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.
about My Heavenly Favourite
'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
'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.' - Ivo van Hove
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
based on the book by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
directed by Ivo van Hove
adaptation Ivo van Hove
accompaniment adaptation Bart Van den Eynde
dramaturgical advice Bart Van den Eynde
scenography and lighting design Jan Versweyveld
costumes An D'Huys
composition songs Wende Snijders
music and sound design George Dhauw
video design Christopher Ash
cast Hans Kesting, Eefje Paddenburg, Katelijne Damen, Bart Slegers, Achraf Koutet
musician Roos van Tuil
private producer Marcelle and Joost Kuiper, Hans Peter Sauerwein
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assistant director Maria Luttikhuis, Agnese Kumpina (intern)
assistant dramaturgy Fleur Zick (intern)
assistant music David Knap
head of technical staff Reyer Meeter
head artistic office Loesje Riethof
head of production Michiel van Schijndel
casting adviceHans Kemna
productionleader Edith den Hamer
assistant production Eva Sol
scenographical technical producer Ramon Huijbrechts
technical staff Daan van Oene (stage manager), Emile Bleeker, Yannick Bruine de Bruin, Daan Kapteijn, Zinzi Kemper, David Logger, Paul Meijer, Wouter Pieters, Dennis van Scheppingen, Marleen Wind
costume department Wim van Vliet (head), Farida Bouhbouh
hair and make-up Mirjam Venema
intimacy coordinator Zarah Bracht
photography Dim Balsem, Fabian Calis
graphic design Sara Fortuin
publicity Iris Istha