Business as usual?: the changing structure of “the Italian company” during their Scandinavian tour, 1800–1802

This article examines and discusses the changes made to “the Italian company” during their Scandinavian tour of 1800 to 1802, changes regarding leadership, membership and repertoire. Prior to 1800, the peripatetic company had performed all over Europe under the direction of Mr Casorti. While in Scandinavia, the company had several local directors. The changes in leadership were a legal necessity, in order to gain access to a Scandinavian entertainment market otherwise closed to foreigners. While in Scandinavia the company offered their usual mix of theatrical performances and artistic feats. In Sweden and Norway however, their programme expanded. The changes in the repertoire were connected with changes in membership, brought about by marriages, births and business partnerships. Whereas changes in leadership constituted an exception to the norm for the company, the author argues that changes to membership and consequentially repertoire were business as usual. Ellen Karoline Gjervan is Associate Professor at Queen Maud University College in Trondheim, Norway. She received her PhD in Theatre Studies at the University of Bergen in 2010. She has published on Henrik Ibsen’s theatrical career, on dramaturgy, and on political theatre and stagecraft of the long eighteenth century.