A Case for the Existence of God
An intimate tale of hope and friendship
Two single fathers, Kevin and Bryan, each fight for their livelihoods in their own way; One is struggling with major money problems, the other with complicated adoption procedures surrounding his daughter. Both, after all the problems of the past, now also suffer from the constant fear of failing in their fatherhood. In A Case for the Existence of God, the two men explore in an empathetic, meandering way how to keep hope and connection when life almost paralyses them.
Duration 90 minutes
Genre Theatre
Language Dutch
After the successes of Grief is the thing with feathers and Slaughterhouse Five, director Erik Whien brings the first Dutch adaptation of this acclaimed play to the theatre. "Must-see heartbreaker of a play" wrote The New York Times about this new play by American playwright Samuel D. Hunter. In A Case for the Existence of God, actors Emmanuel Ohene Boafo (winner Louis d'Or 2021) and Bram Suijker (winner Louis d'Or 2022) are on the floor together.
"I hope it's not weird for me to say this, but I think we share a similar kind of grief. You and me." - Bryan in A Case for the Existence of God
Erik Whien on the play
"A Case for the Existence of God is a search for hope in everyday life, which is governed by 'systems' in so many ways. Where you grew up, what social class you belong to, what your orientation is, your work environment, etc. In the performance, we see two men who are in total danger of getting stuck within these existing constructs. In fact, they are, or seem to be, opposites. Because underneath all their differences, they discover a common ground from which a deep friendship develops. A friendship that gives them the security they need to face life. Which, in short, makes them less lonely. And perhaps precisely this humanity is the 'Divine' to which the title refers."
Press
de Volkskrant
'Erik Whien makes the voices of two completely different people sound harmonious'
Trouw
'Comforting theatre in times of polarisation'
Nederlands Dagblad
'One of those plays that shows how magical theatre can be'
Credits
text Samuel D. Hunter
directed by Erik Whien
acting Emmanuel Ohene Boafo, Bram Suijker
translation Vera Morina
dramaturgy Brecht De Backer
stage design Marloes and Wikke
lighting design Julian Maiwald
costume design Rebekka Wörmann
music Thijs van Vuure
