweden Art Nouveau architecture in Stockholm Art Nouveau theatres Theatres completed in 1908