Det Dramatiske Selskap

Det Dramatiske Selskab is the name for several Norwegian amateur theatre drama troupes. These troupes were the first permanent theatre troupes in the cities of Norway. The period between 1780–1830 is described by many as the age of the dramatic companies.

The amateur theatre companies of Det Dramatiske Selskap founded the first theatres and gave the first regular performances in Norwegian cities. Previously, Norway was visited by travelling foreign troupes which performed in temporary structures. However, the theatres run by the amateur troupes of Det Dramatiske Selskap were not public theatres, but private.

An amateur theatre performed in the city is recorded in 1765. Founded in Oslo in 1780, it gave the first regular theatre performances in Norway. On 24 October 1780, they performed The coffeehouse or the Scottish woman by Voltaire translated by Ditlevine Feddersen starring Henriette Mathiesen (Lindane) and Envold Falsen (Frelon).

They performed first in Gevæxthuset, a concert house from the 1760s by Grændsehaven and, from 1802, in Dramatiken, beside the Centralteatret

They replaced the temporary theatre staged by Martin Nürenbach in the city 1771–1772, and was in turn replaced by the theatre of Johan Peter Strömberg in 1826, which was the beginning of the first Norwegian national theatre Christiania Theatre.

Founded in 1787 by Henrik Arnold Thaulow, Nicolai Emanuel de Thygeson, and Nicolai Wergeland (father of Henrik Wergeland and Camilla Collett).

Their first theatre burned down in 1892, and the second was torn down in 1966. It is now counted as the first amateur theatre in Norway, and is located at Agder Theater.

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