The National Theater boasted an audience record – admits that it is not true – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country

– This is likely to be a peak year for the National Theatre. They have never had as many visitors as 2024 suggests, said Culture Minister Lubna Jaffery in an interview with news last week, when we asked her several questions about the visitor numbers at Norwegian theaters – which have decreased significantly compared to before the pandemic. There’s just one problem with that statement: It’s not true. Culture Minister Lubna Jaffery argued with the National Theatre’s record year, when asked about lower visitor numbers at Norwegian theatres. But the National Theater does not have a record year. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news The National Theater will probably sell close to 220,000 tickets this year, the theater says. It is far from any historical “peak year”. The country’s national theater has had several years with higher visitor numbers than this. The Nationaltheatret provided wrong information Director at the Nationaltheatret, Marta Færevaag Hjelle, admits that they have misinformed the ministry in a contact meeting between the ministry and the theater on 31 October this year. – We were probably a little overenthusiastic in this meeting, where this has been said verbally to the ministry. – Were you expecting a record year when this meeting took place, 31 October? – No, we didn’t. – Why did you say this, when it is not true? – We were hoping for a good year and were probably relieved that we have a good visitor in more difficult times. This has been said in an oral form. – You get money from the Ministry of Culture, above the state budget, do you have any intentions of telling about higher visits than what is correct? – No. It is sheer enthusiasm that makes us express ourselves the way we have. This has no effect on our public funding, says the director. Director at the National Theatre, Marta Færevaag Hjelle. Photo: NTB Increased support This year the National Theater receives more money from the Ministry of Culture than they did 10 years ago. In 2014, they received around 255 million over the state budget, adjusted for today’s wage and price growth. This year, the theater receives over 260 million. For next year, they will receive over NOK 270 million. Expedition manager in the department for media and art in the Ministry of Culture, Heidi Karlsen, says this about the information they received from the theatre: – The National Theater was excited, and we related to what was said in the meeting, says Karlsen and adds: – A forecast is a forecast, and of course there is always a risk that it will not work. Øystein Hygen Christensen is marketing editor at the Nationaltheatret. Photo: Øyvind Eide So how many tickets are actually sold? Marketing editor at the Nationaltheatre, Øystein Hygen Christensen, writes to news that they are satisfied with this year’s audience visit. As of today, the National Theater has total sales of over 180,000 tickets and is aiming for a sale of close to 220,000 tickets, Christensen informs. In comparison, in the three normal years before the pandemic (2017-2019), the theater had an average attendance of around 240,000 visitors. Last year was closer to something you could call a kind of record year. But then the total attendance was significantly higher because the theater had an extra stage at Økern Center in Oslo with the successful performance “Death in Oslo S”. Published 26.11.2024, at 05.48



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