BL!NDMAN Akenkaai 2, B-1000 Brussels +32 (0)2 201 59 47
 
 

line-up

director | Ivo van Hove
actor (ensemble) | Aus Greidanus jr. | Bart Slegers | Frieda Pittoors | Halina Reijn | Hans Kesting | Hugo Koolschijn | Janni Goslinga | Ramsey Nasr | Robert de Hoog
author | Ayn Rand
adaptation | Koen Tachelet
translation | Erica van Rijsewijk | Jan van Rheenen
dramaturge | Peter Van Kraaij
scenographer, light design | Jan Versweyveld
composer | Eric Sleichim
musician | Christiaan Saris | Hannes Nieuwlaet | Yves Goemaere
video | Tal Yarden
costumes | An D’Huys
assistant director | Nina de la Parra
dramaturge assistant | Vera Hoogstad
assistant scenographer | Ramón Huijbrechts | Roel Van Berckelaer
video assistant | Rodrik Biersteker
music assistant | Jenneke van Obdeijn
casting | Hans Kemna
privat producer | Emmerique Granpré Moliere
head of technique & production department | Wolf-Götz Schwörer
production leader | Edith den Hamer | Michiel van Schijndel
head of costume department | Wim van Vliet
costumes department | Farida Bouhbouh
dresser | Jacolien Honders

BL!NDMAN is supported by the Arts Administration of the Ministry of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region. BL!NDMAN [sax] play Selmer Paris Saxophones.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD

The Fountainhead is the fascinating portrait of the brilliant young architect Howard Roark, who follows his calling and sets himself up against those who spinelessly parrot the views of others; of Peter Keating, a fellow architect who sells his soul for commercial success and public esteem; of Guy Francon, a traditionalist who uncritically copies architecture from the past; and of the intellectual Ellsworth Toohey, who manipulates public opinion while slyly grooming the masses for a socialist takeover.

‘The theme of my novel’, said Ayn Rand, ‘is the struggle between individualism and collectivism, not in the political arena but in the human soul. My aim in writing The Fountainhead was always to present a novel whose protagonist embodies the ideal man.’ That man is Howard Roark, a creative artist who, like a sun, is surrounded by less talented and easily influenced characters who envy him his genius and vocation. But equally, The Fountainhead is the story of the struggle between two lovers: between Roark and the beautiful, idealistic and uncompromising Dominique Francon – two likeminded spirits determined never to sacrifice their own liberty or autonomy.

Ivo van Hove about The Fountainhead

“When I first read the novel the characters gripped me, each and every one of them humans of fles hand blood, and at the same time they are larger than life. They are symbols for ideas of grandeur: There’s the brilliant architect Howard Roark who follows his own ideals and dreams of a new world, a city of tomorrow. And then there’s Peter Keating, his colleague who constantly compromises and adapts his designs to fit the market?s demands. The battle between Roark and his adversaries is bloodcurdlingly well written.

To me, The Fountainhead is a war of ideas. The great question the book poses: What is creation? What does it mean to create? And what is integrity in the process of creating? The novel is set in the milieu of architects in Twenties New York, where the battle between modernism and classicism raged, but even today its questioning of creation is one that plays in our minds: The balance between the commercial and the innovative, the market and pure expression. Rand uses the architect’s world as a metaphore to discuss art, engagement, individualism and autonomy. But The Fountainhead is also a love story that tinkers at the edges of decency. A relentless love develops between Howard Roark and Domonique Francon, that shows the hardships of giving yourself wholly to another while maintaining your own integrity. At a certain point Roark states: “I could die for you, but I couldn’t and wouldn’t live for you.” It is an engaging, addictive novel that was begging to be staged.’


THE FOUNTAINHEAD played among others on the following locations:

2019
AMSTERDAM (NL) - stadsschouwburg
MANCHESTER
2018
AMSTERDAM (NL) - stadsschouwburg
2017
AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
SEOUL (K)
TAIPEI (RC)
NEW YORK - Brooklyn (USA), BAM
2016
PARIS (F) - Théâtre l'Odéon
AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
2015
AMSTERDAM (NL) - Holland Festival - Stadsschouwburg
ROTTERDAM (NL) - rotterdamse schouwburg
ANTWERPEN - deSingel
2014
AMSTERDAM (NL) - Holland festival
BARCELONA - Grec Festival
AVIGNON (F) Festival d'Avignon
AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
VILNIUS (LT) - Sirenos festival
ANTWERPEN - deSingel
ROTTERDAM (NL) - rotterdamse schouwburg
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BL!NDMAN       contact info

Gallaitstraat 76-78
1030 Schaarbeek, Belgium
contact:

general and artistic direction:
management:   M +32 473 29 98 91
production and communication:   M +32 473 71 50 70
technical production:

BL!NDMAN is supported by the Arts Administration of the Ministry of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region. BL!NDMAN [sax] play Selmer Paris Saxophones.