TommyEdvardsen
Tommy Edvardsen's timing is impeccable. Every movement becomes a comic or biting point, whether he is shuffling forward in magnificent self-pity or crumpling his face in fury at Pierrot.
Tommy Edvardsen is a character dancer and director. After training in ballet at the Royal Danish Ballet School, he joined the Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli in 1976. He is currently a director at Tivoli Ballet Theatre, where he has performed every role in the classical pantomime repertoire, from the young, lovestruck Harlequin to the old, cantankerous Cassander.
Tommy’s path into the performing arts began, as so many good stories do, somewhat by chance. As a boy, he accompanied his sister to an audition at the Royal Danish Ballet School, where he was asked if he would like to try out himself. He politely declined, and yet somehow found himself starting that August: "So I started there, learning alongside the best, including Flemming Flindt. The teaching was demanding in the most affectionate way: 'Get that leg up, Tommy. You're just drifting.'" It was the beginning of a life in the performing arts.
While training, Tommy developed a deep curiosity for mastering the craft from the ground up. He observed, absorbed and learned, while coming to understand that discipline, strength and perseverance were the foundation of what would later appear effortless to an audience.
Chance played a role again in 1976, when a temporary position led him to the Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli. What was meant to be a few days of cover work became the beginning of a lifelong connection. Here he found his artistic home in the distinctive dramaturgy and stage form, with its fixed characters, masks and direct contact with the audience.
For Tommy, pantomime is a playground. A space where the body, the mask and physical expression become tools for conveying the wonderful old stories that have been passed down through generations. The work demands both enormous precision and freedom, as well as a fine balance between tradition and the spontaneous joy of performance that is created in the power of the present moment.
Over decades, Tommy has been a central figure in the development and continuation of the classical pantomimes. Working closely with Henrik Lyding, among others, he has helped revive and reinvigorate the repertoire: "I am genuinely proud to receive this award, not least because I knew Henrik. It carries a responsibility. For me, it is about holding on to the craft and tradition he stood for, and carrying it forward."
Tommy Edvardsen receives the Harlequin Honorary Prize 2026.
The Jury Said:
Tommy Edvardsen always has a twinkle in his eye. His mime is so clear and precise that audiences in front of the Pantomime Theatre catch every nuance of his richly detailed performances.
Since 2012, he has also created a deeply original Hans Christian Andersen in Tivoli's Copenhagen version of The Nutcracker, a nervous, story-loving Andersen with his knees perpetually pressed together.
His timing is impeccable. Every movement becomes a comic or biting point, whether shuffling forward in magnificent self-pity or crumpling his face in fury at Pierrot. Beneath it all, there is a quiet joy in life and an enduring vitality in his performance.
Tommy has just celebrated his 50th anniversary at the Pantomime Theatre, a testament to his dedication to the pantomime tradition that he passes on so generously to the dancers and young trainees around him — always with a spirited and mischievous glint.
Henrik Lyding and Tommy Edvardsen worked closely together at the Pantomime Theatre. They loved reconstructing the old pantomimes, and worked with great humour and determination to keep the performances alive and feeling fresh.
It is a great joy that the Foundation awarded its first Honorary Prize to Tommy Edvardsen. Congratulations!
Jury
Dinna Bjørn
Choreographer
Anne Middelboe Christensen
Theatre and Dance Critic at Dagbladet Information
Michael Søby
Theatre, Musical and Film Critic at CPH Culture
Jan Hertz
Theatre Director
