Gerda Lundequist


Gerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah Bernhardt".

Career

Lundequist was considered one of Scandinavia's leading tragediennes and dramatic stage actresses, and she originated many leading female parts in plays by Ibsen and Strindberg. She had a 60-year-long career as a professional actress before she made her last performance in 1949 as Julia Hylténius in the successful staging of the comedy The Barons Will by Hjalmar Bergman. She studied at The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school 1886-1889 and in 1891 appeared as Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, a performance that established Lundequist's reputation. In 1890, she originated the role of Anne-Marie in Ibsen's A Doll's House and in 1897 the role of Ella Rentheim in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman.
Notable performances by Lundequist include the title role in Schiller's Maria Stuart, Goneril in Shakespeare's King Lear, Béline in Molière's The Imaginary Invalid, the title role in Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna, the title role in Hjalmar Söderberg's Gertrud, Tora in Paul Lange and Tora Parsberg by Bjørnson, Mrs Alving in Ibsen's Ghosts and Mrs. Dowey in The Old Lady Shows Her Medals by J.M. Barrie. In 1923, she also staged and directed Eugene O'Neill's play Anna Christie at Helsingborg City Theatre, as one of Sweden's first female stage directors.
Lundequist was an outspoken feminist and fighter for women's emancipation in her field, and was a regular lecturer as well as an elected member of the school council at Fogelstad School for Women.
In 1947, at age 76, she had critical success with portrayal as the Dutchess of York in Richard III, directed by Alf Sjöberg and as Maria Josefa in Lorca's Blood Wedding.
Lundequist appeared in relatively few films; one of her more notable performances was as the Major's wife, Mrs. Margareta Samzelius, in the silent film The Saga of Gösta Berling. Lundequist played a supporting role in the 1955 Swedish drama film Giftas, as the old Royal Highness, at age 84.

Filmography

Stage work

A great deal of Gerda Lundequist's stage work are listed at .

Family

Spouse - Alfred Dahlström
Daughter - Cecilia Matilda Frida Dahlström
Grand children - Martin Shaw, Robin Shaw and Sonja Kristina,