Det Dramatiske Selskab is the name for several Norwegian
amateur theatre drama troupes. These troupes were the first permanent theatre troupes in the cities of
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. The period between 1780–1830 is described by many as ''the age of the dramatic companies''.
History
The
amateur theatre companies of Det Dramatiske Selskap founded the first theatres and gave the first regular performances in Norwegian cities. Previously, Norway was visited by travelling foreign troupes which performed in temporary structures. However, the theatres run by the amateur troupes of Det Dramatiske Selskap were not public theatres, but private.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Christiania (
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 ...
)
An amateur theatre performed in the city is recorded in 1765. Founded 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 1780, it gave the first regular theatre performances in Norway. On 24 October 1780, they performed ''The coffeehouse or the Scottish woman'' by
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...
translated by
Ditlevine Feddersen Ditlevine Feddersen (née Collett; 19 July 1727 – 18 November 1803) was a Norwegian poet, translator and culture personality. She was the older sister of Mathia Collett.
Biography
She was one of eleven children of the wealthy merchant Peter Coll ...
starring
Henriette Mathiesen
Anna Henrikka "Henriette" Petronelle Mathiesen (16 November 1762 – 18 March 1825 in Aker), was a Norwegian actress and culture personality. She was the first leading lady of the first theatre in Oslo, Det Dramatiske Selskab.
Mathiesen was born i ...
(Lindane) and
Envold Falsen (Frelon).
They performed first in
Gevæxthuset, a concert house from the 1760s by
Grændsehaven and, from 1802, in
Dramatiken, beside the
Centralteatret
Centralteatret ( en, Central Theater) is a theatre on Akersgata in the city centre of Oslo, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western ...
They replaced the temporary theatre staged by
Martin Nürenbach
Martin Nürenbach or ''Nurembach'' (unknown – 1780) was a German acrobat, stage actor, dancer and equilibrist active in Sweden, Norway and Finland. He was a pioneer in Norwegian theater history by founding the first public theater in Oslo in t ...
in the city 1771–1772, and was in turn replaced by the theatre of
Johan Peter Strömberg
Johan Peter Strömberg (19 August 1773 – 20 September 1834) was a Swedish stage actor, dancer and theatre director. He was the founder of the first public theatre and acting school in Oslo, Norway.
Biography
Johan Peter Strömberg was bor ...
in 1827, the
Christiania Offentlige Theater, which was the origin of the first Norwegian national theatre,
Christiania Theatre.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Christianssand
Kristiansand is a seaside resort city and municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 112,000 as of January 2020, following the incorporation ...
Founded in 1787 by
Henrik Arnold Thaulow,
Nicolai Emanuel de Thygeson
Nicolai Emanuel de Thygeson or Niels Emanuel de Thygeson (19 April 1772–16 May 1860) was a Danish-Norwegian landowner and government official. The Thygeson family was originally a Danish noble family. Nevertheless, Thygeson was one of those ...
, and
Nicolai Wergeland
Nicolai Wergeland (9 November 1780 – 25 March 1848) was a Norwegian minister, writer and politician, and a member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll that wrote the Constitution of Norway on 17 May 1814. He was elected as one of ...
(father of
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...
and
Camilla Collett
Jacobine Camilla Collett (née Wergeland; 23 January 1813 – 6 March 1895) was a Norwegian writer, often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist. She was also the younger sister of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland, and is recognized as bein ...
).
Their first theatre burned down in 1892, and the second was torn down in 1966. It is now counted as the first amateur theatre in Norway, and is located at
Agder Theater
Kilden Teater is a Norwegian theatre based in Kristiansand. It was established in 1991, and has been the regional theatreAgd ...
.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
Established in 1794 alongside
Det Harmoniske Selskab (founded in 1765), it soon became more independent of it and popular.
From 1800 it had its own theatre building,
Komediehuset på Engen, until 1828; this theatre was later to be the first public theatre in Bergen, when it, after Det Dramatiske Selskap had left in 1828, became the first travelling professional Danish theatre troupe, and, in 1850, it came to
Den Nationale Scene, the first public theatre in Bergen. The building was burnt after the bombardment of 15 June 1940.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Arendal
Arendal () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder counties of Norway, county in southeastern Norway. Arendal belongs to the Districts of Norway, region of Southern Norway, Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the munici ...
The Dramatic company of Arendal was founded in 1796 and performed in
Comediehuset of Arendal
Comediehuset (The Comedy House) or Sillgateteatern (The Herring-Street Theatre) was a Swedish theatre, active in Gothenburg from 1779 until 1833. It was the first permanent Public theatre in Gothenburg and the only one until 1816. It was located a ...
, a building that it owns. They are still active.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Drammen
Founded in 1801.
Det Forenede Dramatiske Selskab in
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
Founded in 1802 and performed in their own theatre building from 1816. In 1861, they gave the use of their theatre house to the first permanent theatre of the city, the
Throndhjems Theater Throndhjems Theater was a historic theatre in Trondheim in Norway, active between 1861 and 1865. It was the first permanent theatre in Trondhjem.
Previously, theater in Tronhjem had consisted of travelling theatre companies and the amateur society ...
.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Laurvig
Founded in 1810.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Fredrikshald
Founded in 1819.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Stavanger
Stavanger (, , American English, US usually , ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the a ...
Founded in 1823.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Egersund
Founded in 1825.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in Christiansund
Founded in 1830.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Tromsø
Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø.
Tromsø lies ...
Founded in 1832.
Det Dramatiske Selskab in
Hammerfest
Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerfe ...
Founded in 1839.
References
Hjemmesidewww.dramatiske.no*
Kirsten Broch, ''Komedianter og kremmere. Det dramatiske Selskab i Bergen 1794-1994.'' (1994).
* ''Musikere og musikkliv i Bergen 1750-1830'' drøfter Randi M. Selvig
* http://www.nb.no/nbvev/eksternvev/html/et_kongeligt_national_theater.html
* H.J. Huitfeldt : Christiania Theaterhistorie (The theatre history of Christiania) (in Norwegian)
{{authority control
History of Oslo
History of theatre
18th-century theatre
19th-century theatre
18th century in Norway
19th century in Norway
Theatre companies in Norway
Arts organizations established in the 18th century
18th-century establishments in Norway
Arts organizations established in the 19th century
19th-century establishments in Norway