Merete Skavlan
Encyclopedia
Merete Skavlan is a Norwegian actress, theatre instructor and director.
She was the daughter of newspaper editor and theatre director Einar Skavlan
and music educator Margrethe Bartholdy.
She was involved in resistance work during the World War II
, and joined the unofficial "Stanislavskij Group" in 1943. The members of this group founded Studioteatret
, and she made her debut at Studioteatret's first performance in 1945, in a translation of Wilder
's play The Long Christmas Dinner
. She continued to play for Studioteatret until 1950.
Her acting career continued at Det Nye Teater
, where she played from 1950 to 1952, at Folketeatret
from 1952 to 1959, and at Oslo Nye Teater
from 1959 to 1967. During the 1960s she also played for Fjernsynsteatret
, with roles such as Angustias in an adaption of García Lorca
's The House of Bernarda Alba, and as Missis Smith in Ionesco
's The Bald Soprano
.
She started working as a theatre instructor, and has participated on productions at Riksteatret
, the National Theatre
, Det Norske Teatret
and Fjernsynsteatret
. Her debut as producer was an adaption for television of Baroness Emma Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel
, for Fjernsynsteatret
in 1968. Her debut as stage producer was an adaption of Bill Naughton
's play Spring and Port Wine
, for Det Norske Teatret
in 1969. She also lectured at the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
.
From 1984 to 1990 she was employed at the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation as head of Radioteatret
. She started the independent theatre group Intimteatret in 1991, together with Gerhard Knoop.
She was the daughter of newspaper editor and theatre director Einar Skavlan
Einar Skavlan
Einar Kielland Skavlan was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director....
and music educator Margrethe Bartholdy.
She was involved in resistance work during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and joined the unofficial "Stanislavskij Group" in 1943. The members of this group founded Studioteatret
Studioteatret
Studioteatret is a former Norwegian theatre. It opened in 1945, shortly after the liberation, with Claes Gill as its first theatre director. Studioteatret is regarded as one of the earliest post-war artistic expressions in Norway, and most of its members later played important roles in Norwegian...
, and she made her debut at Studioteatret's first performance in 1945, in a translation of Wilder
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
's play The Long Christmas Dinner
The Long Christmas Dinner
The Long Christmas Dinner is a play in one act written by American novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder in 1931. In its first published form, it was included in the volume The Long Christmas Dinner and Other Plays in One Act.-Characters:...
. She continued to play for Studioteatret until 1950.
Her acting career continued at Det Nye Teater
Det Nye Teater
Det Nye Teater was a theatre that opened in Oslo in 1929, and ended as an independent theatre in 1959, when it merged with Folketeatret to form Oslo Nye Teater. The theatre's original purpose was to support contemporary Norwegian drama.-History:...
, where she played from 1950 to 1952, at Folketeatret
Folketeatret
Folketeatret is a theatre in Oslo, Norway. The building has existed longer than the theatre, and been used as a movie theatre and opera house....
from 1952 to 1959, and at Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater in Oslo is one of Norway's most visited theatres.The theatre opened in 1959 as a merge between Det Nye Teater and Folketeatret, and consists of four stages; Oslo Nye Hovedscenen, Oslo Nye Centralteatret, Oslo Nye Trikkestallen and Oslo Nye Caféscenen.-External links:*...
from 1959 to 1967. During the 1960s she also played for Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret was a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produced plays for television broadcasting. It opened in 1960 , and operated until 1990, when a major reorganisation of NRK took place.Its first leader was Arild Brinchmann, who headed the theatre from its start...
, with roles such as Angustias in an adaption of García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
's The House of Bernarda Alba, and as Missis Smith in Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, and one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd...
's The Bald Soprano
The Bald Soprano
La Cantatrice Chauve — translated from French as The Bald Soprano or The Bald Prima Donna — is the first play written by Franco-Romanian playwright Eugène Ionesco. Nicolas Bataille directed the premiere on May 11, 1950 at the Théâtre des Noctambules, Paris...
.
She started working as a theatre instructor, and has participated on productions at Riksteatret
Riksteatret
Riksteatret is a Norwegian touring theatre. It was established by law in 1948. Its first performance was in Kirkenes in 1949, with Sigurd Christiansen's play En reise i natten. The theatre plays on about 200 different stages throughout the country. Its first theatre director was Fritz von der...
, the National Theatre
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
, Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret is a theatre in Oslo. The theatre was founded in 1912, after an initiative from Hulda Garborg and Edvard Drabløs. It opened in 1913, touring with two plays, Ervingen by Ivar Aasen and Rationelt Fjøsstell by Hulda Garborg...
and Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret was a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produced plays for television broadcasting. It opened in 1960 , and operated until 1990, when a major reorganisation of NRK took place.Its first leader was Arild Brinchmann, who headed the theatre from its start...
. Her debut as producer was an adaption for television of Baroness Emma Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
, for Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret was a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produced plays for television broadcasting. It opened in 1960 , and operated until 1990, when a major reorganisation of NRK took place.Its first leader was Arild Brinchmann, who headed the theatre from its start...
in 1968. Her debut as stage producer was an adaption of Bill Naughton
Bill Naughton
William John Francis Naughton, or Bill Naughton was an Irish-born British playwright and author, best known for his play Alfie.-Early life:...
's play Spring and Port Wine
Spring and Port Wine
Spring and Port Wine is a stage play by Bill Naughton which was turned into a film .It began life under the title My Flesh, My Blood as a BBC Radio play, broadcast on 17 August 1957 in the Saturday Night Theatre strand...
, for Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret is a theatre in Oslo. The theatre was founded in 1912, after an initiative from Hulda Garborg and Edvard Drabløs. It opened in 1913, touring with two plays, Ervingen by Ivar Aasen and Rationelt Fjøsstell by Hulda Garborg...
in 1969. She also lectured at the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
The Norwegian National Academy of Theatre was established as a three-year theater-education in 1953, under the name of Statens teaterskole.The school was given collegiate status in 1982...
.
From 1984 to 1990 she was employed at the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation as head of Radioteatret
Radioteatret
Radioteatret is a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produces audio plays for radio broadcasting. It was established in 1927.-Directors:...
. She started the independent theatre group Intimteatret in 1991, together with Gerhard Knoop.