Turning a book into a film or play, or a film into a musical is always treading on thin ice. The acclaimed film 'Iedereen Beroemd' from 2000 by Dominique Deruddere, which he described as 'une comédie humaine', was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Frank Van Laecke, script and direction, has exceptional skill to avoid missteps. He surrounded himself with an iron-strong cast and a fantastic creative team and pulls all the magic from his hat to make you forget the film.
Nineties atmosphere
The set breathes nostalgia and immediately evokes the atmosphere of an old parish hall. The intimate nature of the setting makes the story all the more striking. The set has a double playing level which allows for smooth scene changes and ensures that the action never stops. On either side there is a staircase where the ballet girls get to show off the art of elegantly descending a staircase, and they are also present as a backing choir and ballet ensemble.
Antwerp dialect
Setting of the action, Flora hall in Hoboken, the time of the soundmix shows. Young and old people who crave fame. The audience is immediately grabbed by Steven Colombeen, the busy, eloquent showmaster à la Willem Ruis, who has a couple of candidates parade by. One by one clumsy imitations of among others: Olivia Newton John, Sandra Kim, Isabella A, Andrea Boccelli and Marva performed by Joke Emmers, around whom everything revolves, with her interpretation of 'Like a Virgin' by Madonna. She has not a shred of stage presence but is supported through thick and thin by her parents. Especially the father, Sven De Ridder, believes in her talent.
Frank Van Laecke wrote sharp dialogues that Sven De Ridder delivers like a machine gun. The songs he gets to sing come off beautifully. Having grown up as a child between the wings and the stage, the stage is his habitat. As a counterpoint there is the quiet mother, Nele Goossens, more pragmatic and realistic about the feasibility of dreams. Touching is the thin melody of the song from which her concern and motherly love speaks.
The young pop starlet Debbie, played by Ianthe Tavernier, is the talk of the town. Her number 'Vuur' is number one on the hit list and Ianthe can sing like the best. This little star is lived by her manager, Peter Thyssen, and dragged from one stage to the next. He plays the malicious, manipulative manager who, à la Weinstein, promises fame if the girls share his bed, completely to his hand. Debby longs for a normal existence in anonymity, away from all the hustle and bustle. Very beautiful is the duet between Marva and Debby, as they descend the stairs left and right. Their opposite expectations of life are captured in the poignant song 'Ik zou zo graag'.
In the middle of the stage their paths cross. Somewhat symbolically, Marva ascends the staircase and Debby's path and vice versa. With subtle projections and a rotating stage, Van Laecke guides the audience to the different settings of the action. Bert Verbeke as Willy Van Outreve is the accomplice of Papa Verbeke in the kidnapping of Debby. A scaredy-cat who is played off against the determined father figure. We won't tell everything, but one more big compliment to Joke Emmers, she leaves an iron-strong impression. Her song 'Lucky Manuelo' echoes confidently into the hall at the end. An actress who has already had a beautiful career and will be heard from again, a young super-talented lady who can truly metamorphose into a role, pure mimicry.
'Iedereen Beroemd' is a musical with a popular Flemish character with laughter and tears. The debut of Jelle Cleymans as a musical composer is very commendable, here and there it falls a bit short, not in terms of lyrics and arrangements, but in the surrounding music as an atmosphere creator. But all in all: fine work. Here and there the performance of Sven De Ridder is somewhat over-the-top (perhaps premiere nerves), but when he keeps his measure you eat out of his hand. Together with Joke Emmers, this duo is performing in their first musical. There will certainly be a sequel to this.
A real hit
'Iedereen Beroemd' is a sure thing for everyone who is fond of the musical genre with believable characters, songs that sound good and draw you into the story of Marva, from zero to hero. The enthusiastic, lengthy applause was the best measure to know that the audience is embracing this musical. Yet another well-crafted and high-quality production by Judas TheaterProducties with talented performers from their own soil, already their 9th musical creation. To be seen until March 17 in Theater Elckerlyc, then in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Heist-op-den-Berg, Aalst, Roeselare and Leuven.
- WHAT: 'Iedereen Beroemd' feelgood musical
- WHO: Judas TheaterProducties vzw
- WHERE & WHEN: Premiere Sunday February 17 2019 Theater Elckerlyc