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Theatre

[meeuw]

[seagull]

Toneelhuis, Olympique Dramatique, theater arsenaal

“What we need are new artistic forms. And if we don’t get new forms, then we would be better off with nothing at all. ” – Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev, in Chekhov’s The Seagull
Olympique Dramatique’s production [meeuw] is the first time that a repertory play has been translated and performed in its entirety in Flemish Sign Language by a mixed cast of deaf and hearing actors. 

The starting point is De Meeuw (The Seagull) by Anton Chekhov, one of the greatest and tenderest plays in the world repertoire: a classic from 1896 about young people wanting to explore new ideas and an older generation that feels threatened by this. A narrative about the longing for the past and the longing for a free life, told from the perspective of three different generations. Love and desire as the devastating driving force during a family reunion. A comedy in four acts, as the Russian playwright himself called it. 

[meeuw] is an encounter with performers from the Flemish deaf community, with Flemish Sign Language as mother tongue. The mixed cast comprises three deaf and five hearing performers: Yousra Boukantar, Sofie Decleir,
Tom Dewispelaere, Lobke Leirens, Lut Reysen, Willy Thomas, Serge Vlerick and Yana Wuytens. Together, they search for a common language: the gesture.

“I’ve gone past your house so many times, but I couldn’t bring myself to come in. Come, let’s sit down.” – Nina Mikhailovna Zarechnaya 
This project was made possible thanks to the support of players from the National Lottery and the King Baudouin Foundation. This performance was realised in collaboration with KU Leuven, Faculty of Arts - Antwerp, and the Flemish Sign Language Group of the Applied Linguistics programme.

"If you like to make time for the most extraordinary performance of the year, make time for this seagull."  

Els Van Steenberghe in Knack Focus , 26 November 2024

"Yana Wuytjens is the star of the evening as 'Konstantin' and emphasizes 'tragic' in this tragicomedy"

"In [Seagull] you are not so much looking at a story, but at people with their desires and flaws. That is of course to the credit of Chekhov, who drew out great characters, but certainly also to that of the eight actors who throw themselves completely."

"This play was anything but easy to make because of all the barriers, yet the makers still find the space to break with patriarchal norms in addition, and to show how difficult it is to crawl out of our bubble in this polarized world. But that it is not impossible: [Seagull] shows that too."

"This ‘[seagull]’ thus does justice to Chekhov in an original way by deploying sign language as a rich expressive tool that erases the distinction between those with poor hearing and those without. All actors are on the stage with equal weapons. When Stijn Van Opstal thought of a play in sign language, it seemed like a real gamble. However, thanks to the efforts of the players, accompanists and interpreters, it turned out to be a total triumph. This is simply a very good performance of one of the most moving texts in theatre history. Stijn Van Opstal gambled and won."

Johan Thielemans in Pzazz , 18 November 2024

"In [seagull], Olympique Dramatique rewrites Chekhov's The Seagull with Flemish Sign Language (VGT) as the central language. This forces a different economy of the senses, different decisions about where you put your focus, as a spectator, actually a very different sensibility. Thus, the subtle class struggle that Chekhov is always engaged in goes one step further: here, communication is questioned, and even language itself. (...) Sign language becomes the norm, logocentrism changes shape, gesture dominates, not spoken language."

Klaas Tindemans in Etcetera , 18 November 2024

"Chekhov's wonderful classic only gains strength in sign language. (...) This performance and certainly the surprising ending make for the most moving Seagull performance I have seen in my life."

"The best way to learn a language is to meet it. And since my language is theater, I sought out people to create a performance with. My curiosity became an ambition and in mid-November 'Seagull' will be performed as the first repertory piece in Flemish Sign Language at the Bourla."

"I really hadn't thought that, that the hearing actors would be able to gesticulate so fluently. Even offstage, we can already communicate quite well. That was always very important to me: that we would make a completely equal performance."

"‘Finally deaf actors are no longer outsiders’: Olympique Dramatique performs Chekhov in sign language"

Ciska Hoet in De Morgen , 14 November 2024

"Antwerp's Toneelhuis plays ‘Seagull’ in sign language with deaf and hearing actors."

"Chekhov creates comedies with immense humour and compassion about the stumbling man we have apparently been for centuries. ‘The Seagull’ in particular is, as far as I am concerned, one of the most beautiful and tender plays in theatre history."

Stijn Van Opstal in VRT NWS , 11 November 2024

"Olympique Dramatique performing Chekhov's ‘Seagull’ in sign language is a first. Listen to the radio report (in Dutch)"

"No one can more tenderly analyse the fumbling man than Chekhov"

Stijn Van Opstal in Knack Focus , 13 November 2024

"Premiere of *Seagull* in Flemish Sign Language."

Jaron Garitte in VGT Nieuws , 15 November 2024

after

  • De Meeuw van Tsjechov

director

  • Stijn Van Opstal

adaptation

  • Stijn Van Opstal
  • Scarlet Tummers
  • Tom Dewispelaere
  • Francis Geeraert
  • (met dank aan Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer)

translation into Flemish Sign Language

  • Diane Boonen
  • Sam Verstraete
  • Hilde Verhelst
  • e.a.

performance

  • Yousra Boukantar
  • Sofie Decleir
  • Tom Dewispelaere
  • Lobke Leirens
  • Lut Reysen
  • Willy Thomas
  • Serge Vlerick
  • Yana Wuytjens

dramaturgy

  • Scarlet Tummers

set

  • Damiaan De Schrijver
  • Stijn Van Opstal

light design

  • Frank Hardy

costume design

  • Monique Van Hassel

production

  • Toneelhuis
  • Olympique Dramatique

coproduction

  • theater arsenaal

with the support of

  • Silence Radio
  • Doof Vlaanderen
  • doof&events
  • Vlaams GebarentaalCentrum (VGTC)
  • KU Leuven Campus Antwerpen (Toegepaste Taalkunde)
  • Nationale Loterij
  • Literatuur Vlaanderen
  • Koning Boudewijnstichting
  • Tax Shelter maatregel v/d Belgische federale overheid via LOOK@LEO

All data

  1. Friday 13 December 2024 — 20h15 — theater arsenaal, Mechelen In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  2. Saturday 14 December 2024 — 20h15 — theater arsenaal, Mechelen In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  3. Friday 20 December 2024 — 20h30 — KVS - BOX, Brussel In Flemish Sign Language - Surtitled in French and Dutch
  4. Saturday 21 December 2024 — 20h30 — KVS - BOX, Brussel In Flemish Sign Language - Surtitled in French and Dutch
  5. Wednesday 8 January 2025 — 19h00 — NTGent/Minnemeers, Gent In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
    Sold out
  6. Thursday 9 January 2025 — 19h00 — NTGent/Minnemeers, Gent In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
    Sold out
  7. Saturday 11 January 2025 — 20h00 — CC De Plomblom, Ninove In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  8. Tuesday 14 January 2025 — 19h30 — 30CC/Schouwburg, Leuven In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
    Sold out
  9. Wednesday 15 January 2025 — 15h00 — 30CC/Schouwburg, Leuven In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  10. Friday 17 January 2025 — 19h30 — HNT/Theater aan het Spui, Den Haag In Flemish Sign Language - Subtitled in English & Dutch
  11. Wednesday 22 January 2025 — 19h30 — C-mine/Kleine zaal, Genk In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  12. Sunday 26 January 2025 — 19h00 — ITA/Rabozaal, Amsterdam In Flemish Sign Language - Subtitled in English & Dutch
  13. Wednesday 29 January 2025 — 20h00 — CC Brugge/Magdalenazaal, Sint-Andries In Flemish Sign Language, subtitled in Dutch
  1. Thursday 14 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  2. Saturday 16 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  3. Sunday 17 November 2024 — 15h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  4. Tuesday 19 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  5. Wednesday 20 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  6. Thursday 21 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  7. Friday 22 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  8. Saturday 23 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  9. Tuesday 26 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  10. Wednesday 27 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  11. Thursday 28 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  12. Friday 29 November 2024 — 20h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  13. Saturday 30 November 2024 — 15h00 — Bourlaschouwburg, Antwerpen
  14. Tuesday 3 December 2024 — 19h00 — Warande/Kuub, Turnhout

News about ‘[meeuw]’

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