The Theatre Museum in the Court Theatre () is situated at

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...

Slotsholmen Slotsholmen (English: The Castle Islet) is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. The name is taken from the successive castles and palaces located on the island since Bishop Absalon constructed the ci ...

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

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, above the Royal Stables, and is on the first floor of the building. Its collection describes Danish theatre history from the 18th century to the present.

History

The museum was originally founded in 1912 by a private group of theatre enthusiasts. Under the leadership of (1880–1966), the head of the Theatre Museum at the Court Theatre, it was moved in 1922 to the old Court Theatre. The museum deals with Danish history theatre history and seeks to document the history of professional theatre through the collection of pictures, letters, costumes, props and models of theatre buildings and set designs. The Court Theatre is actually part of the museum exhibition, since the public has free access to walk around the theatre building. The auditorium is also used for various events such as readings, lectures, concerts and small guest acting. Television programs such as ' are broadcast live from the Court Theatre.

The Court Theatre

Copenhagen Castle Copenhagen Castle ( da, Københavns Slot) was a castle on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built in the late 14th century and was located at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace. History In 1167, Bisho ...

had a theatre, but when Christiansborg was to be built, the theatre was omitted by the strongly religious and

pietistic Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...

builder,

Christian VI Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

. Later, Christian VII began to have performances in the dining hall and sometimes even participated as an actor himself. It developed into a real palace theatre in 1766. A room that had been built as a

tack TACK is a group of archaea acronym for Thaumarchaeota (now Nitrososphaerota), Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota (now Thermoproteota), and Korarchaeota, the first groups discovered. They are found in different environments ranging from acidophilic the ...

room above the stables in the eastern equestrian wing was now converted into a theatre hall. The room was designed by architect

Nicolas-Henri Jardin Nicolas-Henri Jardin (22 March 1720 – 31 August 1799) was a French architect. Born in St. Germain des Noyers, Seine-et-Marne, Jardin worked seventeen years in Denmark–Norway as an architect to the Danish royal court. He introduced neoclassicis ...

and inaugurated in January 1767. No pictures or detailed descriptions are known. The room was intended to be used as both a theatre and a ballroom, and so the sloping boards of the theatre could be made straight. In 1842 the theatre was rebuilt in the

Biedermeier The ''Biedermeier'' period was an era in Central Europe between 1815 and 1848 during which the middle class grew in number and the arts appealed to common sensibilities. It began with the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in ...

style, and the red box theatre can be seen today. It eventually became an annex to the Royal Theatre, and in 1881 it was closed due to new fire regulations, and most of the furnishings were sold. For a time the room served as a furniture warehouse. There were plans to convert it into a "speech stage" for DKK 600,000 but fire safety was a problem.

References

External links

Teatermuseet official website

Teatermuseet website
1922 establishments in Denmark Museums established in 1912 Theatres in Copenhagen Museums in Copenhagen Theatre museums {{Europe-theat-struct-stub