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"That of the other person being hell. I can get so worked up about that": Laura van Dolron makes theatrical mincemeat of Sartre.

She is a 'stand-up philosopher'. With that self-coined term, she created a new form of theatre, halfway between cabaret, a lecture and theatre. She plays with her own role, deploys actors as if they were puppets, but ultimately turns out to be their plaything, as good as that of fate. In short: Laura van Dolron is a case apart.

She is now creating a performance at the National Theatre in which she tries to reckon with French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre (1905 - 1980), who played a key role as the inspirer and ideologue of the (pre-facebook) student uprising in Paris in May 1968. But he was more than that. With books like 'l'Être et le Neant' and plays like 'Dirty Hands', he created a nihilistic worldview that defined the thinking of an entire generation. The movement he established - together with the writer philosopher Albert Camus - is called 'existentialism'.

Wijbrand Schaap interviewed Laura van Dolron during one of the final rehearsals.

The play plays from 12 April to 21 May in The Hague and Amsterdam. Enquiries: www.nationaletoneel.nl

Wijbrand Schaap

Cultural journalist since 1996. Worked as theatre critic, columnist and reporter for Algemeen Dagblad, Utrechts Nieuwsblad, Rotterdams Dagblad, Parool and regional newspapers through Associated Press Services. Interviews for TheaterMaker, Theatererkrant Magazine, Ons Erfdeel, Boekman. Podcast maker, likes to experiment with new media. Culture Press is called the brainchild I gave birth to in 2009. Life partner of Suzanne Brink roommate of Edje, Fonzie and Rufus. Search and find me on Mastodon.View Author posts

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