Television, 1963

A Dream Play

Bergman's first production of A Dream Play (out of four) was a prestigious and lavish TV play.

"I think one can differentiate between an old and a new Ingmar Bergman: an old sensational one from the beginning of his career and a subdued, demanding one, now at his peak."

Ebbe Linde in Dagens Nyheter

About the film

This made-for-television film constituted Bergman's first production of Strindberg's A Dreamplay – a play he would revisit three times more. Gunnar Ollén's Malmö crew was behind this, for its time, prestigious and costly theatre production, involving more than 40 actors and no less than 75 extras.

In this production, critics thought they discerned a change in Bergman's style of directing. Ebbe Linde in Dagens Nyheter:

'I think one can differentiate between an old and a new Ingmar Bergman: an old sensational one from the beginning of his career and a subdued, demanding one, now at his peak. That his approach implies a deepening of his art seems clear to me, at the same time as it might limit his geographical appeal.'

Sources

The Ingmar Bergman Archives.

Production details

Production country: Sweden
Production company: Sveriges Radio AB

Aspect ratio: 1,37:1
Colour system: Black and whiteOriginal length (minutes): 105
TV- screening: 1963-05-02
Comment: Recorded partly on video tape, partly on film.

The drama of A Dreamplay is formed by a series of brief tableaus, tied together not by a plot but by a common theme – the suffering of mankind. The main character is the Hindu god Indra's daughter, played by Ingrid Thulin, who descends to earth to see how people live and everywhere finds pain and broken dreams. The drama ultimately takes on elements of Eastern mysticism, where suffering is regarded as beneficial and death is seen as a liberator. As Strindberg himself has noted, the tableaus follow the disjointed but seemingly logical pattern of dreams. This calls for constant set changes before an open curtain, making the drama – in form, at least – a pioneering work in the history of theatre.