Laagland

Het Nationale Theater / Eric de Vroedt

Het Nationale Theater presents Laagland, the new razor-sharp and comical show by writer Nathan Vecht (television series Het jaar van Fortuyn) in which he shows the state of the Netherlands. A society staggering along the divide between the elite and the middle class, fighting for the attention of its people. Eric de Vroedt directs a top cast including Mark Rietman, Tamar van den Dop, Joris Smit, and Soumaya Ahouaoui.

Run time 120 minutes
Genre theatre
Language Dutch

Laagland

In the small community of Langwetering, peace is disrupted when the local recreational lake is designated as a destination for climate-neutral water homes. The floating housing estate has been developed by successful tech entrepreneur Hugo (Joris Smit). However, during a 'kitchen table discussion' at the town hall, it turns out that the local residents, led by flex-working electrician Ferry (Mark Rietman), do not like Hugo's good intentions. A bitter battle ensues for land and life preservation. When it turns out that Hugo and Ferry's lives are more connected than they both thought, this battle takes a fatal turn.
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Hugo: I donate to charities. I really put everything on the line with this project. So that your children can make it to the end of this century.

Ferry: WHAT DO I CARE ABOUT MAKING IT TO THE END OF THIS CENTURY WHEN I DON’T KNOW WHETHER I CAN MAKE IT TO THE END OF THIS MONTH!

Laagland was written at the request of director Eric de Vroedt and is about the Netherlands today.

Eric de Vroedt about Laagland

"A kind of toxic cocktail has developed in this country. The urgent fight against climate change collides head-on with the ever-increasing inequality. The upper class pollutes the most, but is least affected by the government's environmental measures. People like Hugo embrace technological innovation as a solution: apps for the sharing economy, eco-new builds, green is hot. But people like Ferry risk being hit directly in their wallets and livelihoods by stringent environmental measures."

Credits

text Nathan Vecht
directed by Eric de Vroedt
acting Soumaya Ahouaoui, Emma Buysse, Tamar van den Dop, Alex Hendrickx, Alwin Pulinckx, Mark Rietman, Betty Schuurman, Esther Scheldwacht, Joris Smit, Jaap Spijkers, Nazanin Taheri
composition and music Florentijn Boddendijk and Remco de Jong
set Studio Dennis Vanderbroeck
costumes Lotte Goos
light Bernie van Velzen
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dramaturgy Willemijn Barelds, Kyra Mol (stage)
direction assistance Chyramain van Kempen
context programme Laura van Zuijlen

SneakPeek
text and direction Alkan Çöklü
play Emma Buysse, Alex Hendrickx
production The Rainmakers (Ulrike Buerger-Bruijs & Wouter Van Ransbeek)