The Royal Playhouse’s exterior is clad in long-format yellow brick specifically fired to shift colors depending on weather conditions.
The Royal Playhouse foyer floor is constructed from dark smoked oak, designed to visually extend the harbor water into the building.
The Old Stage was inaugurated in 1874 with a performance of Ludvig Holberg’s 'Erasmus Montanus'.
The interior ceiling of The Old Stage features a fresco painted by Wilhelm Marstrand.
The Royal Playhouse basement includes a specialized 'paternoster' freight lift system to move sets between workshop levels and the stage.
The building of The Old Stage was financed in part by a national subscription campaign and private donations following the demolition of the 1748 theatre.
The Royal Playhouse is designed with a sustainable cooling system that utilizes seawater from the harbor.
The Royal Playhouse and The Old Stage represent the two primary performance venues of the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. The Royal Playhouse (Skuespilhuset), located on the harbor front, is a modern glass and brick building opened in 2008, designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg. The Old Stage (Gamle Scene), located on Kongens Nytorv, is an 1874 neo-Baroque building modeled after the Paris Opéra. The venues host a rotating schedule of classical drama, contemporary plays, and ballet. The Royal Playhouse features a cantilevered foyer that extends over the harbor water. The Old Stage is noted for its ornate gilded auditorium and grand chandelier. Both venues function as a national cultural hub for the performing arts in Denmark. The Royal Playhouse includes three distinct stages within its architecture. The Old Stage remains the traditional home for the Royal Danish Ballet.
The wide outdoor promenade outside the Royal Playhouse, capturing the glass facade with the Opera House reflected in the harbor water.
Walk the outdoor wooden promenade connecting the Royal Playhouse to the nearby Skuespilhuset harbor area for unobstructed views of the Opera House.
Check the 'Backstage' area of the Royal Playhouse website for scheduled guided tours, as public access to the stage wings is otherwise restricted.
If attending a performance at the Old Stage, arrive early to view the historic gilded foyer and grand staircase before the house doors open.
Avoid arriving late, as late seating is generally prohibited until the intermission to prevent disrupting the performance.
Both venues typically close for a summer break during July. The Old Stage often has reduced programming when the Royal Danish Ballet is on tour.
Formal or business-casual attire is customary for evening performances; silence is strictly observed during stage acts.
