With a declaration of love to language. Guy Cassiers couldn’t have concluded his artistic leadership of Toneelhuis in a more beautiful way.
Together with Luc Coorevits, Guy Cassiers made a selection of poetry from the work of Leonard Nolens, one of the most important poets writing in Dutch. Zeg aan de kinderen dat wij niet deugen (Tell the Children We’re No Good) is a self-portrait of the poet and his generation. Or call it a confession. An admission of guilt. Delivered by Johan Leysen. Presented at the crossroads of theatre, poetry, music and technology, as only Guy Cassiers can.
In 1997, Leonard Nolens received the Constantijn Huygens Prize for his entire oeuvre and in 2012, the Dutch Literature Prize. Ghent University gave him an honorary doctorate in 2018. By now, his career spans more than five decades. This production features poems from the volumes Bres (2007) and Zeg aan de kinderen dat wij niet deugen (2011)."With Zeg de kinderen dat wij niet deugen (Tell the Children We’re No Good) Toneelhuis and Behoud de Begeerte present an intimate homage to Leonard Nolens, the almost 75-year-old prince of poetry. Johan Leysen elevates the production to singular heights."
"With this 50-minute gem, Cassiers, Coorevits and Leysen conduct a successful exercise in stocktaking. A quiet farewell can also be done with style."
"With this poetic and intimate production, Cassiers gives a small wave goodbye, but does it with style. Zeg aan de kinderen dat wij niet deugen excels in its subtlety: the phrasing of a word, the play of light and shadow, and soft, unobtrusive snatches of music."
"In Zeg de kinderen dat wij niet deugen , Leonard Nolens’ poems sketch the life story of a lonely, unhappy man who takes leave of the world. Johan Leysen recites them with great subtlety. Director Guy Cassiers underpins the whole with tasteful restraint, bidding a worthy farewell to Toneelhuis."
"Guy Cassiers: "This production is a nice conclusion to my 16-year exploration at Toneelhuis. I have had a wonderful time in Antwerp. And I also want to thank the audience in Antwerp for accompanying me and all the other Toneelhuis makers on that journey. Let this be a kind of parting gift." ATV looked at the rehearsals and spoke with Guy Cassiers and Johan Leysen."
"Read the interview with ‘a top European actor, Leysen, who has shared the screen with George Clooney and Catherine Deneuve; an artistic director, Cassiers, who put an indelible stamp on contemporary Flemish theatre, a cultural entrepreneur, Coorevits, who turned literature and poetry into a performing art; and a poet, Nolens, who for years has been a serious candidate for a Nobel Prize’."
text
- Leonard Nolens
concept
- Guy Cassiers
- Luc Coorevits
director
- Guy Cassiers
with
- Johan Leysen
dramaturgy
- Erwin Jans
set and light design
- Ief Spincemaille
soundscape
- Diederik De Cock
video design
- Bram Delafonteyne
production
- Toneelhuis
- Behoud de Begeerte
with the support of
- de Tax Shelter van de Belgische federale overheid
- Casa Kafka Pictures Tax Shelter
