Our Power and Our Glory

Our Power and Our Glory was a highly controversial production, before and after the opening. In a meeting April 8, the board of the theatre opposed the production, with three votes against two. The opening was postponed, and the rehearsals put on hold. The debate was intense, locally and nationally. Hans Jacob Nilsen, artistic director of the theatre as well as director of the production, threatened to leave the theatre and demanded a new, changed contract with greater artistic freedom to continue. This demand made the board change their decision in a new meeting April 13, again with three votes against two: The leader of the board, businessman Haakon Ameln, shifted his vote, which made one of the other members of the board, shipping magnate Thorvald Halvorsen, to leave the board in protest.

Knut Nygaard and Eiliv Eide write the following, among much else, in their book Den Nationale Scene 1931-1976 (literally: The National Stage 1931-1976):

"The production of Our Power and Our Glory drew enormous attention to the theatre, before and after the opening, and strong political polarisation became clear through the polemics in newspapers. Bergens Tidende and the labour press energetically defended the freedom of art and the priorities of the artistic director, whereas the conservative press attacked the writer and the management of the theatre in strong terms. (...) The controversy, that also led to strong attacks on Nordahl Grieg and 'the so-called National stage' (colonel A. Zimmer in Aftenposten) in the Oslo newspapers, had all members of the board, except Engelsen, offer to resign their positions, but May 31, the representatives decided not to discuss the case and implored the members of the board to continue. The board accepted this, but Halvorsen had already resigned, and Doctor Smit only continued for the rest of the season."

The controversy also led to great audience interest: More than 30 000 saw the production in Bergen, and more than 50 000 saw the play when it was performed at The National Theatre in Oslo the autumn of 1935.

The Theatre Archive at the University of Bergen has the following material: Original script, kept in a safe.

SOURCES:

The National Stage's repertoire database, donated by The National Stage, 24.06.2016

Knut Nygaard and Eiliv Eide, Den Nationale Scene 1931-1976 (literally: The National Stage 1931-1976), Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 1977