The Story of Travis

Theater Rotterdam / Well Made Productions / Romana Vrede

"The Story of Travis is compelling and a much-needed enrichment of the Dutch theatre landscape." — de Volkskrant ★★★★

Moving from poetic monologues to recognisable family situations and spiritual dialogues, The Story of Travis raises questions on the burden of the Black dream and what it’s like to be sent out into the world as your family’s only hope.

Run time 110 minutes
Genre Theatre
Language Dutch

The story of Travis

The Story of Travis is a new play inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 Broadway classic A Raisin in the Sun. It deals with the importance of having a dream, making your voice heard in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind, and finding a home. Moving from poetic monologues to recognisable family situations and spiritual dialogues, the show raises questions on the burden of the Black dream and what it’s like to be sent out into the world as your family’s only hope.
-|-
As a teenager, American-born Travis (played by Ruurt de Maesschalck) leaves his native Chicago to lead a nomadic life. He reaches the Netherlands where he falls in love, starts a family and builds a new life for himself. Then at 78, Travis embarks on one last big trip and returns to Chicago. Standing at his family grave he looks back upon his life. Bringing back memories from the past and rekindling conversations with his relatives, Travis prepares for his passage to the hereafter.

THE JURY REPORT - NEDERLANDSE TONEELJURY

"The Story of Travis is a feast of a performance. It is a great tour de force in which family history is thematized, and it is made clear how the 'hopes and dreams' of previous generations affect the present."

THE JURY REPORT - WIJKJURY AMSTERDAM

"The Story of Travis highlights heavy subjects with deep-rooted emotions without leaving you with a negative state of mind. Not everything in the performance is spelled out for you, so it raises a lot of questions that leave you thinking for a long time afterward."

REVIEWS

NRC

"Crushing family chronicle is dream debut Romana Vrede"

de Volkskrant

"The Story of Travis is compelling and a much-needed enrichment of the Dutch theatre landscape."

Het Parool

"As a debuting director, Romana Vrede delivers a musically thrilling masterpiece."

Credits

text Esther Duysker
directed by Romana Vrede
choreography Alida Dors
performers Dionne Verwey, Howard Komproe, Jennifer Muntslag, Jetty Mathurin, Joy Wielkens, Ruurt De Maesschalck, Ritzah Statia, Yamill Jones
-|-
dramaturgy Karim Ameur, Aukje Verhoog
set design Niek Kortekaas
lightning design Niek Kortekaas, Axel Dikkers
sound design and music Ata Güner
costume design Erik Bosman
hair and make-up Alejandro Blijd