NTGent & het Kip

FRANS WOYZECK

Just as the title says, this play is more focused on the individual than on the exemplary case. As the last play staged by Eric de Volder, who died shortly after the Belgian premiere, this production remains true the director’s principles (and those of his mentor Grotowski): He believed that theatre should deal with the fate of the common man. However, this does not mean he resorts to naive naturalism – on the contrary, the production commemorates Büchner’s proto-expressionism with a rich metaphorical style. Frans Woyzeck is a vibrant nightmare of phosphorus and black light, a bold “opera buffa”, compellingly direct theatre with a dose of humour: boom tata-tetaah, boom tata-tetaah boom!