The Jewish Theatre

Working in what was originally a 19th century skittle alley in Stockholm’s royal park, Proventus has enabled Pia Forsgren, the artistic director, who has a distinguished background in classical theatre, to develop the Jewish Theatre of Stockholm. It is now a challenging and experimental stage for the exploration of definitions of contemporary drama and performance. Under Forsgren’s leadership, the theatre has specialised in integrating environments with its performances, making use of architecture, and technology as well as live performers. Rather than rely on a regular repertoire, the Jewish Theatre has preferred to commission or choreograph works that continually reconfigure the theatre space. The productions of the Jewish Theatre use the whole of the building, blurring audience and performance space, abolishing not just the proscenium but the idea of a stage too, and come closer to performance art.

Forsgren’s view of the theatre has moved away from the formal conception of drama, and into a series of intense mixed media performances drawing on music, sound and light as well as text. The theatre has worked with existing plays, as well as specially commissioned pieces. Departing from the traditional model of theatres that have to carry the weight of a permanent company, and a conventional model of long production runs, she has been able to mount a wide variety of very different productions for short periods. She has collaborated with a rich variety of writers, musicians and performers to create performances that are presented in the intimate surroundings of the theatre to audiences sometimes numbered in hundreds rather than thousands, a privilege that is made possible by Proventus which frees it from the constraints of commercial theatre. The space itself has been designed for maximum freedom, allowing it to be constantly transformed from one performance to the next, and allows the theatre to blur the boundaries between one cultural form and another.

Proventus’ cultural activities are a demonstration of our commitment to looking beyond the short-term. To Proventus none of these projects is about philanthropy or sponsorship in the narrow financial sense. They are about learning and a clear exchange between both parties to the partnership, and a demonstration of our values and our continual search for creative innovation.

Proventus’ cultural/research activities are a demonstration of our commitment to looking beyond the short-term. To Proventus none of these projects is about philanthropy or sponsorship in the narrow financial sense. They are about learning and a clear exchange between both parties to the partnership, and a demonstration of our values and our continual search for creative innovation.