Murder at Barjärna
Bergman chose one of his own plays for his first production at Malmö City Theatre during his six-year residence.
About the production
Bergman had been a guest director at Malmö in 1945. Some have suggested that the production of Murder at Barjärna was a kind of test for Bergman before assuming his six-year stay at the Malmö City Theatre.
The play was presented without intermission. On opening night several members of the audience reportedly walked out. The critical consensus was overwhelmingly negative: 'This is probably the only premiere the play will ever have'. The work had been given a great deal of pre-publicity, pointing out its sadistic and sexually provocative content, which was seen by several reviewers as a smokescreen to detract attention from the fact that Bergman's play was a literary disaster.
Sources
- The Ingmar Bergman Archives.
Collaborators
- Oscar Ljung, Jonas
- Margareta Bergfelt, Mari-Gaila
- Naima Wifstrand, The mother
- Berit Gustafsson, Karin
- Rune Turesson, Frans
- Toivo Pawlo, Jesper
- Lena Cederström, Ella
- Harriet Garellick, Malla
- Per Hjern, Old man
- Per Björkman, Old man
- Josef Norman, Old man
- Ingmar Bergman, Author
- Martin Ahlbom, Designer