Skip to main content
Nederlands

Roman tragedies

Ivo van Hove, Toneelgroep Amsterdam

Roman tragedies has been an unprecedented success since its world premiere at the Holland Festival in 2007. Ivo van Hove’s revolutionary stage adaptation of three Shakespeare tragedies (Coriolanus, Julius Caesar and Anthony & Cleopatra) returns to Amsterdam, and plays in the Royal Theatre Carré. This co-production by Toneelgroep Amsterdam and the Holland Festival is a thrilling multimedia show, in which the dark side of politics is exposed in all its ambiguity and drama. The audience mixes with the actors on stage and in the wings. It is possible to eat and drink on stage, and comment live on social media. This is your last chance to see this masterpiece.

dates

Fri June 15 2018 6:00 PM

Sat June 16 2018 6:00 PM

Sun June 17 2018 3:00 PM

Wed June 20 2018 6:00 PM

Thu June 21 2018 6:00 PM

information

  • Dutch

  • Duration of performance unknown

The Roman tragedies, a co-production with the Holland Festival, had its premiere during an earlier edition of the festival, in June 2007. In this marathon piece, Ivo van Hove stages three plays by

The Roman tragedies, a co-production with the Holland Festival, had its premiere during an earlier edition of the festival, in June 2007. In this marathon piece, Ivo van Hove stages three plays by

Shakespeare - Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra – as one continuous performance about the world of politics in all its complexity. Eleven years later, having toured the world with great success, the production returns to the Holland Festival for its final performance, this time in a new location: the arena of the Carré theatre. 

 

Shakespeare’s three Roman tragedies allow Van Hove to examine the political game from a number of different perspectives. Van Hove: ‘Politics is about human actions and out attempts to shape society; together, we try to get a grip on problems facing us and to influence the course of events. A network of opinions sets the wheels of change in motion, overthrowing institutions in a process that carries on continuously.’

 

Coriolanus takes place during the rise of the Roman republic. The eponymous hero refuses to submit to the altered political constellation. He defies the masses and their new representatives and is banished. Ultimately he takes up arms against Rome, his own city.

 

By contrast, a virtuoso talent for manipulating the masses is exactly what brings Julius Caesar to power. A number of politicians fear this will lead to a dictatorship and remove him in order to save democracy; only by then it turns out to be too late to reverse the altered political climate.

 

In Antonius & Cleopatra global politics and the passionate love affair between the Roman Antony and Egyptian Cleopatra become intertwined. Antony’s inner conflict between public responsibility and his heart’s desire eventually results in a bloodbath.

 

The Roman tragedies are Shakespeare’s most political works. Unlike the English history plays they are not about the lust for power; instead, the focus is on political mechanisms and the social context. Without starting from a preconceived standpoint, Shakespeare describes the causes and effects of political structures in a changing society. Three times in succession, we are shown the rise and fall of a politician, along with his ideals and underlying personal motives.

 

In Van Hove’s Roman tragedies the audience finds itself in the middle of a political arena, in which the production is played out non-stop. Spectators can move freely in and out, change seats or take a break as and when they wish, in a meeting area on the stage, where drinks and snacks are available. The performance is transmitted live on screens in different locations throughout the theatre. The audience can decide for themselves what they want to look at and which character they want to focus on.

Read less

credits

text William Shakespeare direction Ivo van Hove translation Tom Kleijn dramaturgy Alexander Schreuder, Bart Van den Eynde, Jan Peter Gerrits scenography, light Jan Versweyveld music Eric Sleichim video Tal Yarden costumes Lies van Assche cast Alwin Pulinckx, Bart Slegers, Chris Nietvelt, Eelco Smits, Fred Goessens, Frieda Pittoors, Gijs Scholten van Aschat, Hans Kesting, Harm Duco Schut, Hélène Devos, Hugo Koolschijn, Janni Goslinga, Maria Kraakman, Marieke Heebink drums Bl!ndman musicians Hannes Niewlaet, Ruben Cooman, Christiaan Saris, Yves Goemaere assistent direction Matthias Mooij assistent scenography Ramón Huijbrechts assistent music Ief Spincemaille casting advices Hans Kemna head technique & production Wolf-Götz Schwörer production leader Edith den Hamer hair and make-up David Verswijveren production toneelgroep Amsterdam coproduction Bl!ndman, Holland Festival, Kaaitheater, Muziektheater Transparant

This performance is made possible by