''Anne Pedersdotter'' (English version, ''The Witch'', trans.

John Masefield John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer. He was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death in 1967, during which time he lived at Burcot, Oxfordshire, near Abingdon ...

) is a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

written in 1908 by Norwegian

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

Hans Wiers-Jenssen Hans Wiers-Jenssen (25 November 1866 – 25 August 1925) was a Norwegian novelist, playwright, stage producer and theatre historian. Wiers-Jenssen was employed at the theatres Christiania Theatre, Nationaltheatret and Den Nationale Scene. ...

. The play is based on an incident from 1590, when Anne Pedersdotter, the widow of priest

Absalon Pederssøn Beyer Absalon Pederssøn Beyer (c. 1528 – 9 April 1575) was a Norwegian people, Norwegian author, lecturer and Lutheran clergyman. Beyer contributed greatly to the spiritual Reformation in Norway. He is best known today for his diary or annal of ...

, was accused of witchcraft and burned alive in the city of

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

Plot

The play gives a picture of the cultural history of the time, but the plot is not based on historical facts. The title character falls victim of an irresistible desire for her stepson Martin, who is a young theologian. The sinful passion between the young couple shows signs of being bewitched. In the end Anne is convicted as a witch.

Productions

The play premiered at

Nationaltheatret The National Theatre in Oslo () is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts. History The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was ...

Kristiania Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, an ...

on 12 February 1908, staged by

Halfdan Christensen Halfdan Christensen (12 December 1873 – 17 September 1950) was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. Biography Christensen was born at Porsgrunn in Telemark, Norway. His family moved to Kristiania (now Oslo) where he attended Aars ...

Johanne Dybwad Johanne Dybwad (née Juell; 2 August 1867 – 4 March 1950) was a Norwegian stage actress and stage producer. She was the leading actress in Norwegian theatre for half a century. Early and personal life Johanne was born in Oslo, Christiani ...

played the role character "Anne", Stub Wiberg played her husband "Absalon Pederssøn", August Oddvar played their son "Martin", and Sofie Reimers played "Merete Beyer". A 1909 production at

Den Nationale Scene Den Nationale Scene () is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatres in Norway. History Opened under the name '' Det Norske Theater'' in 1850, the theatre has roots dating back to its ...

in Bergen, staged by Wiers-Jenssen, was well received. The play has later been staged at many Norwegian theatres, as well as in other European countries, and on stages in Asia and America.

Opera adaptations

The play was adapted for the opera ''La fiamma'' in 1934, with music by

Ottorino Respighi Ottorino Respighi ( , , ; 9 July 187918 April 1936) was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. List of compositions by Ottorino Respighi, His compositions ra ...

. The opera ''Anne Pedersdotter'' with music by

Edvard Fliflet Bræin Edvard Fliflet Bræin (23 August 1924 – 30 April 1976) was a Norwegian composer and conductor. He is best remembered for the composition ''Ut mot havet'' and the opera ''Anne Pedersdotter''. Personal life Bræin was born in Kristiansund a ...

and libretto by Hans Kristiansen (based on Wiers-Jenssen's play) premiered in Oslo in 1971.

Film adaptations

The play ''Anne Pedersdotter'' was basis for the Danish film '' Day of Wrath'' () from 1943, directed by

Carl Theodor Dreyer Carl Theodor Dreyer (; 3 February 1889 – 20 March 1968), commonly known as Carl Th. Dreyer, was a Danish film director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers in history, his movies are noted for emotional austerity ...

List of characters

* Anne Pedersdotter * Absalon Pederssøn * Martin * Merete Beyer * Master Johannes * Master Laurentius * The bishop * Herlofs-Marte (witch)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anne Pedersdotter 1908 plays Norwegian plays Plays set in Norway Plays set in the 1590s Plays based on actual events Witch hunting in fiction