De dood van Benny Simons
Theatre debut from film director Shady El-Hamus.
A magical realistic performance about a boy who thought he should be a man. After a fatal argument on the street, Benny Simons delves into his past, hoping to find out how things could have gone so wrong. His sudden death sees his family falling apart; his brother, mother and girlfriend get lost in their grief. Benny struggles with how to make sure his loved ones don't lose each other and whether they will, perhaps one day, forgive him.
Run time nnb
Genre Music theatre
Language Dutch
In Gesprek Fri, April 4
De dood van Benny Simons
This energetic and musical performance intertwines Benny Simons' past and present through a live soundtrack of modern jazz and soulful hip-hop. A spherical tour de force about the expectations we have of our sons. How do we turn boys into men today? Besides being resilient and strong, are they also allowed to be vulnerable?
De dood van Benny Simons is the theatrical debut of filmmaker Shady El-Hamus (De Libi). In this compelling narrative, as in his films, he touches on universal themes such as the expectations of parents and their children, intergenerational trauma, the definition of masculinity and daring to dream of a better life.
-|-
Shady El-Hamus achieved significant success with his film debut De Libi (Gouden Kalf for Best Screenplay) and was the first Dutch filmmaker to release a Netflix-movie: Forever Rich. His third film Crypto Boy premiered on Netflix in 2023.
Lead actor Daniël Kolf starred in De Gliphoeve, the acclaimed production by Orkater in 2021. Previously, he portrayed the main character in Shady El-Hamus' successful film debut De Libi. He was nominated for a Gouden Kalf for his role in El-Hamus' Netflix film Forever Rich.
In Gesprek
After the performance, come and think, listen and chat at In Gesprek. We invite a guest to further explore the themes of De dood van Benny Simons and to exchange experiences. If you have any questions, this is the perfect time to ask them. In Gesprek is free of charge and starts shortly after the performance in one of our foyers, is conducted in Dutch and lasts about half an hour
Credits
direction Shady El-Hamus
text Ashgan El-Hamus en Shady El-Hamus
cast Daniël Kolf, Sophie Höppener, Sidar Toksöz and Timo Dries
composition Yasper Molle
music Yasper Molle, Yordi Petit, Shanice Redan
scenography Ruben Wijnstok
costumes Lotte Goos
photography Anne Claire de Breij
-|-
