De zaak Shell

Bureau Vergezicht

The world’s last male white rhino has gone extinct. Forest fires, floods and heat records have become commonplace. Why is it then that there is so little momentum in solving the climate problem?

Run time 90 minutes
Genre Theatre
Language Dutch

De zaak Shell

The acclaimed play De zaak Shell is back in theatres, updated and appearing for the first time on the large stage. In this play by Anoek Nuyens and Rebekka de Wit, we see the most important players in the climate debate explain their position and actions in razor-sharp pleas: Shell, the consumer, the government, the citizen, and a young generation worried about their future. In five monologues, actors Jaap Spijkers (winner of the Arlecchino), Janneke Remmers, and Musia Mwankumi (nominated for the Colombina), each pass the responsibility onto another party. This way, De zaak Shell ingeniously shows the climate crisis to be a crisis of responsibility.

The reason for the performance is the lawsuit that Milieudefensie filed against Shell. The aim of the case: to force Shell to radically change their business practices. Shell's defence? Not us, but the consumer needs to change. Yet the court ruled that companies do have a responsibility, but could not attach a legal obligation to it and put the ball back in politics' court. And politics, in turn, points the finger at citizens. -|- Nuyens and De Wit have been following the climate debate for years and sunk their teeth into this case. They visited multinationals’ stakeholder meetings, read interviews and speeches, ploughed through agreements and government policy documents and diligently noted down remarks made by uncles and aunts during Christmas dinners. From all this research, they wrote and created De zaak Shell. In the updated version, they incorporate the appeal ruling and the latest developments.

In 2020, De zaak Shell was received with praise by press and audiences, and Anoek Nuyens and Rebekka de Wit were awarded the Directing Prize at the Dutch Theatre Festival. In addition, Jaap Spijkers won the Arlecchino (Best Male Performance in a supporting role) and Musia Mwankumi was nominated for the Columbina (Best Female Performance in a supporting role).

About Bureau Vergezicht

Bureau Vergezicht is the theatre company made up of artistic director Anoek Nuyens and theatre practitioners Erik Whien and Rebekka de Wit. Bureau Vergezicht creates compelling, investigative stories about power, the climate and shared responsibility. The company examines the role that artists could play in a world in which the climate crisis is an ever-present reality and moves citizens, multinationals and politicians to think critically.

REVIEWS

de Volkskrant

“A major, politically charged topic made accessible: This is what De zaak Shell does.”

NRC

“Nuyens and De Wit make painstakingly clear how the climate crisis is currently mainly a crisis of responsibility.”

Scènes

“Documentary theatre at the highest level possible.”

Theaterkrant (Critic's choice)

“Shell Case is an important piece which everyone should see, if only to have or keep a bit of hope.”

Credits

Concept, text & performance Anoek Nuyens & Rebekka de Wit
Performance Musia Mwankumi, Janneke Remmers, Jaap Spijkers, Margo Verhoeven
Final direction Erik Whien
Dramaturgy & text contributions Freek Vielen
Set design and lighting design Marloes en Wikke
Lighting design advice Axel Dikkers
Sound design Christiaan Verbeek
Costume design Fransje Christiaans
Marketing Leonie Poot & Dieke van der Spek
Original producers Frascati Producties & De Nwe Tijd
Stage photography Sanne Peper
Supported by BlockbusterFonds, Lira Fonds, Cultuurfonds, Fonds Podiumkunsten