“Two violins and a drum and a flute, because Lientje’s birthday and the flags are hanging out!”
Every year the song sounds for little Lien in the caravan camp. While the years pass, he grows up in the caravan with white couch, white dress and white cuisine with golden details. On his birthday he expresses that one, long -cherished wish under a light bulb: “That the old man comes back.” Mother Jaanie and brother Grote Lien sigh, they know that his father will never return.
In the music theater performance Singer without a people Gives actor and playwright Giovanni Brand a voice to the caravan community. It is a world that is rarely visible, let alone in the theater. Coming from a Roma family, Brand tells the story in the role of Kleine Lien. Although he himself never lived in a camp, fire makes it tangible with which prejudices and struggles camp residents are confronted, but also how strong the mutual connection and love for the camp are.
The ‘bourgeoisie’, the outside world, looks down on them, the municipality prefers to chase them away, low literacy makes it difficult to talk to the parents in the schoolyard and we work hard to keep their heads above water. The camp is a closed place and does not participate in society. But for Jaanie, Kleine Lien and Grote Lien it is also a place of pride. As Big Lien says: “People who don’t live on wheels don’t get it.”
New jacket
The show premiered in 2023 and brought a nomination for the Toneelwrijprijs. Now is Singer without a people Back in a new look, thanks to the live music of Ensemble Black Pencil. Percussion, piano, accordion, violin and recorder support the scenes and strengthen the powerful vocals of fire.
Together with Janneke Remmers (Jaanie) and Steven Ivo (Grote Lien), Brand forms a close trinity on stage. Their interplay shows the complex dynamics within the family. As little Lien gets older, he breaks off from his mother, brother and the camp. At HAVO he quickly strives to pass his mother and brother and after his final exam he leaves the camp forever to study.
As little Lien gets older, he breaks apart from his mother, brother and the camp
Where Kleine Lien is ten years old at the start of the performance, he is a young adult at the end. Yet it is not always clear in which phase of life it is. His clothing remains unchanged the entire performance, as a ten -year -old and as a young adult he still wears the same purple jogging suit, only the bath slippers have been exchanged for leather loafers.
As slowly as the teenage years of little Lien crawl past at the beginning, the last scenes feel that suddenly. Jaanie lies incurably ill on her deathbed and after more than an hour and a half the players rush to a completion. Yet Brand knows how to close the performance convincingly with a powerful last song in which he sings: “I am a singer without a people.”