My Heavenly Favourite
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld received the prestigious International Booker Prize for the English edition of his debut De avond is ongemak. The translation rights of his widely acclaimed second novel Mijn lieve gunsteling have so far been sold to fourteen countries. Ivo van Hove is the first director to adapt this heartbreaking and at the same time terrifying novel for the stage.
Run time tba
Genre Theater
Language Dutch
Surtitles Thu January 19 & 26, Thu 1 June
Public rehearsal Wed January 11
In Gesprek Fri January 13, 20, 27 & Fri May 26 & Fri June 2
Opening night Sun January 15
My Heavenly Favourite
A novel that the author himself thought no one would ever want to read, but which became a bestseller in a short time. A 49-year-old vet develops a forbidden love for a farmer's underage daughter during a sweltering summer. A love that quickly becomes an obsession. A story with moving but also intense scenes in which the adult man and the 14-year-old girl grow closer and closer until the border is crossed.
-|-
'I am very honoured that the grand master of the stage, Ivo van Hove, is performing Mijn lieve gunsteling on the stage. I have every confidence that it will be a wonderful adaptation. The cow in the spotlight! And the love, of course, the love.' - Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
Ivo van Hove about My Heavenly Favourite
'Marieke Lucas Rijneveld treads the slippery slope of a forbidden relationship between an adult man and an underage girl in an idiosyncratic, beautifully written and important book. A rollercoaster of emotions: ecstasy, deep unhappiness, loneliness, guilt, jealousy, craving, nightmares and sex. I can't wait to bring this masterful book to the stage.'
IN GESPREK
After the performance, come and think, listen and chat at In Gesprek. We invite a guest to further explore the themes of My Heavenly Favourite 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.
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
directed by Ivo van Hove
written by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
adaptation Ivo van Hove
accompaniment adaptation Bart van den Eynde
dramaturgical advice Bart van den Eynde
scenography and lighting design Jan Versweyveld
-|-
private producer Marcelle en Joost Kuiper, Hans Peter Sauerwein
costumes An D'Huys
music/sound design George Dhauw
assistant director Maria Luttikhuis
casting advice Hans Kemna