© Marwan Magroun
The End of Eddy
Apr 14 -
Apr 16
ITA / Toneelschuur Producties / Eline Arbo
© Dim Balsem
Édouard Louis took the world by storm with his successful autobiographical novel The End of Eddy. Without much frills, the novel tells the life story of a homosexual boy growing up in a homophobic environment.
'The theatrical adaptation of Édouard Louis' hit book is stellar.' - Het Parool
- Date
- August 25, 2025 - April 16, 2027
- Duration
- 105 min, no interval
- Genre
- Theatre
- Taal
- Dutch
- Surtitles
- Available at one or more shows
- Location
- Teatro Stabile Torino, Turijn
In a small village in the north of France, the gentle and sensitive Eddy grows up in a a crude, vulgar and merciless working-class environment. We follow him during his many attempts at being a 'normal boy'. To his detriment, he is nothing like the children around him. His posture, his manner of speaking and even his walk earn him as much humiliation from his classmates as from his alcoholic father and bossy mother. Even before he has the slightest inkling of desire, many people assume he is gay. By telling his story, Eddy reveals how stifling this environment is. Will he be able to break free?
In 2020, director Eline Arbo made her own theatrical and musical adaptation of this novel for Toneelschuur Producties. She was awarded the VSCD directing award for this theatrical hit and the performance was selected for the Dutch Theatre Festival. The original cast from 2020 was nominated for the Louis d'Or, which at the time was the theatre award for best male lead.
Four young actors played all the characters and also shared the lead role. It was the first time that multiple actors were nominated as one for one part. “As if it were a compelling choreography: text, music and stage design are constantly interacting with each other, resulting in a colourful and unpredictable evening of theatre,” the jury report stated.
Tickets and times
On tour
On tour
On tour
“All my writing is political – and all my life is, too.”
– Édouard Louis
© Dim Balsem
Reviews
© Dim Balsem
© Dim Balsem
Édouard Louis
Young writer and sociologist Édouard Louis (1992) was born Eddy Bellegueule. Ever since his debut came out, he has been considered one of the most celebrated writers of his generation, and an important voice in the political debate in France. His themes are social and economic inequality, family, and sexuality. His passionate and socially engaged work has been embraced by the international theatre world: his books have been adapted for theatre almost 40 times worldwide. Ivo Van Hove has previously staged Who Killed My Father and A Woman’s Battles and Transformations at ITA.
© Arnaud Delrue
‘In the overwhelming The End of Eddy, director Eline Arbo portrays how several residents of a small working-class village attempt to escape their own limited frames of mind – to no avail. The result is thrilling, heartbreaking and sincere theatre, which still resonates unabated months later.’
– De Theaterjury
© Dim Balsem
Director Eline Arbo
“The first time I read The End of Eddy, I was blown away by the raw energy, the recognisable feeling of being young, the clever social criticism, the sense of injustice, and the protagonist's battle to claim a place in the world. The story is deeply personal, yet at the same time universal. We get a glimpse into the life of a boy trying to grow up in a village and in a family in which there is no room for anyone who is different. Like a chameleon, he tries to fit in. But in the end, he makes a break from his past and creates a life in which he is allowed to be himself. I am still proud of the stage adaptation I made of this book in 2020. Sadly, we still live in the same world today as we did then, in which people are discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. That is why I think it is important to keep telling this story.”
© Dim Balsem
Behind the scenes at The End of Eddy
Afbeelding niet gevonden
© Dim Balsem
© Dim Balsem
Credits
by
Édouard Louis
direction
Eline Arbo
adaptation
Eline Arbo and Thomas Lamers
dramaturgy
Thomas Lamers
sound design
Thijs van Vuure
scenography
Juul Dekker
lighting design
Varja Klosse
costume design
Rebekka Wörmann
original producer
Toneelschuur Producties
private producer
Mechteld Daniels and Joris Kaak
© Marwan Magroun
© Marwan Magroun
© Marwan Magroun
© Rhodé Gerrits
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