Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm
The Royal Dramatic Theatre (or 鈥淒ramaten,鈥� if you want to blend in with the locals), is Sweden鈥檚 grand stage for drama and decorum. Founded way back in 1788鈥攚hen powdered wigs were still in fashion and theater etiquette included not checking your phone鈥擠ramaten has held court as Sweden鈥檚 national hub for spoken drama.
Today, it puts on about a thousand performances a year. Yes, a thousand! That鈥檚 seven stages, countless standing ovations, and probably a record number of dramatic monologues about love, war, and suspicious family dinners. From Swedish classics to international heavyweights and modern mind-benders, the repertoire is as rich and layered as a well-acted soliloquy.
Since 1908, the theater has occupied its iconic home at Nybroplan, a marble-and-gold Art Nouveau gem designed by Fredrik Lilljekvist. Think white marble, golden flourishes, and the sort of grand staircases that demand a cape and a dramatic pause halfway up. The interiors are dressed to impress, too鈥攚ith artistic flair courtesy of Carl Milles, Carl Larsson, and even Prince Eugen. If you're visiting, don鈥檛 miss the Marble Foyer鈥攑erfect for people-watching, pondering art, or dramatically sipping coffee.
Beyond the velvet curtains and standing ovations, Dramaten has also played a starring role in shaping Swedish acting royalty. Its former training academy launched the careers of icons like Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Max von Sydow, and Bibi Andersson. The school may have spun off in 1967, but its theatrical DNA still runs through the building.
Owned by the state since 1975, Dramaten remains a central character in Sweden鈥檚 cultural story鈥攍oyal to Gustav III鈥檚 original vision, but still willing to try new scripts.
Thinking of visiting? Brush up on your Swedish, for every performance here is in the native tongue. And if you want a backstage pass to the drama behind the drama, guided tours are available year-round. English-language tours are on Saturdays at 5 pm鈥攂ut book ahead. The theatre may be dramatic, but it doesn鈥檛 like surprises.
Today, it puts on about a thousand performances a year. Yes, a thousand! That鈥檚 seven stages, countless standing ovations, and probably a record number of dramatic monologues about love, war, and suspicious family dinners. From Swedish classics to international heavyweights and modern mind-benders, the repertoire is as rich and layered as a well-acted soliloquy.
Since 1908, the theater has occupied its iconic home at Nybroplan, a marble-and-gold Art Nouveau gem designed by Fredrik Lilljekvist. Think white marble, golden flourishes, and the sort of grand staircases that demand a cape and a dramatic pause halfway up. The interiors are dressed to impress, too鈥攚ith artistic flair courtesy of Carl Milles, Carl Larsson, and even Prince Eugen. If you're visiting, don鈥檛 miss the Marble Foyer鈥攑erfect for people-watching, pondering art, or dramatically sipping coffee.
Beyond the velvet curtains and standing ovations, Dramaten has also played a starring role in shaping Swedish acting royalty. Its former training academy launched the careers of icons like Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Max von Sydow, and Bibi Andersson. The school may have spun off in 1967, but its theatrical DNA still runs through the building.
Owned by the state since 1975, Dramaten remains a central character in Sweden鈥檚 cultural story鈥攍oyal to Gustav III鈥檚 original vision, but still willing to try new scripts.
Thinking of visiting? Brush up on your Swedish, for every performance here is in the native tongue. And if you want a backstage pass to the drama behind the drama, guided tours are available year-round. English-language tours are on Saturdays at 5 pm鈥攂ut book ahead. The theatre may be dramatic, but it doesn鈥檛 like surprises.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Stockholm. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Royal Dramatic Theatre on Map
Sight Name: Royal Dramatic Theatre
Sight Location: Stockholm, Sweden (See walking tours in Stockholm)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Stockholm, Sweden (See walking tours in Stockholm)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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