…I regarded The Royal Theatre's 
singing and acting staff and their rank, 
as gods on earth...

 
As a boy Andersen wished to become famous and the easiest way was the theatre. He had his first scenic experiences at the theatre of his home town. From the age of eight he often attended the plays and he was en extra in several plays.

His most important experience of the time was when a group of The Royal Theatre's leading actor visited his home town. It consolidated his belief that he would go to the capital to seek fame through an active stage career.

The repertoire at Odense Theatre ranged from plays by Kotzebue, Schiller, Goethe, and Shakespeare to Ludvig Holberg's comedies and Adam Oehlenschläger's tragedies. This broad repertoire and the many popular ballad operas of the time was the first great inspiration for the young budding poet and awoke his sense for art and poetry.

Thus the theatre represents one of the most important factors for the initiation and encouragement of Andersen's poetic imagination.