Theatre, 1943

The Fun Fair

As with many of Bergman's early dramas, The Fun Fair is a meta-theatrical story, this time following an acting company as they wait for the acting season at the fair to begin.
'A banal, Swedish, winter, everyday tale, characteristic of 1940s films, the likes of which Bergman will shortly make.'
Henrik Sjögren

About the production

The Student Theatre published a program note titled Around the Student Theatre for the opening of Ingmar Bergman's production of The Fun Fair. The Student Theatre had actually planned a production of Bergman's play Jack Among the Actors, but because of military drafts, the cast was reduced; hence The Fun Fair, a play with fewer characters, was staged instead. Director Bergman was praised on his work, but the playwright considered his production to be 'weak'.

This production was Bergman's first collaboration with Åke Fridell, an actor who came to be of great importance in Bergman's films. The Fun Fair was Bergman's last production for the Student Theatre. As had been the case at Mäster Olofsgården, he left a difficult spot to fill. 

Sources

  • The Ingmar Bergman Archives.
  • Birgitta Steene, Ingmar Bergman: A Reference Guide (Amsterdam University Press, 2005).

Collaborators

  • Åke Fridell, Karlsson
  • Sif Ruud, Birgit Lundgren
  • Sten Moberg, The writer
  • Birger Malmsten, Jan Andersson
  • Anna Tretow, Lisa
  • Rune Stylander, Lindquist
  • Marianne Nielsen, Ebba
  • Erland Josephson, Boronowsky
  • Estrid Hesse, Maria
  • Palle Granditsky, The son
  • Karl-Axel Forssberg, Alfred
  • Curt Edgard, Folke
  • Rune Bernström
  • Gun Adler, Mrs Svensson
  • Claes Esphagen, Fredrik
  • Bernhard Rogin, Sampo
  • Hans Ullberg, Nightwatch
  • Ingmar Bergman, Author
  • Gunnar Lindblad, Designer