kings of war
In Kings of War Ivo van Hove merges William Shakespeare's plays Henry V, Henry VI and Richard III into one explosive performance about leadership. For his performance of Richard III Hans Kesting received the Louis d'Or in 2016.
Run time 270 minutes, incl. intermission
Genre Theater
Language Dutch
Surtitles Fri April 28 and Fri May 5
Kings of war
In Kings of war, director Ivo van Hove focuses on political leadership. The original texts were retranslated by Rob Klinkenberg and then thoroughly adapted: the Hundred Years' War between England and France, and the Rose Wars between the houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne, which are emphatically present as a historical context in the original pieces, were referred to the background in the adaptation in order to accommodate a varied portrait of successive kings.
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As leaders in times of political instability and war, they show remarkable affinities with world leaders today. Kings of War is not a historical reconstruction, but a performance about power, ambition, leadership and responsibility; a performance in which leaders are confronted with the ultimate decision about the life and death of thousands of citizens and in which they rule from a sense of empathy and justice or are led by an unbridled lust for power.
REVIEWS
The Guardian
'Epic reimagining of Henry V, Henry VI and Richard III makes for an explosive examination of political leadership and present-day power'
New York Times
'In this cold-eyed, hot-blooded work, political cynicism moves with the heady rush of sexual passion. Settle in for a long session of shivers, gasps and, despite yourself, satisfied smiles. Kings of War takes the home-viewing pleasures associated with serial television portraits of cutthroat schemers, like those in House of Cards and The Sopranos, and magnifies them to the proportions of grand opera'
The New Yorker
‘the first great theatrical work of the Trump era’
What's on
‘brilliance and beauty’
Ivo van Hove has been director of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam since 2001.
In season 22|23, he will be directing My Heavenly Favourite (Marieke Lucas Rijneveld) at ITA and his directing of Age of rage, A little life, The Damned, Battles and metamorphoses of a woman, Kings of War and Who killed my father will be reprised.
CREDITS
By William Shakespeare
Direction Ivo van Hove
Dramaturgy Peter Van Kraaij
Scenography and light Jan Versweyveld
Composition Eric Sleichim
Video design Tal Yarden-|-
Private producers Harry en Marijke van den Bergh
Cast Ramsey Nasr, Eelco Smits, Hans Kesting, Chris Nietvelt, Janni Goslinga, Bart Slegers, Aus Greidanus jr., Gijs Scholten van Aschat, Alwin Pulinckx, Hélène Devos, Hugo Koolschijn, Jip van den Dool, e.a.
Musicians Charlotte Van Passen, Steve Dugardin (zang), Daniel Quiles Cascant, Max Vanden Brand, Victor Belmonte Albert