Playing King
Journal: Nordic Theatre Studies
Year: 2018

The Swedish King Gustav III ruled from 1771 to 1792. His departure to the Russian war in1788 was staged as a grandiose spectacle. The King, who was also a playwright, made the dayof his departure coincide with the symbolic date of June 23. This was the date that Gustav IIAdolph (ruled 1611-32) went off to the Thirty Years' War in 1628. The parallel betweenGustav III and the great Swedish warrior King was further emphasized by his costume made inthe style of Gustav Adolph. In this article, the au