Hamlet performances at Kronborg

At the bicentennial commemoration of his death in 1816, a virtual Shakespeare-mania went round the world. This was also the golden age of amateur theatre. In 1816, the commemorative year, theatre enthusiastic amateurs performed Hamlet at the garrison of Kronborg. It is uncertain where the stage was situated, but as the ‘drama society of the military’ had their stage placed in the telegraph tower, the Hamlet play possibly took place here, despite the somewhat limited space of 9 x 7.5 m. The performance most likely commenced with the prologue ‘Hamlet at Kronborg’, which the Danish poet Adam Oehlenschläger had written for the occasion. Some of the words read, ‘from silent vaults retreats the thrill of darkness… Here Hamlet is played. Outside on the terrace path the spirit itself walks by’. It is of particular interest that in 1816 the young lieutenant Nicolai Peter Nielsen most likely played the title role. Four years later he stopped his military career in favour of various roles at the Royal National Theatre in Copenhagen where he became one of the really great actors. In 1826 he replaced Foersom in the role as Hamlet.

100 years later the Royal National Theatre appeared in the Courtyard of Kronborg with the next Hamlet. However, it was not until 1937 that the play became a recurring event. Since then one of the great Shakespeare-interpreters of the last century, Sir Laurence Olivier, has hovered like a paternal spirit over the Hamlet performances at the castle. In 1937 he played Hamlet himself, and for a number of years he was closely linked to The Old Vic Company, the main producer of a number of Hamlet performances at Kronborg, i.a. in 1939 with John Gielgud, in 1954 with Richard Burton, and in 1979 with Derek Jacobi.

Since 1979 there have been a number of attempts to start a new epoch of Hamlet productions at Kronborg, i.a. in 1996 with a ballet performance by Peter Schaufuss and the rock band ‘Sort Sol’. However, it would take 21 years from the last major guest performance until the Courtyard was reopened for Hamlet-productions. In year 2000 the Royal National Theatre, London, performed Hamlet directed by John Caird and Simon Russell Beale in the leading role as Hamlet.

1816 Amateur Drama Society ‘Thalia’
Hamlet was performed in the Canon Tower at the bicentennial commemoration of Shakespeare’s death

1910 Nordic Film Studios shoot the first Hamlet film at Kronborg Castle

Shakespeare at Kronborg Castle