Familie
Michiel DevijverWhat reasons, what traumas underlie such a suicide? In Family, the first part of Milo Rau's Trilogy of Private Life, we see a real family on stage: actors An Miller and Filip Peeters do not only act together as a couple, but for the first time in their career they are on stage with their two teenage daughters Leonce and Louisa – and their dogs.
Family is an experiment, an ethnological study of today’s private life, an exhibition of the everyday: on stage we see the house of the family Demeester – or is it the house of the family Peeters/Miller? Together they reconstruct the mysterious case of the family Demesteer, following the journey of their own family, questioning the construction of family as the cell of life and origin of our world today.
(read more after the quote)
‘An unnerving and hearthbreaking celebration of the ordinary. A dark, secular mass’The Guardian
Fiction and reality mix, as we see on stage an evening like many in families – only that it is the last one. We watch a family while they eat, shower, learn English, watch videos. We see them talking about everyday things, making phone calls, listening to music, cleaning up the apartment, remembering moments of their lives. And in this exhibition of the normal, the big questions arise: Why are we here? Why am I here? And wouldn't it be better if we would disappear?
‘Rau hits presciently close to home’The New York Times
READ THE PROGRAM BOOKLET BELOW:
credits
with
An Miller , Filip Peeters , Leonce Peeters , Louisa Peetersdirection
Milo Raudramaturgy & research
Carmen Hornbostelassistance dramaturgy
Eline Bankenset & costume design
Anton Lukas, Louisa Peeterslight design
Dennis Dielscoach
Peter Seynaevemusical arrangement
Saskia Venegas Aernoutsproduction
NTGentcoproduction
Romaeuropa Festival, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt), Théâtre de Liège, Schauspiel Stuttgart, Scène Nationale d'Albiwith support of
Tax Shelter maatregel van de Belgische Federale Overheid
- 4 Oct 23 — Diari de Girona (IT) - "De tien must-sees van Temporada Alta 2023" - (aankondiging 'Familie' in Girona)
- 31 Jan 23 — Froggy Delight - 'Familie, Théâtre de la Colline' (Recensie 'Familie')
- 8 Apr 22 — Vanity Fair (ES) - "De huiveringwekkende zaak van de familie die zijn eigen leven beëindigde" - (over 'Familie' in Madrid)
- 6 Apr 22 — El Diario (ES) - "De schoonheid van het leven kan alleen worden overwogen in het licht van de mogelijke verdwijning" - (itv Milo Rau nav 'Familie' in Madrid op 08/04))
- 21 Jan 20 — Trouw (NL): 'Nee, wij romantiseren zelfdoding niet' (interview met Milo Rau n.a.v. "Familie")
- 21 Jan 20 — Trouw (NL): Een ogenschijnlijk normale avond eindigt in zelfmoord; ‘Familie’ is een adembenemend gezinsdrama ***** (recensie)
- 9 Jan 20 — The Guardian: “Familie review – Milo Rau's soulful hymn to life on the brink of death” (Mark Fisher) – 5 sterren
- 9 Jan 20 — The New York Times: “Trigger Warnings as a Provocateur Puts Suicide Onstage - Milo Rau’s latest work is inspired by a French family whose members took their own lives”
- 9 Jan 20 — Frankfürter Allegemeine (DE): “Wir haben’s vermasselt”
- 9 Jan 20 — Focus Knack: “ 'Familie' van NTGent: een drama dat gemaakt is om echte drama's te vermijden”
