Media gallery for
After the Rehearsal

Page from Bergman's shooting script.

The aged director Henrik Vogler (Erland Josephson) and the young actress Anna Egerman (Lena Olin).

The dead Rakel (Ingrid Thulin) wastes no time before analyzing her old lover: ’Theatre is shit, filth, lecher, turmoil, tangles, and trouble. I don’t believe in your theory about purity. It’s suspect. It’s typical of you.’

Erland Josephson, Lena Olin and Ingmar Bergman between takes on the set of After the Rehearsal.

Bergman did not have fond memories of the filming. According to the director, the only person in the film crew that maintained any presence of mind was the new addition Lena Olin: ’in spite of being relatively inexperienced, she managed gallantly without letting herself be disturbed by our turmoil.’

Bergman, Erland Josephson (Henrik Volger), and Ingrid Thulin (Rakel) during filming.

After the Rehearsal marked the end of Nykvist and Bergman’s long collaboration. From now on, it would be only television.

Bertil Guve (Henrik) who’d previously played Bergman’s alter-ego in Fanny and Alexander, now got to play the aged film director Henrik Vogler’s (Erland Josephson) younger self.

Anna Egerman (Lena Olin): ’Many directors’ paths are lined with crushed actors. Have you ever counted your victims?’

Workbook no 37 contains notes concerning After the Rehearsal, Viktoria, and A Spiritual Matter. Dated 22nd May 1980 – 9th November 1980.