Een leven lang theater: Theu Boermans
In the series A lifetime of theatre (Een leven lang theater), we travel through contemporary Dutch theatre and dance history. Each episode focuses on a different artist whose work we will be shedding light on through interviews, film and image fragments. In addition, up-and-coming makers and performers from one of the Dutch theatre academies will pose a specific question to our main guest. The guest will respond to this question from his own vision, so that the audience immediately has a clear insight into the actions and ideas of this artist.
In this edition of A lifetime of theatre - From text to situation Theu Boermans is our main guest. Theater journalist Hein Janssen will interview Theu.
About Theu Boermans
Theu Boermans (1950) grew up in Limburg and graduated as an actor from the Maastricht Theater Academy. He played at Zuidelijk Toneel Globe, among others, but gradually discovered that he wanted to direct. In 1988 he co-founded theater company De Trust. The group became famous with newly written Austrian repertoire (Schwab, Goetz, Ernst), as well as contemporary stagings of classical texts (Czekhov, Shakespeare). The success of De Trust led to Boermans being invited abroad as a director. His many years of collaboration with scenographer Bernhard Hammer began in Austria. In 2001 the Trust merged with Art & Pro to form the Theater Company. This company existed until 2009, after which Boermans started freelancing (including Soldaat van Oranje).
In 2011, Boermans became artistic director of Het Nationale Toneel, where he directed Midzomernachtdroom, Tasso, De Revisor and Amadeus, among others. With the founding of Het Nationale Theater in 2017, Boermans became a house director.
-|-In 2022 he will say goodbye as house director with OustFaust, an adaptation of Goethe's Faust by Tom Lanoye. But Boermans does not stop directing: there are still (opera) productions planned at home and abroad and his feature film Zee van Tijd will be released later this year. Boermans received several prizes for his work, including the Prins Bernhard Cultuurprijs, the Prosceniumprijs and a Gouden Kalf.
The work of Theu Boermans is characterized by a great love for classical texts, which he manages to make crystal clear and contemporary, partly thanks to a modern design. In his performances you see how an individual person fights against unshakable systems, structures and institutions such as family, religion and politics.
