Lejonkulan

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The building Lejonkulan can be seen on this picture to the right outside the wall
Lejonkulan (In English: The Lion's Den), was a historical theatre in Stockholm, Sweden, active in 1667–89. It is mentioned in history as the first theatre in Sweden. In 1686, it was the place of the first Swedish Theatre.

History

Lejonkulan was a building down in and over the partly dry moat at the south corner of the royal palace Tre Kronor. From 1648, it was commonly known by the name "Lejonkulan" ("The Lion's Den"), because two lions, a tribute from the Thirty Years War, was kept there during the reign of Queen Christina of Sweden, when the building at first was erected. Just like two other buildings nearer the palace, the Little and the Great Bollhuset, it was occasionally used for theatre.

In 1667, when the mourning period for the queen dowager-regent Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp had ended and the Swedish court exploded with parties and a search for amusement, Lejonkulan was turned into a theater and decorated as such. Foreign theater companies were hired to perform for the court, often from France, Germany and the Netherlands, as Sweden did not have any theater tradition and therefore no native actors. Plays had been performed at the universities by students long before this, though, and in 1686, the first troupe of professional Swedish actors, made of students, (all male) opened the first Swedish language theatre in Lejonkulan Theatre.

Lejonkulan as a theatre has often been confused with Bollhuset Theatre, as the two buildings were both on and off used by the theatre during the same period. In 1689, the theatre was moved to Bollhuset, which had been used alongside Lejonkulan as an alternative theatrical space, and Bollhuset was renovated as a permanent local for the theatre in 1699. The reason for the change is unknown; some sources claim Lejonkulan burned down in 1689, while others assert that the change was made for artistic reasons. Lejonkulan burned down with the royal palace in 1697.

Actors and companies in the Theater of Lejonkulan

The following troupes likely also performed at the theatres of Little and Great Bollhuset.

The Dutch troupe 1667-1674

This troupe opened the Theater with the play Orontes en Satira by Magnon in February 1667.

  • Salomon Fino
  • Jan Baptista van Fornenberg, 1624-1697, director of the troupe.
  • Helena Heusen, 1622-1680.
  • Daniel Loodewicx
  • Anna Parkar-Boonefaes
  • Geertruyt Rijndorp-Boonefaes
  • Dorotea van Fornenbergh

The Dutch troupe 1680-1684

This troupe performed the play Disa for the public in 1684, and thus, the theater is known to be more than a court theater from this point forward.

  • Gillis Nozeman, husband of Ariana Nozeman
  • Trial Parkar
  • Jacob Sammers, 1632-1689.

The Swedish student-troupe from Uppsala 1686–1691

This (all male) troupe was made up of idealistic students. It had played in Uppsala 1682-86. They were moved to the locals in Bollhuset in 1689.

  • O. Rudbeck
  • Isak Börk
  • Carl Johan Ollieqvisth
  • Andreas Strömbergh
  • Georg Törnqvist-Adlercreutz

See also

References

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