Jels Vikingespil in English
About Jels Vikingespil
Burning romance, fencing battles and colorful scenes performed by hundreds of volunteers creates a unique experience at Jels Vikingespil (viking theater) every summer. The trees and the lake forms a very special stage for the theater, which have taken place since 1977. The theaters are based on Nordic mythology presented with modern effects.
All actors and stage technicians are amateurs spending their spare time on practicing the theater of the year. The staff of professionals among others include Ole Sørensen as director and actor Bo Thomas as fencing teacher.
Buy your tickets on Billetexpressen.dk or in the box office at the theater from 2 hours before the performance.
Before the theater you can enjoy a special Viking buffet in the incredible longhouse, Valhal. You can reserve tickets to the buffet online along with tickets for the theater. It’s possible to order buffet until 10.00 a.m on the day of your visit.
Performance Dates in 2024
- Friday 5 July at 8.00 p.m
- Saturday 6 July at 8.00 p.m
- Sunday 7 July at 4.00 p.m (afternoon performance)
- Monday 8 July at 8.00 p.m
- Tuesday 9 July at 8.00 p.m
- Wednesday 10 July at 8.00 p.m
- Thursday 11 July at 8.00 p.m
- Friday 12 July at 8.00 p.m
- Saturday 13 July at 8.00 p.m
- Sunday 14 July – No performance
- Monday 15 July at 9.00 p.m (late night show)
- Tuesday 16 July at 8.00 p.m
- Wednesday 17 July at 8.00 p.m
- Thursday 18 July at 8.00 p.m
- Friday 19 July at 8.00 p.m
- Saturday 20 July at 8.00 p.m
- Sunday 21 July at 8.00 p.m
Summary of “The Scylding” (Skjoldungen) 2024
This year’s play is based upon the tale of King Skjold and his son Gram as told by Saxo Grammaticus.
Skjold is a living legend. He is the child sent to Denmark by Odin himself on a ship lying on a shield. It is told that he was sent to save Denmark from strife and to be a defense against the enemies of the realm. Now King Skjold is an elderly man, and we will follow his young son Gram – the Scylding.
Being the only son of the legend king Skjold, there is a lot to live up to for Gram, who doesn’t feel he is living up to anybody’s expectations, least of all his own. But on a journey the young Gram meets a mysterious old woman in the forest who claims to be able to help him. If Gram takes care of her two grandchildren Hugda and Mugda, she will tell him how to make his dream come true and be a better king than his father.
Gram must free the Swedish princess Alma from the jotun Helblinde’s captivity. The greedy Swedish King Sigtryg has sold his daughter for gold and gifts. If Gram can save the king’s daughter, his dream will come true.
King Skjold refuses to grant Gram permission to set out for Sweden – a journey that may threaten the fragile and dearly paid peace in the North.
A peace that cost Gram’s mother her life. When Gram was just an infant, the Danish queen was kidnapped and killed by the Norwegian King Svipdag.
Gram defies his father’s will and sets out for Sweden together with his beloved and pregnant, yet brave and warlike Thyra and his loyal entourage. They manage to defeat the Swedish king, who was named the Raven King by the Swedish people because he starved and robbed his country. Gram frees Alma from Helblinde’s captivity.
His deed, however, earns him an unexpected reward as he is offered Alma’s hand in marriage. Now he must choose between his beloved and pregnant Thyra and the Swedish throne. Blinded by his ambition, Gram chooses Alma and the throne. His choice pushes him away from Thyra but closer to his dream of power.
King Skjold and Gram’s beloved younger sister participate in the wedding in Sweden. To Gram’s surprise his father doesn’t come to punish him for going against his will but instead expresses his wish that he and Gram will reign together in Denmark and Sweden. Gram is to be king with his father. Finally, Gram feels respected by his father.
His first assignment is to travel to Norway and to continue the ongoing peace negotiations with the Norwegian King Svipdag. It is not easy to negotiate with the man who killed his mother, but Gram consents. As king he must learn to act sensibly and not emotionally.
Luckily Thyra doesn’t come along to Norway for the peace negotiations, which turn out to be a trap set by Svipdag and Gram’s own father. A bloodbath erupts during the festivities, and only Gram and his best friend the bard Besse survive. It is revealed that many years ago King Skjold sold Gram’s mother to Svipdag in return for peace. Now King Skjold has done the same with his son and daughter. Gram and Besse are helped by the mysterious old woman to flee from the Norwegian captivity. It turns out that the woman is not human but, in fact, one of the mighty Northern gods.
Gram and Besse return to Denmark, where Gram gets his revenge on his cynical father, who is an accessory to the death of Gram’s beloved sister and several of his closest friends.
After having said goodbye to Thyra, Gram sets out with Besse for war against the Norwegian King Svipdag. It ends in a wild and bloody battle. Not just for revenge but also a battle over the future of Denmark.
Gram kills Svipdag and thus saves Denmark from the ruthless Norwegian king but the victory comes at a price: Gram’s own life. It is always dangerous to make deals with the gods, but fatal when you are not true to yourself and true to love.