Theater in Iceland is a very popular medium of entertainment. There is an interesting history of development of theater in Iceland. Theater in Iceland started almost towards the end of the eighteenth century. Throughout the nineteenth century theater developed in Iceland and gradually became a popular entertainment of the mass. Theater also was a medium of mass awareness to inculcate national spirit among the people of Iceland. And for all these reason, theater saw a very fast development in the history of art in Iceland.
Theater developed first in the central part of the Iceland culture, that is, its capital area Reykjavik. But as Reykjavik itself was a rural area at that time when theater was first introduced in Iceland, it took some time before >theater grown fully in Iceland. The theater history of Iceland is very closely associated with its freedom struggle against the oppression under the Danish rule. Icelanders used their theater as a stage of entertainment and also to voice their opinion in favor of the national language.
During the early stage of theater there were very few plays in Iceland. But gradually it developed. An important name in the development Iceland theater history is Sigurdur Gudmundsson. Under his influence many national plays were written in Iceland and he is also considered to be the first stage designer of Iceland theater. As a result of his tireless efforts a National Theater started to be built in the early twentieth century in Iceland. Today there a number of theater halls that strengthens Iceland art and culture.
