Ilke Paddenburg

In Roman tragedies, Ivo van Hove and Jan Versweyveld have created a unique arena in which Shakespeare speaks about our time more than ever and the political game in all its facets.

Maarten meets the woman of his dreams, unfortunately he's hammered.

A girl lies dying in a hospital room. A priest wants to enter, but her doctor, Ruth Wolff, won't allow it. The incident brings her into such heavy external fire that the survival of her hospital is threatened. At the same time, a colleague takes advantage of the case to bend an internal appointment procedure to his will.

In Kings of War, director Ivo van Hove focuses on political leadership. The original texts were retranslated by Rob Klinkenberg and then thoroughly adapted: the Hundred Years' War between England and France, and the Rose Wars between the houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne, which are emphatically present as a historical context in the original pieces, were referred to the background in the adaptation in order to accommodate a varied portrait of successive kings. As leaders in times of political instability and war, they show remarkable affinities with world leaders today.

Thirty-year-old Robin leaves the city to go to a logging camp for a few days. But is it a logging camp or a men's camp? Robin is seen as an intruder, and after the earlier confusion and outrage, cannot escape strong examples of mansplaining, bullying and downright sexist campfire jokes. Just as long as it explodes. After all that taking it, Robin can't help but break the silence.

Ivo van Hove's direction of Les Damnés had its world premiere as the opening performance of the Festival d'Avignon. This theatrical adaptation, based on a film script by Italian film director Luchino Visconti, shows how a family of rich German industrialists is fatally corrupted by its collaboration with the Nazi party that has come to power. Family patriarch Baron Joachim resists and is liquidated. The struggle for the succession leads to an escalation of intrigues and manipulations, betrayal and murder.

Marta wanted to become a pilot. After an accident, she is paralysed from the waist down. For her birthday she gets an electric wheelchair and a lame boat trip. She wants to end her life on the boat, but her travelling companions keep messing things up. Marta is thwarted by a spastic admirer, a terminal Jehovah’s witness and a paralysed hairdresser in this black comedy full of crap, vomit, sex and impertinent jokes.

Every summer, seasoned volunteers and friends Helen (67) and Peggy (64) give their all for the prestigious festival Art at Sea. This year promises to be special, as they have been assigned to scan tickets at the Hangar.

While a large painting of a naked woman is being transported from the studio to the exhibition, she seems to fall victim to a harsh and masculine outside world.

While a large painting of a naked woman is being transported from the studio to the exhibition, she seems to fall victim to a harsh and masculine outside world.