Jan Fredrik "Janken" Varden (born 6 April 1938) is a graduate of The University of Oslo, Law School, stage director and theatre educator. He was born in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) 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 ...
. In 1966 he married poet
Kate Næss (died 1987), and from 1989 he lived with Danish actress Birgitte Halling-Koch. He has worked as stage director at
Riksteatret
Riksteatret (English: National Traveling Theater) is a Norwegian touring theatre. It was established by law in 1948. Its first performance was in Kirkenes in 1949, with Sigurd Christiansen's play ''En reise i natten''. The theatre plays on about 2 ...
- The Norwegian Itinerary Theatre,
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo ( no, Nationaltheatret) 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 Christiani ...
- The National Theatre of Norway,
Fjernsynsteatret Fjernsynsteatret was a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) which produced plays for television broadcasting. It opened in 1960 (after about a year of experimental operation), and operated until 1990, when a major reorganisati ...
, - Television Theatre, and many others. He headed the Norwegian National Theatre School 1976–81, He was head of and first director at
Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater is a theater located in Oslo, Norway. The theater has its main stage in its own theater house at Rosenkrantz' gate 10. It is one of Norway's most visited theatres. Oslo Nye Teater AS is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality. His ...
from 1989 to 1996. He headed the
Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance The Danish National School of Performing Arts (Danish: Den Danske Scenekunstskole) is an artistic educational institution governed by the Danish Ministry of Culture. The school offers higher education and continuing education within performing arts. ...
from 1998 to 2003, and has been decorated Knight of the Danish
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known ...
as well as Knight of the Norwegian order of Saint Olav.
References
1938 births
Living people
Theatre people from Oslo
Norwegian theatre directors
Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog
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