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#5, July 18--
The Theatre. Skien, the 18th of July. An artistic enjoyment one has lacked here for several years and has desired to satisfy, is being offered to Skien's public at this time, as theatre director Petersen and company are giving some performances. These began yesterday evening in front of a nearly full house with the drama: Clermont or the blind painter (Clermont eller den blind Maler) in which piece Mr. Petersen, in a handsome performance, and Madame Petersen presented the main roles as Thalia's dedicated children with accuracy and poise. In the vaudeville "Under Lock and Key" ("Under Laas og Lykke") a piece without further value or character, Madame Steiner portrayed the main role with charm and liveliness to everyone's satisfaction. The lovely music, for which one has the local amateur musicians to thank, allowed us not to feel the absence of the full orchestras of the larger cities. On Thursday A Glass of Water (Et Glas Vand) will be presented, and one would wish that the performers of this piece, which requires a certain study, might equally and at each of their performances see their efforst rewarded by a numerous attendance . . . and hopefully they will not acquire any reason to complain with respect to Skien, what is heard about Larvik, namely that the artists avoid that place for lack of encouragement and participation, which are only bestowed on charlatanry, and bear- and ape-tricks.
#7, July 25--
Yesterday the visiting theatre company gave their third performance before a full house: the comedy Mistress Siddons or the English Actress (Mistress Siddons eller den engelske skuespillerinde), and afterwards: "Desire and Indifference" ("List og Phlegma"). For the presentation of the certainly quite difficult roles in these pieces the acting personnel deserved and received unanimous praise. The writer is no real critic ready to make pronouncements about the specific roles, but so much dare be said, that Madame Steiner as Georgina and Madame Petersen as Amelia Siddons gave their parts with a truth and feeling as if in reality they had been the persons acting, and individual scenes in their acting even gripped the observers in an obvious way.
#8, July 28--
Mr. Petersen with his company enjoys great acclaim at every performance. On Wednesday was given before a good house: "The First Love" ("Den første Kjærlighed"); then: "The Mill in Marly" ("Møllen i Marly"), and in conclusion: "Emily’s Palpitation" ("Emilies Hjertebanken") -- all pieces with much success. Messrs. Steiner and Bech played their roles remarkably well. In "List og Phlegma" the former was an exceedlingly phlegmatic individual, and he who had no conceptiion of such a characteristic could certainly receive it clearly and evidently by watching his masterful acting. And what does one say about Mr. Bech in his merry roles as, for example, Baron Palm in the last-mentioned play, and as the miller's apprentice in "Møllen i Marly?" Could anyone do it much better? This evening will be presented: The English Actor Kean (Den engelsk skuespiller Kean). This is certainly a large and difficult play, but the company's previous performances, and especially what one saw of these in Et Glas Vand, which everyone agrees made a great success, guarantee that this performance will not exceed its powers either. Mr. Petersen plays Kean's role, and one has seen that he can act . . ..
#9, August 1--
Skien, the 1st of August. The play Den Engelsk Skuespiller Kean, which on Friday passed over the stage, won great applause. Mr. Petersen, as Kean, had taken upon himself a great actor's role, and he accordingly showed, despite the effort which the presentation requires, that he had it in his power. There is something big and strong in Mr. Petersen's acting and in a larger theatre he would make a great impression. Most of the fellow players assisted him remarkably well and every act provoked strong applause.
On Sunday were performed: The Billeting (Indqvarteringen), and afterwards: "Jovial, or the deputy mayor as poet" ("Jovial eller Underfogden som Poet"). These comedies were tremendously amusing, and they also were performed in a masterful fashion. In the first play Mr. Steiner showed how it goes with a jealous man; the Mesdames Petersen and Steiner brought forth new charms in their acting and Mr. Petersen was a natural lover. Mr. Bech as Jovial -- a role which falls precisely into his style -- was very jovial. "I have made a song about it."
#10, August 10--
Skien, the 3rd of August. Yesterday evening was presented: "Donna Clara, a Night-play" ("Donna Clara, en natscene") by A[ndreas] Munch; afterwards: "Either Love or Death!" ("Enten elskes eller døe!") and in conclusion: "The Woman-hater" ("Fruentimmerhaderen"). The company wins greater and greater praise every time, and it deserved it not least yesterday. In the first play, of a tragic subject, Madame Petersen -- this theatre's Melpomene -- gave Donna Clara's role with so much naturalness and feeling, that it seemed she really found herself in that unhappy situation. How she was able to manifest the rapturous dismay which came over her at seeing her former lover again, and how she was able to express her inner passions, when she had to battle rationally against the incitement to flee which was imposed on her by the lover, to whom she would willingly have given herself with all her soul - because fidelity to her hard, stone-hearted husband demanded it! Her face, her whole appearance cried out obviously how her heart was torn apart by sorrow, when her husband, whose strict words she listened to with the suffered obedience she had promised him, commanded that the door to the alcove, into which her lover had slipped, should be walled up, so that he must languish there - yes, her whole inner death-like anguish during the execution of this work showed itself so naturally in her acting, that she awakened sympathy in no small degree. [Quoted in English:] "Players are mirrors made for men to see, how bad they are, how good they ought to be," says an English author, and the truth of this showed itself in this performance. That Madame Petersen was not applauded as loudly as previously came probably from the unexpected tragic ending of the play, after which the audience sank down in a pause, like that which usually follows when one has read the last lines of a too-thrilling novel; there is no other way to explain this circumstance.
The melancholy feelings which the presentation of this scene had awakened, were soon alleviated, when the next play was performed, and what one had missed in the foregoing was not neglected now, and the performance accordingly really deserved all the expressions of approval which were heard, so remarkably well did all the performers present their roles, and it was a true enjoyment which was offered in the theatre that evening. Madame Steiner was incomparable as Clotilde in "Elskes eller døe," and as the Baroness in "Fruentimmerhaderen;" these scenes could indeed scarcely be given better, at it is worthy of admiration at how much Nature she gives the character in her roles up to the very smallest nuances. Mr. Petersen did not let expectations be disappointed: his roles are well studied and presented with great confidence. Mr. Steiner gave the Duke del Fuentes and the other roles with success, which also properly can be said about Mr. Bech as Notarius; his acting is exceedingly easy and pleasant.
The company is giving two more performances here - one tomorrow as a benefit for Mr. Bech - and the numerous public which almost every evening has had, and the satisfaction with which it has seen itself rewarded for its diligence and effort, will certainly not be lacking these times either.
#11, August 18--
(Contributed.) The Petersen Theatre Company yesterday concluded its performances with Scribe's The Quaker and the Dancer (Qvækeren og Dandserinden) - Heiberg's vaudeville "Nei" and an "Epilog." The praiseworthy effort which this company has made at all its presentations deserves our full recognition, which it also received at its last performance, and which was expressed by the unusually numerous attendance. Madame Petersen's acting, as the noble, proud Georgina, surrounded by irresponsibility and seductions, which allows the Quaker to feel that womanly virtue and womanly value can be greatest where prejudice will not recognize it, satisfied all reasonable demands; those perhaps alone excepted, which one or another lion-maned rooster had cultivated according to the stereotype of a capital city; as a friendly portrait of a noble woman this performance, and her earlier one as Queen Anne, will therefore remind us; long may Madame Petersen live in our memory.
Mr. Petersen's "Morton" was a counterpart to his good acting as Bolingbroke in Et Glas Vand, and the handsome Quaker will long stand in our ladies' favor as a gracious man; he also assured himself of that from our side in Hammer's role in "Nei" and by his warm and clear declamation of the departing epilog.
If we have not yet mentioned Madame Steiner, it is not because her worth in any way whatsover is overshadowed by those named previously; it goes without saying that she indeed occupies a high rank in this company, and by her well-studied acting, by the easy, the gentle, the insignificant and the significant, the questioning and the chattering naysayer in Sophie's role, she has bound the last flower in the bouquet of roses and stocks, which her cheerful, light, lively and confident acting has woven into a memory wreath among the Skien public.
What one several times has believed especially ought to be less satisfactory in Mr. Bech is that his speeches most often appear to be dependent on the prompter; one shall not reproach him for this at the last performance; since as both Toby and Link his memorization was good; and the acting especially in the latter role, whose great difficulties one must recognize, was satisfactory.
In the banner which decorated the stage in the epilog Mr. Petersen said to us: "We'll see you again." May it not be too long until then - and until that time may the company's abilities among its younger members develop to the degree that the lovers' roles are not taken by one who is only made for grandfathers, or the beautiful singing voice of Miss Marcker so seldom used, - and may the circumstances in Skien accordingly change for the better, so that this most noble enjoyment of higher culture not fall from too difficult financial abilities.
Because it (Skien) has long lacked entertainment our best wishes therefore follow this worthy company, which by its appearance in this town has earned genuine respect, not only as ambitious artists, but also as morally worthy individuals.
The 7th of August.
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Introduction and INDEX
The materials on this website are © copyrighted, and are for the use of individuals and educational institutions only. Any commercial use requires the permission of the compiler & translator P.E. Larson.