It has been said before that man cannot live on bread alone, and a life without entertainment is very grey. Entertainment doesn’t just arrive over the horizon with the cavalry, it needs to be fostered. In the years following Liberation in 1945, Narvik thirsted for a living, breathing performing arts scene. How did a successful amateur theatre group arise and what role did Henry Haagensen play?
Narvik Teaterlag was founded by Narvik Vel right after the Second World War. Its theatrical debut was during the 17th May 1945 celebrations at the Kinoteatret, Narvik. Excellent ticket sales, bolstered by the presence of demilitarised Norwegian soldiers, repatriated locals and freed Russian prisoners of war, gave a profit of 10,000 crowns, still impressive in today’s money, and was given to the War-widows Fund. A new show in the autumn of that year, resulted in a profit of 8,000 crowns, and was also generously donated to charity, this time the Red Cross.
At first the repertoire did not include the classics, but run-of-the-mill works which only flew as high as their wings could bear, such as Adam Hiorth’s comedy På Hybelen (My Flat) and an amusing everyday drama Hushjelp søkes (Maid Wanted). Both in 1946. From the very beginning, Narvik Teaterlag toured to neighbouring towns, and inner Troms County. Julian Strøm had instruction. The next production was Greven av Pompadour (Madame Pompadour) in 1948, which added song and dance numbers to the ensemble’s repertoire.
The German comedy, Den spanske flue (Original title: Die spanische Fliege) written by Franz Arnold and Ernst Bach, followed in 1949. The ensemble returned to Narvik with a suitcase full of praise from the many places they had visited whilst on tour.
The first lucky break for Narvik Teaterlag was when Arnt Dahl (a reception manager) and his wife Helene, moved to Narvik from Oslo in 1949. Dahl was a connoisseur and patron of the theatre in Oslo, and despite his lack of stage experience, the Dahls were welcomed with open arms by Narvik Teaterlag. Dahl’s first role was in the comedy Dollarprinsen (Americans Abroad) otherwise known as Hjerter i galopp, a burlesque farce in four acts with song and text by Julius Andersen. In 1950, Dahl raised the bar with the next production, Kjærlighetens Komedie (Love’s Comedy) by Henrik Ibsen. Just the name Ibsen indicates the difficult task ahead of the ensemble.
Kjærlighetens Komedie was considered immoral when it was first published in 1862 and was not staged until eleven years later. It is a timeless drama about love, and is still relevant today. It played to a full house and received excellent reviews. Arnt Dahl had instruction and Sverre Hansen, scenography.
The second stroke of luck for Narvik Teaterlagt was when Henry Haagensen returned home to Narvik after six years in Oslo,in 1951. His first performance was in Vi stoler på deg, Chris (We Trust You, Chris) by Bjarne Rundhaug from Moss. It was a light, three act musical, and the pole opposite of Ibsen. With eleven roles plus carnival guests (extras), the entire ensemble was in action; Nils K. Olsen, Tulla Sivertsen, Henry Haagensen, Erna Halvorsen, Harda Skarbo, Odd Nilsen, Arnt Dahl, Erling Østbye, Beth Pettersen, Erling Pettersen and Ester Jervan. It received rave reviews from Odd Finseth, the editor of the local paper Fremover who wrote, “Who needs visiting professionals when we have our own first class amateurs.”
The Norwegian National Ski Championships were run in Narvik 10.-11. February and 15.-18. March 1951, and included cross country, jump and combined. During the Nationals, Narvik Teaterlag performed a well-received revue Memalmi.
1951 was also Narvik’s 50th Jubilee, and the ensemble’s Ibsen production from 1949 was restaged under the 17th May celebrations. So well received was it, that three of the theatre’s members, Jervan, Dahl and Østbye, were given support by the council to attend a Drama Instructors course in Oslo that year.
Council support
Historically, relatively small sums granted to cultural organisations can often result in disproportionally large changes, as in the case of Arnt Dahl and the two other members of Narvik Teaterlag, who returned from Oslo in 1951, full of ideas and motivation. This small grant gave a very fruitful boost to amateur theatre in Narvik. Another example of fruitful council support was when organist Carl-Trond Nedberg, and choirmaster Arne Strømsnes, received assistance to visit Oslo in 1951. Their visit resulted in the establishment of the first community-run music school in Norway. This is covered under Founding of a community music school.
Another example is when Henry Haagensen, who had established the first professionally-run ballet school in North Norway in 1951, (notably without council support) was given a small scholarship of 3,000 crowns by the council in 1970. At the age of 45, Haagensen managed to visit four countries travelling by train and staying with friends and have funds enough to buy new ballet music. Henry returned to Narvik brimming with ideas and renewed energy.
In the first two decades of his school, this was the only grant Haagensen ever received from Narvik council. In the last decade of the school, he received small sporadic grants from the council’s culture fund (kulturmidler) in 1974, 1978 and 1979.
More often than not the council was not represented at the school’s anniversaries, as in the 15th Jubilee in 1973. A bouquet of flowers was beyond the imagination of politicians. I have trouble accepting Henry gracious reply when (yet again), the council had forgotten the flowers, “I don’t agree with those who criticise politicians, they do the best they can,” he said. Narvik could afford this small expense, and dance in fact should have been as important as music instruction and offered as part of the community music school.
It is important to note here that it was Harstad, and not Narvik, that awarded Haagensen his first culture prize, Esso-prisen in 1978. Nearly fourteen years elapsed before Narvik followed suit awarding Narvik’s highest award, Kulturpris, in 1992, twelve years after he had retired. Why was it so difficult for the council to recognise Henry’s outstanding contribution to Narvik youth?
If a community wants a living, breathing performing arts scene then it must prioritize the support of cultural institutions like theatre, ballet and music. Fresh air is nice, but you can’t create much from it.
Haagensen and Narvik Teaterlag
Himelen har ingen takrenne (Heaven doesn’t have gutters) was the first production after the Oslo instructors course, and it clearly showed that Jervan, Dahl and Østbye had learnt a lot. Written by the Dane, P. Tolderlund-Hansen, its only point was to entertain. Three childhood friends had rented a summer cottage owned by a forgetful landlord who had mistakenly double booked it to three old spinsters. This led to many amusing misunderstandings. Arnt Dahl had two roles – a young student and the student’s old aunt! Henry Haagensen years in Oslo came to the fore in his superb decorations and scenography. The reviews noted that despite being only twenty-six, he was exceptionally convincing in the role of the old fisherman Rasmus. Henry’s knowledge and experience from working in Oslo, led to a marked improvement in the quality and quantity of Narvik Teaterlag’s productions.
Hot on the heels of Takrennen and only eight days later, Narvik Teaterlag staged a new drama, Den siste dag (The Last Day) by Vilhelm Krag from 1931. An impressive feat, two shows running parallel would have made huge demands on the ensemble. The first a light comedy and the second a drama, the first one week and the second the next.
Den siste dag had four roles staring: Harda Skarbo, Helene Dahl, Odd Nilssen and Arnt Dahl. Once again Haagensen had scenography and decoration. If that wasn’t enough, the next production in the same year, was no less than Peer Gynt, a huge challenge for an amateur theatre. Peer Gynt is in a class of its own, with a large cast and full orchestra. Narvik had by then, thanks to the efforts of the talented musical partnership of Carl-Trond Nedberg and his wife Norma, an excellent orchestra, Narvik Salong Orchester (Narvik Byorkester). The review springs off the page with – «Forestillingen som helhet var ikke bare respektabel, men imponerende, og det var på sin plass med blomster og fullt hus». Translated, “Peer Gynt was not only respectably performed, but impressive, and deserved both the bouquets and a full house”.
The capacity of Henry and the ensemble can be illustrated by the large number of productions during the next three years: Piken i Bilen, and, Kjære Ruth, which toured Tromsø in 1952, both receiving excellent reviews – instructor Arnt Dahl was called Nord-Norges Holst Jensen. Then Nils Kjær’s comedy Det lykkelige valg in 1953 followed by Arsenikk og gamle Kniplinger (Arsenic And Old Lace) in 1954 with first class reviews. Karusell by Alex Brinchmann. And the last production before their ten years jubilee was Helge Krogs’s På sol siden.
All at a time when Haagensen was running a ballet school and had also started a small youth theatre group, late 1952. Fremover reported that after only three months in existence, the revue theatre Narvik Revyamatører (Narvik Amateur Theatre), was to give its first premiere in what they called Vi som vil opp (We Will Up), Friday 9th January 1953. More about this theatre can be found under Narvik Revyamatører.
From 1953, Henry increasingly worked backstage with the props and the scenography in Narvik Teaterlag’s productions. (Lofotposten, 1957)
In 1955, the theatre celebrated its 10th Jubilee, and according to the reviews at the time, had the respect of the local community and quite a reputation amongst the region’s performing arts organisations.
In its first ten years of existence, Narvik Teaterlag had gained a loyal local following demonstrating that Narvik could house a first class amateur theatre to inspiration for both its participants and their audience. In this thinly populated region, having a good local theatre to inspire and entertain is the very essence of cultural richness. Not everyone is able to travel to see a professional company, especially children and youth. And how else can the eyes of our children be opened to the performing arts if they are unable to see it performed regularly, perhaps by their very neighbour, and realise that their own dream of performing could one day, become a reality.
Haagensen leaves Narvik for Oslo
For this was the case with Haagensen, who inspired by the successes in Narvik Teaterlag, Narvik Revyamatører and his ballet school still at the age of thirty wanted to work in a professional theatre and once again left Narvik in 1955, to work in Oslo, first as a theatre painter, then in short term contracts as a dancer and actor. His departure left a vacuum which was hard to fill and the four years he was away, Narvik Teaterlag only staged one play in his absence, “Herren og hans tjernere”, which marked the opening of Folkets Hus in 1956. The further history of Narvik Teaterlag can be found on their internet page and will not be covered here.
An important conclusion to this period is that the community’s support was central to the flowering of the performing arts after Liberation and through the 1950’s in Narvik. Had the council and others like LKAB, not assisted the development of these art forms in their start blocks, Narvik may never have developed the rich cultural life that still exists today. Narvik has good reason to thank people like Henry Haagensen for his efforts. Even a small town like Narvik can under the right conditions, sustain a top amateur theatre and foster multi-talents like Henry Haagensen.
Our sunless days midwinter, would have been greyer if culture had been silenced. Remember Hamsun’s words: Nordland en sangerland, fest på hvert skjær i hver stue! Translated: North Norway – the land of song, and theatre in every small island and in every home. Let’s hope it stays that way. Especially in Narvik.
Sources
Lofotposten. (1957, 05 24). Narvik Teaterlaga ti-års jubi!eum og amatørkunsten i Nord-Norge. Lofotposten, s. 9-10.
Thomassen, T. (1970, 03 20). Velfortjent Honnør til Henry Haagensen. Fremover.