New postdoc to write Copenhagen's first commercial theatre into literary history

Independent Research Fund Denmark has awarded DKK 2,162,851 for an International Postdoc to PhD student Mikkel-Theis Paulsen. He will be integrating Copenhagen's first playhouse, 'Skauborg' from 1663, and its connection to the Dutch theater scene into Danish literary and cultural history. The project aims to provide deeper insight into the political significance of theater during a period of transition, as well as the relationship between art, politics, and the public sphere

PhD student Mikkel-Theis Paulsen. Photo: AU Photo

12 March 2026 by Mathias Holm Guldberg

What is your research project about?

The project sheds new light on a forgotten chapter of Danish literary and cultural history: Copenhagen's first commercial theatre, "Skauborg," from 1663, and its transnational connections to Amsterdam, which served as a major hub for extensive theatrical activity during the same period. At Skauborg, located near present-day Christiansborg, bloody political tragedies by authors such as William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Lope de Vega were performed. This is particularly interesting in light of the political unrest following the Dano-Swedish Wars, the King's coup d'état, and the introduction of Absolute Monarchy in 1660.

How will you investigate it?

The project combines literary methods, digital network analysis, and archival studies in Denmark and the Netherlands. It will be carried out in collaboration with Danish and international literary and theatre historians from the University of Amsterdam and the Huygens Institute, among others. The Copenhagen theatre was modeled after Amsterdam’s Schouwburg and was largely driven by Dutch and German forces; consequently, much of the source material is currently located in Amsterdam, making international cooperation essential for the project's completion.

Why is the project important and relevant?

First and foremost, the history of the Skauborg theatre is of interest because it is virtually absent from existing literary and cultural history. Furthermore, it integrates Denmark into a common European, cross-border theatrical tradition, contributing to our understanding of both Danish and European literary history in the 17th century. Finally, the project is important because it provides a more nuanced understanding of the political function of theatre during a crucial turning point in Danish history—a topic relevant not only to our understanding of the past but also to our general understanding of the relationship between art, politics, and the public sphere.