Viran Rydkvist
Viran Rydqvist c. 1930
Born
Anna Elvira Oscaria Rydkvist

(1879-12-01)1 December 1879
Stockholm, Sweden
Died10 July 1942(1942-07-10) (aged 62)
Stockholm, Sweden
Occupations
  • Actor
  • theatre director

Anna Elvira Oscaria Rydkvist (1 December 1879 – 10 July 1942) was a Swedish actress and theatre director. Born and brought up in Stockholm, she made her acting debut in 1897 at the Arena theatre. During her career, she appeared in numerous stage performances as well as 29 film productions. In 1915, she co-founded the Slottsskogsteatern in Gothenburg. Between 1922 and 1935, she ran the Lilla teatern, becoming one of the first women to run a theatre in Sweden.

Life

Viran Rydkvist was born on 1 December 1879 in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the daughter of actors Sara (née Lundgren) and Albert Rydqvist, who also owned a theatre. She first appeared in a minor role on the Swedish theatre stage in Boccaccio in 1897. The leading Swedish theatre practitioner Albert Ranft employed Rydkvist in his company, and she began to tour with his troupe.[1][2][3]

Rydkvist made her first major stage appearance with Albert Ranft's company.

Under the auspices of Ranft's company, Rydkvist was associated with the Folkan theatre from 1900 to 1903, and arrived at the theatre scene of Gothenburg where she made her first major stage appearance. Axel Engdahl engaged her to appear at the Folkteatern, and she was cast in several revue performances, farces, and comedies, until 1922. During this time, she toured with Engdahl's ensemble, and subsequently founded her own troupe. Her strong point on stage was her soprano voice, and she began to appear not only in light comic roles but also played fully developed characters. After 1922, she moved to Stockholm where she continued to perform pieces at the Vasateatern. She also appeared on the radio and in cinemas. She soon began to make a name for herself in films such as Swing it, magistern! (1940), where she played the headmistress Agda Löfbeck, and Magistrarna på sommarlov (1941), which also starred Alice Babs.[1][2][3][4]

Besides her acting work, Rydkvist also became one of the first women to run a theatre in Sweden.[1] In 1915, she co-founded the theatre Slottskogsteatern in Gothenburg. She established the Gothenburg's open-air theatre the following year, and ran it until 1923. Between 1922 and 1935, she ran the Lilla teatern in Gothenburg, one of the last outdoor theatres in Sweden. During this time, the theatre staged popular comedies, as well as dramas. Rydkvist's involvement as the manager served as a crucial milestone in the theatre's successful run, and Lilla teatern's repertoire featured productions on women's rights and conditions. She is also credited with providing career opportunities to many young Gothenburg playwrights, who were able to present their works at her theatre.[1][2][3]

Rydkvist died in Stockholm, on 10 July 1942.[1]

Selected plays

  • Vi som går köksvägen (1932)[5][6]
  • Kloka gubben (1936)[7][8]
  • Konserten (1939)[9]
  • Katten i säcken (1939)[10]
  • Den gamla visar sina medaljer (1940)[11]
  • Eldprovet (1940)[12]
  • Idag blir igår (1940)[13]
  • Nog lever farfar (1941)[14]
  • Han som kom till middag (1941)[15]
  • Lille Napoleon (1942)[16]

Filmography

Adapted from Swedish Film Database.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Strömberg, Mikael (8 March 2018). "Anna Elvira Oscaria (Viran) Rydkvist". Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Myggan Ericson, Uno. "A Elvira (Viran) O Rydkvist". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Stromberg, Mikael (2017). "Re-valuing Swedish Outdoor Theatre". Popular Entertainment Studies. University of Newcastle, Australia. 8 (1): 74–85. ISSN 1837-9303. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Viran Rydkvist" (in Swedish). Swedish Film Database. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Teater Musik Film: Södrans start". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 24 September 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "Vi som går köksvägen". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 25 September 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Teater Musik Film: Södra teaterns premiär". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 3 October 1936. p. 12. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Löjen och tårar på Södran". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 25 September 1932. p. 18. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Konserten". Musikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "'Katten i säcken' på Vasateatern". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 31 December 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "Den gamla visar sina medaljer". Musikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "Eldprovet". Musikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "'I dag blir i går' på Vasateatern". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 23 November 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "Nog lever farfar". Musikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "'Han som kom till middag' på Vasateatern". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 19 September 1941. p. 26. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "'Lille Napoleon' på Vasan". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 26 March 1942. p. 26. Retrieved 14 June 2021.

Further reading

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