Det Vestnorske Teateret – nynorsk stagecraft in Logen

At Det Vestnorske Teateret, a number of theatre performances and concerts are staged during the Bergen International Festival. Since 2016, the theatre has been located in the venerable building Logen in the middle of Bergen city centre, with over 140 years of cultural history as a banquet and concert hall.

Det Vestnorske Teateret was established in 1988 under the name Hordaland Teater as a regional theatre for Western Norway. With its focus on new drama and an identity rooted in Western Norway, the theatre represents an important voice in Norwegian performing arts.

Logen – from Bergen's main hall to theatre

Det Vestnorske Teateret is located in Logen at Ole Bulls plass 6, close to the Blue Stone in the heart of Bergen. The building was built in 1883 as a banquet and concert hall for Selskabet Den Gode Hensigt, which still owns the building. For many years, Logen was Bergen's main hall, where princes and heads of state were hosted, and where world-famous artists such as Edvard Grieg and Sergei Rachmaninov were on the bill. Concerts, balls and parties were held here that brought together the then cultural elite of the city.

A regional theatre with roots in western Norway

Det Vestnorske Teateret was founded on the initiative of Anne Gullestad and Karel Hlavatý, and has since the mid-1990s had the status as a regional stage. Hordaland Teater was the first institutional theatre in Norway that was specifically aimed at children and young people, and this tradition still lives on in the theatre's profile. The theatre performs plays in Nynorsk and local dialects, which gives it a distinctive place in Bergen's theatre life.

Venues in Logen

The building is spread over three floors, with Hovudscenen, the main stage, on the second floor, and while Stage 2 and the cultural bar Skifte are on the third floor.

Hovudscenen – a stage with a rich history

Hovudscenen, the Main Stage, in Logen is a beautiful theatre hall that bears the mark of the building's proud history. Major productions, family performances and international guest performances are performed here during the Bergen International Festival. The hall can seat several hundred audience members and provides a classic theatre experience with good acoustics and contact between the stage and audience.

Scene 2 – black box for experimental art

Scene 2 is the theatre's black box stage, a flexible space where performing artists can experiment with form and expression. Smaller productions, concerts and performances are held here that explore the boundaries of what theatre can be. The black box format provides freedom in how the stage and the audience are placed, and creates proximity between the audience and the stage.

The cultural bar Skifte – a gathering point during the Bergen International Festival

On the third floor, you will find the culture bar Skifte, which has become an important gathering point for culture enthusiasts in Bergen. Skifte is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 18.00 to 01.30, and is also open during cultural events in the house. During the Bergen International Festival, Skifte becomes the festival's social heart where the audience, volunteers, staff and artists meet. Here you can take a breather between performances, and enjoy something refreshing on one of Bergen's nicest balconies.

The Foyer Bar – a meeting place before and after the performance

On the second floor you will find the foyer bar, where the audience can meet before and after the performance, discuss what they have experienced, and enjoy the historic atmosphere.

How to get to Det Vestnorske Teateret?

Vestnorske Teateret's address

Det Vestnorske Teateret is located at Ole Bulls plass 6, 5012 Bergen, in the middle of Bergen city centre, close to the Blue Stone. Its location makes the theatre easily accessible both on foot and by public transport.

Transport to Det Vestnorske Teateret

We encourage the public to leave their cars behind and use public transport to get to the city centre. The theatre is centrally located withing a short walking distance of numerous bus and light rail stops in the centre. See skyss.no for updated timetables and departure times. Bergen City Bike is a quick and environmentally friendly way to get to the theatre, and there are several city bike stations nearby.

Parking in Bergen city centre

Do you need to drive? Klostergarasjen, GriegGarasjen and Citypark in Markeveien are the nearest parking garages. Cars can be driven up to the door for delivering and collecting those with reduced mobility.

Accessibility at Det Vestnorske Teateret

For wheelchair users

Wheelchair spaces for performances must be reserved in advance. Contact the theatre at publikum@detvestnorsketeateret.no or billett@fib.no to reserve a wheelchair space. Cars can be driven up to the door for delivering and collecting audience members. There is a lift inside the building that runs from the entrance to the second and third floors.

Assistive listening devices

Hovudscenen has radio aides with a neck loop. There is no loop installed in the hall, but the theatre has receivers that you can borrow and that can be used throughout the hall for all performances. Unfortunately, this system is not available in Skifte or Scene 2. Contact the theatre in advance if you have any questions.