Does this theatre need an introduction!?
Built at the request of Queen Lovisa Ulrika !t was completed in 1766.
It’s the mother of all historic theatres in the world, being hidden for many years.
In 1792 the theatre was closed. And it stayed closed for 130 years, until it was rediscovered in the 1920’s.
After a first visit in 2005 and the reading of many books on the subject, I was happy to come back here, this time invited by the STTF/ Svensk Teaterteknisk Förening
Invitations like this always have the advantage that you’re able to see more than is shown on a regular tourist tour, and have the chance to ask more questions to the the local specialists and architect.
Built at the request of Queen Lovisa Ulrika !t was completed in 1766.
It’s the mother of all historic theatres in the world, being hidden for many years.
In 1792 the theatre was closed. And it stayed closed for 130 years, until it was rediscovered in the 1920’s.
After a first visit in 2005 and the reading of many books on the subject, I was happy to come back here, this time invited by the STTF/ Svensk Teaterteknisk Förening
Invitations like this always have the advantage that you’re able to see more than is shown on a regular tourist tour, and have the chance to ask more questions to the the local specialists and architect.
The most facinating part of the theatre is the extensiveness of the machinery: wings, elevators, borders, lights, everything is rigged so it can be moved an d switched in one single movement.
This is the main capstan to change the wings.
It must be the only vertical capstan I've ever see, as they are mostly lying down.
4 wings can be prepared at once to interchange, you do have to change the ropes from one chariot to another if you use more than 2 wing sets.
Due to the vertical capstan, it's also necessary to splice the rope for each wing.
Basically you only lead 4 ropes to the capstan: stage left in and out and stage right in and out.
Each rope is spliced to the number of wings on each side:
None of the systems are counter weighted, but when we tried to do the scene change of the wings our selves, we didn't need that much muscle.
Same thing goes for the elevators.
We didn't try that with a person it, but that seems much harder.
This capstan is in horizontal position.
In the under stage, there are similar system to rise the flood lights an to turn the wing lights, but the upper stage machinery is equally impressive.
Here an horizontal capstan controls the borders.
To my understanding, this capstan can also be turned from the understage.
In the front is a big thunder cabinet and they have also a working set of clouds for the deus ex machina.
Quite impressive in size!
A special gem, hidden in the French garden of the castle is the Leaf Theatre.
This is an open air theatre, dating from the same era as the court theatre.
Here the wings are formed by hedges, positioned like the wings of the baroque theatre.
This is what the stage looks like with a bunch of people in it:
And this is the view from the stage towards the audience area:
Best way to reach Drottningholm is by boat from the center of Stockholm.
The boatride takes about an hour, and the boat can also take you back.
The boatride takes about an hour, and the boat can also take you back.
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