The Dutch Toneeljury has announced the eleven ‘most impressive theater productions’ of this season.
Guy Weizman’s work at NITE (formerly Noord Nederlands Toneel) has been chosen twice for the five performances from the large auditorium, five from the small auditorium and one location performance: both his Yara’s Wedding in the main hall as a location performance The Underground. The first production for the main hall by Romana Vrede, The Story of Traviswas also selected.
“The first season without corona lockdowns yielded an incredibly beautiful harvest of performances, which once again confirms the versatility of the Dutch theater offer,” writes the Toneeljury. From the largest companies, the jury each selected a performance from the main hall: van ITA became Birds directed by Alize Zandwijk, of Het Nationale Theater The years directed by Eline Arbo, of Theater Rotterdam The Story of Travis and from the Groningen company NITE Yara’s Wedding. Comes from outside that government-subsidized group Jihad of loveof theater De Meervaart and impresario Senf.
From “the rich offer” the jury chose in the small hall: analogfrom the Flemish De Hoe, DARKMATTERfrom Frascati Productions and Cherish Menzo, The Brave Soldierfrom Toneelschuur Productions and Steef de Jong, I say sorry anywayby Raymi Sambo Maakt and Theatergroep Aluin, and Sea mealby the Flemish Sien Vanmaele and Laika.
Also read an interview with Guy Weizman: ‘The digital theater is the future’
Polyphony
The jury identifies two developments. Firstly, “a further development of polyphony”, meaning that “non-Western perspectives and narrative forms become more closely intertwined with Western forms of drama” and “the deeper and more intertwined genres”. In addition, there is “the emphasis on intergenerational roots”, or “makers who look for connections in time and being”, led by “pressing social and climate issues”.
Ivo van Hove and Eric de Vroedt, the artistic directors of the leading companies Internationaal Theater Amsterdam and Het Nationale Theater have again not been selected. It has been six and five years respectively since their work was selected. Director Erik Whien, who has always been present in the selection in recent years, is also missing this time. In the selection of the small auditorium, it is particularly striking that two Flemish productions have been chosen. Flemish theater was completely absent from the selection last year. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that it has been critically acclaimed Women in Troy van Dood Paard did not pass the balloting.
This year, for the first time, the jury is led by writer, theater maker and presenter Abdelkader Benali. The current nine-member jury also consists of six programmers and theater directors, a playwright, a theater teacher and a costume designer. There is no independent theater critic on the jury this year.
Also read the interview with Romana Vrede: ‘The system of exclusion is still in people’s heads’
New: also cabaret
Where possible, the performances will be shown at the Dutch Theater Festival in September. Just like the ‘Cabaret Collection’. For the first time, the festival, together with De Kleine Komedie, also presents a selection of ‘the most eye-catching cabaret and cabaret performances of the past season’, compiled by a new committee. According to the initiators, the collection “draws attention to cabaret as a theater discipline” and shows “the development of cabaret”.
This collection can be seen as a step in the emancipation of the cabaret genre. It has never been possible before to bring together the best cabaret performances of a season in a festival. Remarkably enough, the collection is separate from the choice of the VSCD cabaret jury. Each year, the jury selects its own nominations and winners for the Poelifinario and Neerlands Hoop cabaret prizes.
A version of this article also appeared in the May 19, 2023 newspaper.