An enchanting fairy tale for grown-ups
Man met een baard en bril zit op een stoel, terwijl een meisje met krullend haar achter hem staat, tegen een blauwe achtergrond.

Het Zuidelijk Toneel & Stichting Nieuwe Helden

What if children were in charge in the Netherlands? Would our wealth be distributed more fairly? Or would there still be children going to school without breakfast? In this fairy tale for adults about inequality, you step into the magical world of an 11-year-old child who takes you on a journey through a story of our times. Prepare to be surprised, moved, amazed, and perhaps even believe in fairy tales again.

How is it possible that in a country as wealthy as the Netherlands, 1 in 13 children still live below the poverty line? How can it be that some children grow up with a refrigerator that is never empty, while other children are sent to bed without dinner? Why does the place where you are born determine how many opportunities you have? And isn't it strange that in the Netherlands, the number of children growing up in poverty is increasing? Even though every year, more money is being spent on combating poverty.

During this performance, we will create a new story together with you. For almost five years, Stichting Nieuwe Helden has been working on projects related to child poverty. For this performance, they interviewed children about inequality and how they would tackle it if they were in charge in the Netherlands. Now, they are joining forces with Het Zuidelijk Toneel for this special performance. Expect a fairytale-like, moving multimedia set and an experience you won't soon forget.

Credits

Director: Bas van Rijnsoever
Cast: Rotating cast of 11-year-old soloists
Dramaturgy: Lucas De Man
Assistant director: Demi Janssen
Artistic advisor: Piet Menu
Set design & media design: Gijs Leijdekkers
Filmmaker: Tim van den Heuvel
Film producer: Else-Marie Rombouts
Costume design: Ilse Vermeulen
Production manager: Rianne Valstar
Technical support & set construction: Gijs Leijdekkers, Sil de Reuver, Tom IJpelaar
Photography: Sofie Knijff
Trailer: Joris Verleg

With thanks to: De Amsterdamse Jeugdtheaterschool, Jeugdtheaterschool Zwolle, Jeugdtheaterschool Utrecht, Jeugdtheaterschool Rabarber, Factorium Cultuurmakers, Theaterschool De Zuiderlingen, Sem Jonkers (advice on directing children).