cultural resources in henrik ibsen's early environment - Ibsen.net

V. Plays Advertised in Christianssand and Arendal, for performance in
Sørlandet, 1844-48).
There was no local newspaper in Grimstad in the 1840s, but there were newspapers in
Christianssand and Arendal, two larger towns on the Norwegian coast to the south and
north of Grimstad respectively. Theatre troupes generally traveled by boat along the
coast, and on occasion they put in at Grimstad and performed part of their repertoire. We
do not know which plays they performed in Grimstad, but it is interesting that in 1847 a
company in Sørlandet performed Molière’s Don Juan, since the hero of Ibsen’s first play,
like Don Juan, is a libertine. We also know that Ibsen was aware of Hostrup’s Genboerne
(“Neighbors”), a comedy that was performed in the area during the summer of 1848.
In the following list, the play as advertised in the newspapers comes first in quotation
marks; publication information about the play follows. For an explanation of initials in
parentheses, see the end of the list.
(NB: K.= advertised in Christiansand; A.= advertised in Arendal.)
1844-- P. I. Titchen Company
Feb. 3, A.--
"Ungdommen maa rase, nyt lystspil i 2 Acter efter Angelys (d. 1835) original."
"Ukjent forfatter" (EA).
Feb. 3, A.--
"Romeo e Giulietta, nyt lystspil i 1 Act." (1843)
[Warburg, C.A.] Romeo e Giulietta. Lystspil i 1 Akt. København 1843.
Feb. 6, A.--
Hvedbrødsdagene, lystsp. i 2 Acter."
Scribe, Aug. Eug., Mélesville (i.e., Duveyrier, Anne Honoré Joseph, baron), og
Carmouches, (Pierre Francois Adolphe). Hvedebrødsdagene, Lystspil i 2 Acter,
oversat efter La lune de miel, af J. E. Beck. Arendal 1833.
Feb. 6, A.--
"Oldingens ung Kone, ny Vaudeville i 2 Acter."
457