Victoriateatern

Victoriateatern is a live entertainment venue and former cinema located on Södra Förstadsgatan in Malmö, Sweden. It was built as one of the city's first cinemas and opened on 9 September 1912 as Biografteatern Victoria, designed by architect and builder Axel Stenberg. With 500 seats across the stalls and balcony, plus an orchestra pit with two grand pianos, it was the city's largest and foremost premiere cinema at the time. Over the following decades the venue changed hands and functions: Malmö Biograf AB took over in 1925, seating was reduced to 393 more comfortable seats in 1936, and Svensk Filmindustri became the main owner of Malmö Biograf AB in 1942, when parts of the balcony were also removed. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s the venue operated as a revue theatre, hosting summer revues and guest performances by popular local and national artists. It then returned to cinema use until 31 March 1974, when Svensk Filmindustri screened its last film there and the run-down building closed with an uncertain future. In the 1970s Malmö's free, left-leaning cultural scene campaigned for a shared cultural centre, and in 1975 the Victoriakommittén was formed to take over the building. A demonstration of 1,500 people in May 1975 under the slogan "Rädda Victoria" demanded that the theatre be run by the committee. Political disagreements led to a much-publicised occupation of the closed building on 28–29 February 1976, followed by protest demonstrations and cultural events. The occupation ended peacefully, but the momentum faded as several free theatre groups left Malmö or found other premises. The municipality renovated and rebuilt Victoriateatern, and it reopened on 13 February 1981 as a combined theatre, concert stage and quality cinema, managed by the cultural committee in cooperation with the Folkets Hus och Parker-affiliated cultural association Kontrast. In 1983 the children's film festival Buff was started, with annual screenings at Victoria among other venues. Over the years the theatre has hosted a wide range of guest performances, concerts and film screenings, including by institutions such as Dramaten, Riksteatern, the Malmö campus of the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting, Moomsteatern and Malmö Stadsteater. In 1990 Kontrast took over the entire operation and gradually introduced the "pick-nick theatre" concept, replacing stall seating with café tables where audiences can enjoy their own food during performances. Today Victoriateatern presents itself as a live stage in the heart of Malmö, offering music and concerts alongside magic, variety, music theatre and stand-up — cultural experiences beyond the ordinary several evenings a week. It remains a well-known independent venue on Sweden's southern live circuit.

Victoriateatern was built as one of Malmö's first cinemas and opened on 9 September 1912 as Biografteatern Victoria. Designed by architect and builder Axel Stenberg, it was the city's largest and foremost premiere cinema, with 500 seats on the stalls and balcony and an orchestra pit containing two grand pianos. The opening programme included a documentary from the Château de Fontainebleau, En äventyrslysten flicka, Svenska flottans undervattensbåtar och deras övningar i vår skärgård, and Hennes hjälte. Minor interior changes were made in 1916, and in 1925 Malmö Biograf AB took over operations. As competition increased, seating was reduced to 393 more comfortable seats in 1936; when Svensk Filmindustri became the main owner of Malmö Biograf AB in 1942, parts of the balcony were also removed. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s the venue changed direction entirely and became a revue theatre, hosting summer revues by locally popular Sigge Hommerberg and "Dubbel-Olle" Ohlsson, followed by numerous productions and guest performances such as Thor Modéen's Skånerapsodi in 1948 and Hjördis Petterson in Vår Tages Hage in 1949, as well as artists like Git Gay and Hans Lindgren. From the mid-1950s the building returned to cinema use until 31 March 1974, when Svensk Filmindustri screened its last film at Victoria, Ursäkta var är kriget? with Jerry Lewis, and a run-down Victoria closed with an uncertain future. During the 1970s Malmö's free, left-leaning cultural life, with several theatre and music groups, had long demanded a shared cultural centre. As politicians were unsure about the future plans for Victoria, these cultural actors formed the Victoriakommittén in 1975 with the aim of taking over the building as their own cultural centre. The committee included organisations such as Föreningen Huset, Teatercentrum Syd, Filmcentrum Syd, Folkets Bio, Folkets teater and FIB-Kulturfront, with cultural figures including Mikael Wiehe, Lasse Söderberg and Fredrik Gertten. In May 1975, 1,500 people demonstrated on Södra Förstadsgatan under the slogan "Rädda Victoria", demanding that the theatre be made available to and run by the Victoriakommittén. This triggered tensions within the municipality, where the Social Democratic leadership proposed that the popular movement organisation Skådebanan should take responsibility for Victoria as a quality cinema alternating with theatre and concerts. Due to political conflicts of will between the radical Victoriakommittén and the Social Democrats, the committee could not accept the municipal leadership's proposal, and on 28–29 February 1976 the Victoriakommittén carried out a much-publicised occupation of Victoria, entering the closed building followed by protest demonstrations, traffic chaos and evening cultural manifestations. Afterwards they left the premises as planned to the municipality, and the engagement gradually faded as several of the city's free theatre groups left Malmö in protest or found other premises in the city. Victoriateatern was renovated and rebuilt by the municipality, and its newly formed cultural committee was given responsibility for operations in cooperation with the Folkets Hus och Parker-affiliated cultural association Kontrast. Victoriateatern was reopened on 13 February 1981 as a combined theatre, concert stage and quality cinema. In 1983 the children's film festival Buff was started, with annual film screenings at Victoria among other venues. Over the years a large number of guest performances, concerts and film screenings have been held at the theatre, including by institutions such as Dramaten, Riksteatern, the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting in Malmö, Moomsteatern and Malmö Stadsteater. In 1990 the cultural association Kontrast took over the entire operation and gradually introduced the new concept of "pick-nick theatre", where the rows of benches on the stalls were replaced with café tables for food brought by the audience during performances. Today Victoriateatern operates as a live stage in the heart of Malmö, presenting music and concerts alongside magic, variety, music theatre and stand-up several evenings a week.

• 1990

  Kontrast takes over the entire operation and introduces the "pick-nick theatre" concept.

• 1983

  The children's film festival Buff is started, with annual screenings at Victoria among other venues.

• 1981

  Victoriateatern reopens on 13 February as a combined theatre, concert stage and quality cinema after municipal renovation.

• 1976

  On 28–29 February the Victoriakommittén occupies the closed Victoria building in a much-publicised action.

• 1975

  The Victoriakommittén is formed; in May, 1,500 people demonstrate under the slogan "Rädda Victoria".

• 1974

  Svensk Filmindustri screens its last film at Victoria on 31 March; the run-down cinema closes.

• 1949

  Hjördis Petterson appears in Vår Tages Hage.

• 1948

  Thor Modéen's Skånerapsodi is staged during the revue theatre period.

• 1942

  Svensk Filmindustri becomes the main owner of Malmö Biograf AB; parts of the balcony are removed.

• 1936

  Seating is reduced to 393 more comfortable seats due to increased competition.

• 1925

  Malmö Biograf AB takes over operations.

• 1916

  Minor interior changes are made.

• 1912

  Biografteatern Victoria opens on 9 September as one of Malmö's first cinemas, designed by Axel Stenberg, with 500 seats and an orchestra pit with two grand pianos.

A historic, independent live venue in central Malmö offering a broad programme of music, variety, theatre and stand-up beyond the ordinary.

• Live concerts

• Variety and magic shows

• Music theatre

• Stand-up comedy

• Film screenings

• Guest theatre performances

• Pick-nick theatre

• Buff children's film festival

1. 1Välkommen på konsert i Malmö - Victoriateaternvictoria.se
2. 2Victoriateaternwikidata.org
3. 3Victoriateatern, Malmösv.wikipedia.org