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© Danny Willems

Unsung

Valentijn Dhaenens / KVS & SKaGeN
Tue 02.04.2019 - Fri 06.11.2020
02.04.2019
-
06.11.2020

Onbezongen paints the picture of  a 'homo politicus'. Not the gauche politician from Yes, Minister, the idealised machine from The West Wing, the lonely evil genius from House of Cards or the has-been from Revue Ravage - the emphasis is on the realistic way in which we deal with power in the west. The piece also investigates the mostly irrational reasons for this hunger for power.

Onbezongen begins with the idea that the politician’s talent is also ultimately the cause of his downfall. For, time and time again, it is his drive that makes him go too far, his strength of character that makes him lose touch with reality, his charisma that fails to achieve its aims, or his flexibility that leads to him being accused of being untrustworthy and fake.

Onbezongen goes back to the seeds of political life: why do leaders have such a powerful desire for power in a democracy, where power is highly relative and where politicians are subject to the demands of voters, the media and interest groups? Why does a politician seek recognition in a job that is known to be the most unpopular ever?

As a party spokesperson, a cabinet member for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the European Commission, and finally as a speechwriter for amongst others Karel De Gucht and José Manuel Barroso, Vincent Stuer was able to penetrate deeply into the fabric of politics. His experiences allowed him to closely observe and study power and those in power. Vincent has been obsessively working through political histories and biographies for decades, with an impressive archive of anecdotes and quotes as a result.

FRINGE FIRST Edinburgh Festival 2018

Rexit!

Bruno Vanden Broecke, Valentijn Dhaenens & Vincent Stuer / KVS
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© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems
© Danny Willems

Credits

BY & WITH VALENTIJN DHAENENS TEXT VINCENT STUER DRAMATURGY KRISTIN ROGGHE SET DESIGN ROEL VAN BERCKELAER COSTUMES HEIDI EHRHART LIGHTING DESIGN MARGARETA ANDERSEN SOUND MAX STUURMAN & STEPHANE PAPADOPOULOS ASSISTANCE DIRECTION & SURTITLING INGE FLORÉ PRODUCTION MANAGER NELE DRUYTS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR DONALD BERLANGER SET CONSTRUCTION DANNY VANDEPUT DISTRIBUTION & TOURMANAGEMENT SASKIA LIÉNARD TRANSLATION TREVOR PERRI (ENG) & ANNE VANDERSCHUEREN (FR) PRODUCTION KVS & SKAGEN COPRODUCTION THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH & RICHARD JORDAN PRODUCTIONS