English - Þjóðleikhúsið (2024)

The National Theatre of Iceland (Þjóðleikhúsið)

The National Theatre of Iceland (Þjóðleikhúsið) is a vibrant and dynamic theatre, that has been a leading institution on the Icelandic theatre scene ever since it opened formally in 1950, receiving around 100.000 spectators each season.

The theatre offers a great variety of theatrical productions each year created by outstanding theatre artists. It holds a great artistic prestige, having received numerous theatre awards, as well as popularity among a broad audience.

Mission

The theatre’s mission is to make outstanding, entertaining, and challenging theatre for a diverse audience, share important and compelling stories, arouse the general public’s interest in the theatre and promote the development of the art of the stage.

The NTI works with prominent theatre artists from Iceland and abroad and nurtures new talent. The theatre tours its productions around Iceland and abroad. A newly established Theatre School aims at preparing young theatre enthusiasts for a career in the theatre.

The NTI aims to be inclusive, diverse, and sustainable.

Selected performances have captioning in English.

The theatre building

Situated in the historical centre of Reykjavík, the theatre building itself is iconic, being the first edifice in Iceland constructed and designed for the performing arts.

The theatre’s design, by state architect of Iceland Gudjon Samuelsson, is based on old Icelandic folktales about humans being invited into elf palaces inside giant rocks, entering a transcendental world of colour, lights, dance, and music. The Main Hall’s ceiling is inspired by basalt column formations.

Stages

The theatre contains four separate venues for performances in two buildings:

Main Building

• The Main Stage (500 seats)
• The Theatre Cellar Club (100-120 seats)

Black Box Building

• The Black Box (130 seats)
• The Small Stage (80 seats)

The theatre offers a variety of refreshments for guests.A little theatre book shop is run in the foyer.

Repertoire

The NTI premiers around ten new productions each season, as well as re-premieres productions from previous seasons, does co-productions and guest performances. The theatre therefore comprises a varied repertoire of new Icelandic works, new foreign works, Icelandic and foreign classics, musicals, dance pieces and children’s productions.

The theatre serves an important role in the development of new Icelandic plays and aims to develop youngsters’ appreciation of the theatre through productions especially intended for children and youth, and through visits to the theatre.

Ensemble and production

The NTI is an ensemble theatre with around 25 actors employed on a permanent basis, and also works with actors with temporary assignments. The theatre runs its own efficient production departments that manufacture sets, costumes, and wigs, as well as productive sound and lighting departments. The theatre works closely with schools on all education levels.

International collaboration

The NTI collaborates internationally with renowned theatres, directors, and designers. Recent and current collaborations include Simon McBurney and the Complicité theatre, Stefan Żeromski in Kielce in Poland, directors Benedict Andrews, Marius von Mayenburg and Yaël Farber and designer Nina Wetzel.

Ellen Babic (world premiere) and Ex, directed by Benedict Andrews

Egal (world premiere), directed by Marius von Mayenburg

My Brilliant Friend, directed by Yaël Farber.

Season 2023-2024

Artistic team

The director of The National Theatre, from January 2020, is Mr. Magnus Geir Thordarson. Soon after his appointment a new artistic team and management was introduced. In the spring of 2020 a new strategy and organizational chart was introduced. Now, enhanced importance is placed on new writing, Icelandic work, international collaboration and the development of new audiences and education. Kjallarinn became a new theatre-club-cabaret-venue, a Lunchtime theatre was introduced and the whole front of house was renovated with a new restaurant-area intended to offer the audiences a richer experience.