Gasværket
Encyclopedia
Østre Gasværk Teater is a theatre
in the Østerbro
district of Copenhagen
, Denmark
, located in an abandoned gasometer of the former Øster Gasværk (English: Eastern Gasworks). The theatre is constructed within the masonry shell
that used to house the gas holder proper. Built in 1883, it was designed by Martin Nyrop
, also known for the design of the Copenhagen City Hall
.
, no longer could satisfy the rapidly growing demand for gas. The gasometer now housing Gasværket was constructed in 1881-83 as the first of a series of expansions that four-doubled the capacity of the plant in the time up to the turn of the century. In 1970 it was shut down and was for a while used as a storage for decorations for the Royal Theatre
, while awaiting demolition.
From 1979, the building started a second life as a venue for various plays and performances. The first big own production was William Shakespeare
's A Midsummer Night's Dream
instructed by Peter Langdal in 1986. From 1992-98 the theatre had big success with musicals, including Les Misérables
, Miss Saigon
and Atlantis.
It has a rotating stage making scene shifts seamless and easy.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in the Østerbro
Østerbro
Østerbro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of the city centre, outside the old city gate Østerport which, after it was moved around 1700, used to be located close to present-day Østerport Station...
district of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, located in an abandoned gasometer of the former Øster Gasværk (English: Eastern Gasworks). The theatre is constructed within the masonry shell
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
that used to house the gas holder proper. Built in 1883, it was designed by Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop was a Danish architect who designed the Copenhagen City Hall, the Vallekilde Højskole, and the majority of the buildings for the Nordic Industrial, Agricultural and Art Exhibition.-Selected buildings:...
, also known for the design of the Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the Municipal Council as well as the Lord mayor of the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen....
.
History
The gasworks of Østre Gasværk was opened in 1878 as the city's second gasworks, when the first Vestre Gasværk, a facility located at the site of the current Meatpacking DistrictMeatpacking District, Copenhagen
thumb|Entrance to Øksnehallenthumb|Slagtehusgade, former slaughterhouses in the Brown Meat District, now housing various creative venuesthumb|Detail of main building, the White Kødby...
, no longer could satisfy the rapidly growing demand for gas. The gasometer now housing Gasværket was constructed in 1881-83 as the first of a series of expansions that four-doubled the capacity of the plant in the time up to the turn of the century. In 1970 it was shut down and was for a while used as a storage for decorations for the Royal Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
, while awaiting demolition.
From 1979, the building started a second life as a venue for various plays and performances. The first big own production was William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
instructed by Peter Langdal in 1986. From 1992-98 the theatre had big success with musicals, including Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover...
and Atlantis.
It has a rotating stage making scene shifts seamless and easy.