Jesse Mensah joins Internationaal Theater Amsterdam
Internationaal Theater Amsterdam will be welcoming Jesse Mensah to its regular ensemble cast of actors next season. Jesse graduated from the Amsterdam Academy of Theatre and Dance back in 2016 and could be seen on stage in Weg met Eddy Bellegueule by Toneelschuur Producties, directed by Eline Arbo. This earned him and his three fellow actors a nomination for the Louis d'Or, the Dutch acting award for best male lead.
Ivo van Hove: 'Jesse Mensah completely blew me away in Weg met Eddy Bellegueule. He has a true stage presence and gives the performance his all. He does it with total abandon, as well as with knowledge of the craft and a particular feel for language. Jesse's addition to the ITA ensemble is a great enrichment.'
Jesse Mensah: 'What an honour to join this incredible ensemble! A number of actors who are, or have been, part of the ITA are role models for me and have made me want to become an actor as well. Together with his team and other directors associated with ITA, Ivo has literally and figuratively pushed the boundaries of Dutch theatre—and is still doing so. To be part of that is like a dream come true. And all that in the city I was born in and have lived in all my life; I will be able to just walk to work soon! I cannot wait to get started.'
-|- Mensah joined the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam at the age of 9, followed by various dance education until he made the switch to drama in 2012. Jesse graduated from the School for Drama & Contemporary Music Theatre in 2016. His various performances include Lear (directed by Liesbeth Coltof), De verbeelde stad (directed by Ingrid Askvik), and Platonov (directed by Thibaud Delpeut). During the past two seasons, he appeared on screen in the second season of Anne+ and performed in the play Ilias at Orkater Nieuwkomers with his own collective, Konvooi. Jesse was also part of the cast of Weg met Eddy Bellegueule by Toneelschuur Producties/Eline Arbo, Zwart Water by the NNT also directed by Eline Arbo, and he appeared in Liefdesziek, directed by Charli Chung at Oostpool.
Jesse will make his ITA debut in Age of Rage directed by Ivo van Hove, which will premiere in June as part of the Holland Festival.
