line-up
direction < ivo van hove
actors < barry atsma (aufidius, anchorman, enobarbus) jacob derwig (cominius, brutus/lucius, thidias) renée fokker (volkstribuun, cassius, decretus) fred goessens (menenius, lepidus) janni goslinga (virgilia, calpurnia, diomedes) marieke heebink (senator, caska, charmian) fedja van huêt (coriolanus, agrippa) hans kesting (antonius) hugo koolschijn (julius caesar, proculeius) hadewych minis (octavius caesar) chris nietvelt (anchorman, cleopatra) frieda pittoors (volumnia, iras) alwin pulinckx (brutus, dolabella) eelco smits (sicinius, decius, ventidius) karina smulders (portia/lucius, octavia)
music < eric sleichim
music assistant < ief spincemaille
musicians < BL!NDMAN [drums]: christiaan saris, ward deketelaere, yves goemaere, hannes nieuwlaet
translation < tom kleijn
dramaturgy < bart van den eynde, jan peter gerrits, alexander schreuder
costume design < lies van assche
scenography and light design < jan versweyveld
video < tal yarden
production toneelgroep amsterdam, coproduction Holland festival, De Munt / La Monnaie Brussel / Bruxelles, Kaaitheater Brussel / Bruxelles, Muziektheater Transparant, BL!NDMAN
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.
ROMAN TRAGEDIES
Marathon-performance directed by Ivo van Hove, with fifteen actors of Toneelgroep Amsterdam & BL!NDMAN [drums]. |
Ivo van Hove stages three plays by Shakespeare – Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Antonius & Cleopatra – as a continuous performance presenting the political act.
The ideals, opinions and personal aims of politicians are simply put next to each other, Shakespeare does not take sides.
The three Roman Tragedies show politics in all facets. Coriolanus is featured during the raise of the Roman Republique. The hero (Fedja van Huêt) refuses to accept the changing political constellation and is banished because of his rebellion against the people and its new representatives. Eventually he fights his hometown of Rome. Julius Caesar (Hugo Koolschijn) on the contrary gains his power because of the fact he knows how to handle the plebs. Certain politicians fear dictatorship and murder him to save democracy. In Anthony & Cleopatra, world politics and passionate love between the Roman Anthony (Hans Kesting) and the Egyptian Cleopatra (Chris Nietvelt) intertwine . Anthony’s inner conflict between public responsibility and the will of his heart eventually leads to a slaughter.
Politics, people and ideals
The Roman Tragedies are Shakespeare‘s foremost political plays. Other than his king drama’s they do not speak about the enjoyment of power but focus on political mechanisms and the social context. Without prejudice Shakespeare describes cause and consequence of political structures in a changing society. Three times he shows the success and failure of a politician, his ideals but also his personal motives that are involved.
ivo van hove
programme
The play is performed in Dutch with subtitles. The duration of the play is five and a half hours, with no intermission. During the performance the audience is invited to walk through the auditorium or on the stage for another view of the on stage action, or to enjoy food and beverages.
Premiere > Holland Festival 17 June 2007
william shakespeare > coriolanus, julius caesar, anthony & cleopatra
ROMAN TRAGEDIES played among others on the following locations:
- 2021
- LIVESTREAM info & tickets: ita.nl
- 2020
- ANNUL-Corona ! TOKYO (JPN)
- 2019
- SEOUL (K)
- 2018
- AMSTERDAM - Koninklijk Theater Carré
- PARIS (FR) - Théâtre National de Chaillot
- 2017
- LONDON (UK) - Barbican Centre
- 2014
- ADELAIDE Festival (Australia)
- 2013
- BARCELONA (E)
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - stadsschouwburg
- 2012
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
- New York - Brooklyn (USA), BAM
- 2010
- MONTREAL (Can) - Festival TransAmériques
- QUEBEC (Can) - Grand Théâtre
- 2009
- ZÜRICH (CH) - Zürcher Theater Spektakel
- WROCLAW (PL)
- UTRECHT (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
- GRONINGEN (NL) - Stadsschouwburg De Oosterpoort
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
- LONDON (UK) - Barbican Centre
- 2008
- WIEN (A) / WENEN / VIENNE - wiener festwochen
- HANNOVER (D) - festival theaterformen
- AVIGNON (FR) - Festival d'Avignon
- ANTWERPEN / ANVERS - deSingel
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - stadsschouwburg
- 2007
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - Holland Festival - Stadsshouwburg
- AMSTERDAM (NL) - Stadsschouwburg
- EINDHOVEN (NL) - Parktheater
- BRUSSEL / BRUXELLES - kaaitheater
- ANTWERPEN / ANVERS - deSingel