Teaterprogrammens innehåll i ett historiskt perspektiv (PDF-format)

Bruksanvisning eller flammande apell
Om teaterns programblad, deras innehåll och syfte.
Manual for the play or flaming appeal
About the the theatre programs, their contents and purpose.
Abstract
This paper aims at describing, classifying and analyzing the theatre programs from
178 8, when the Royal Dramatic Theatre opened, up to present time. This is done by a
random selection of programs from different venues. These are: 1. the stately
supported Dramaten ; 2. a subsidized theatre Riksteatern covering all of Sweden; 3.
private, commercial theatres; 4. some ’free groups’. The programs are classified by
assigning their contents to one of three categories: 1. presenting the actors; 2. giving
background to the theatre- piece; 3. referring to the society outside of the theatre.
My investigation is a chronological description of the programs, dealing with the
articles but also things like layout, advertisements and picture material. I am noticing
who is important enough to be mentioned in the program. The programs are changing
over time and most dramatically in the 1980s. The biggest differences are however
between the commercial scene and the theatres receiving support. I suggest that the
programs reflect and exist in different cultural spheres.
The private theatres concentrate on presenting the actors, and they are also the
ones that started to give credits to more people involved in the production, for
example make- up and prompter. The Dramaten programs on the other hand have an
ambition to widen the spectators’ cultural horizon. A few of the free groups have
programs inciting the public to react outside the theatre. The programs from
Riksteatern are the most varied both the way they look typographically as well as their
contents.
I end my paper by suggesting that the theatre program is not only a supporting
source but an object worthy of further research on its own merit.