The municipality of Zaventem is once again producing a musical of great scale, impressive in both subject matter and cast: soloists, choirs, musicians, extras young and old, together some 200 people on stage. A tradition dating back to 1999 with the musical 'Het Meisje van Zaventem'.
On the occasion of the Van Dijck year, the old operetta by Emiel Hullebroeck about painter Antoon Van Dijck, who once lived in Zaventem and experienced a romance there with a local beauty, was reworked into a musical. Because Zaventem lacked a spacious theater hall, the sports hall was transformed into a theater. The staging and lighting required inventive makeshift solutions each time.
The mayor was so impressed at the time that he suggested such a total spectacle belonged in a theater hall and said he would work towards that. Many years passed. Meanwhile, we are at the 10th edition of this musical tradition. Since last year, Zaventem has had a magnificent cultural center, De Factorij, on the site of a former factory. An architectural gem with excellent acoustics, something many a major city would be jealous of. This naturally creates high expectations.
The subject matter
Exploitation, child labor… it is not a story from long ago, nor of abuses that have been eradicated. Unscrupulous people who enrich themselves at the expense of the downtrodden have always existed. Intersecting lives in the pool of existence. Programming the musical Daens still has social relevance today. No extreme situations are depicted, because more than 100 years later, in the 21st century, there have never been more slaves in human history than now: forced begging, child labor, child soldiers…
A quarter of modern slaves are children and a third are sex workers. The musical Daens is thoroughly Flemish, a production by Studio 100, which premiered in 2008 in the former post office building Antwerpen X. It is an adaptation of the film by Stijn Coninx, which in turn is based on the historical novel Pieter Daens by Louis Paul Boon. At its foundation lies a strong artistic team: script and lyrics by Allard Blom, direction by Frank Van Laecke, music by Dirk Brossé. His compositions make a major creative contribution to the Flemish musical heritage.
Now that one can perform for the first time in a well-equipped theater hall, one might think they would pull out all the stops to impress, yet this happens only sparingly. More could have been invested in this production, both in actor coaching and technical aspects. After all, they are performing five times for a sold-out hall.
Design
A stage is an emptiness full of possibilities. The set is extremely austere, showing a large gate that provides access to the factory grounds. Stage right and stage left a staircase with a balcony where on the left the typical contours of a factory hall stand out above, the world of exploited workers. On the right a colored stained glass window and the living world of the affluent bourgeoisie.
After a beautiful intro, the factory gate opens. An impressive mass of people streams onto the stage. Images are projected on the backdrop that establish the place of action. It's a pity this tool is not used more. Daens is a social drama. Images could potentially be shown of child labor, as it remains a gross shame worldwide. Theater cannot change the world but it can be an eye-opener and keep people alert. Successful in that regard is the scene of the uprising where horsemen on horseback charge and ride into the crowd. This continues in the scene where chaos erupts among the striking workers. Many flee, others fall wounded. Visual material and action thus form an extension of each other.
Various characters are not developed in depth. The factory supervisor lacks the makings of a scoundrel. He is too soft. Also the character of Adolf Daens, played by Dirk Cauwelier, nonetheless the lead role, does not shine through sufficiently. A priest who clashes against the limits of his commitment. A role that demands introspection through to emotional outbursts. The duality between his obedience to Rome and his resistance to injustice. His performance remains fairly flat. It's not just about singing in tune but also creating a character of flesh and blood.
More credible is the role of Jos Vernelen as Bishop Stillemans. Without exaggeration, he characterizes the self-assurance, the arrogance of the chic clergyman, just as Bart Vinck does as the rich and corrupt Charles Woeste, Gusje Verbergt as the mother, Bart De Wandeleer as Pieter Daens and not to be forgotten Evelien Bruers who alternates with Camille Ooghe in the role of the rebellious Nette. A musical is a journey between word and song. In both registers they pull their weight.
Evelien Bruers has a beautiful voice and also convinces in the budding love for Jan De Meeter played by Wesley Van Der Veken. A girl who resists injustice, but is broken when she is brutally raped by the foreman. The few light-hearted sequences, to keep the balance, work well and are defended with passion by a whole array of amateur actors and actresses. The fight scene also comes across as realistic, is beautifully filmed and is executed precisely. Johnny Imbrechts pleasantly surprises as the obsequious priest Ponnet, eager for authority and status. He does this with dedication and a sense of humor and timing. Particularly atmospheric and moving is the song Lacrimosa Lacrimosa, pure serenity.
As for the mass scenes: the people do what they are asked to do with commitment of body and soul. What is beautiful in Zaventem is that this musical event is both culturally and educationally a social happening. Everyone is welcome. All participants form one big family. Singing together en masse culminates in something inexpressibly beautiful and heartwarming.
Final conclusion
I had expected more from director Hugo Segers' own interpretation. In the deepening of the characters of the main characters, there was little nuance to be observed of the vibrations that the protagonists and antagonists project towards each other. Result: you are not swept up in the story, it drags itself along rather. To my left and right and in the hallways I heard the same reservations. The final image is beautiful though: there is a mass of people on the stage, big and small, young and old, a collective for whom singing and playing is a fantastic leisure activity and enrichment.
The choreography of the young Ivan Schauvliege is on the thin side. The masses come forward, split, dance a polonaise or spin circles on the stage. It happens in a disciplined manner but leaves the audience hungry for more. One scene stands out: face à face, there's at least some punch in it. The lighting is also quite dull and even. That could have been more refined.
A word of praise is deserved by Evelyne Dirix and Lukas Schillebeeckx for their preparation of the children's ensemble. You can tell that the children enjoy being part of it and fulfill their role with conviction and playful pleasure. They also find warm support from the adult performers. This immersion in the mystery and magic of theater is for many a stepping stone to later cultural participation. We would also like to mention Griet Grypdonck, piano accompaniment during rehearsals, and Laura Campion as vocal coach. Musical direction is in the hands of conductor Jeffrey Dirix, who brings the musicians to an expressive interpretation. The sober poster image is by Jef Borremans, student at the Art Academy, Department of Fine Arts.
- WHAT: Musical Daens
- WHERE & WHEN: Thursday 1 March, CC De Factorij Zaventem
- PHOTOS: Hugo Segers
