National Swedish Touring Theatre

Swedish touring theatre company

Playbill for the production of *Man and Superman* by George Bernard Shaw, Riksteatern, 1960

A 1959 Riksteatern playbill for a production of *My Fair Lady*

The National Swedish Touring Theatre^[1] (Swedish: Riksteatern) is the largest touring theatre company in Sweden. It serves as Sweden's national stage on tour. The company is owned and funded by 240 local economic associations spread throughout the country. Their main goal is to promote and produce high-quality theatre for all of Sweden, with a focus on areas outside of the major cities.

The National Swedish Touring Theatre was established in 1933 and has been touring throughout Sweden ever since. Some of Sweden's most renowned theatre companies, such as the Royal Dramatic Theatre (the national stage) and the Cullberg Ballet, frequently collaborate with the National Swedish Touring Theatre, showcasing many of their most popular productions.

History

The National Swedish Touring Theatre was established in 1933 by Arthur Engberg with the goal of bringing top-quality theatrical productions to audiences outside of Stockholm. Engberg's belief that all citizens of Sweden deserved access to high-quality theatre prompted a national debate, ultimately leading to the theatre's establishment with state funding and support.^{[citation needed]}

Initially, in the 1930s, the National Swedish Touring Theatre functioned as the touring branch of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sweden, allowing them to bring productions to audiences who were unable to attend the national stage in Stockholm. However, in the 1940s, the touring theatre was granted its own ensemble and began producing stage shows exclusively for the National Swedisch Touring Theatre, with the intention of touring throughout the country.

In 1966 the National Swedish Touring Theatre underwent corporatisation with Sweden's second influential touring theatre organisation, Svenska Teatern, to form Svenska Riksteatern. The following year, in 1967, the National Swedish Touring Theatre established a division entitled Unga Riks ("Young Riksteatern"), to produce theatre productions specifically for children and youth. For three decades, Unga Riks dedicated itself to providing quality theatre for children, regularly performing in schools throughout Sweden at an affordable cost.

Since 1977 the theatre group Riksteatern Crea, previously known as Tyst Teater ("Silent Theatre"), has also been a prominent part of the National Swedish Touring Theatre. The unique group specialises in staging theatrical works for the deaf community using sign language, and has gained international recognition and widespread acclaim in recent years.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Lars Norén, one of Sweden's preeminent contemporary playwrights, founded Riks Drama as a division of the National Swedish Touring Theatre. Additionally, the section of Riks Gästspel was established, which showcases guest performances by the National Swedish Touring Theatre abroad.^[2]

A standard National Swedish Touring Theatre playbill cover from the 1940s and 50s

References

^ Gullberg, Ingvar E. (1977). Svensk-engelsk fackordbok för näringsliv, förvaltning, undervisning och forskning [A Swedish-English dictionary of technical terms used in business, industry, administration, education and research] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1631. ISBN 91-1-775052-0. SELIBR 8345587.
^ "Historia | Riksteatern". 2011-08-08. Archived from the original on 2011-08-08. Retrieved 2023-05-24.