With Samson and (a little bit of) Delilah, Theatre Group Aluin seeks nuance in a charged current event.

Let's not talk about the war for a moment. It's always welcome in times when it's the topic of conversation every minute. But the fact that Theatre Group Aluin has taken this well-known ‘Don't mention the war’To stretch this to such absurd proportions with Samson and (a little) Delilah causes quite a bit of brain strain. I had to recover from so much confusion after the premiere on 20 December. 

Stories can be quite persistent. The story of the Israelite ‘judge’ Samson I was brought up on it, called the Children's Bible. It must have been in the mid-1960s, and modern Israel was resisting contemporary Philistines who were attacking the small country from all sides, like some kind of superhero. So a story about the sacrifice of a strong man who is betrayed by a wicked woman goes down well. The fact that he regularly killed a few hundred people in a single fit of rage was collateral damage. That's how it was back then, children!

Uncircumcised

Fast forward to 2025. Writer Erik Snel and director Jaike Belfor have pared down the story of the historical war between the Israelites and the Philistines to a portrait of a toxic relationship between a rather narcissistic superhero, Samson, and an elusive beauty, Delilah. Especially at the beginning, it is about the war between the ‘chosen’ Israelites and the ‘uncircumcised’ Philistines. This story took place centuries before the advent of Islam. 

But still, you find yourself watching with ‘Gaza’ on your mind. A modern war of destruction in which the roles of good and evil have shifted slightly since 1967. By choosing to focus Samson and (a little) Delilah not on war, but on toxic relationships and femicide, Aluin creates something complex. This is especially true for the young, multicultural audience that Aluin has been successfully targeting for years. 

Pregnant present

The fact that they will most likely get away with it is thanks to the iron-willed persistence with which writer Erik Snel keeps the story away from the daily reality of genocide and famine in Gaza. Precisely by not talking about it, these current events remain poignantly present, but in a way that is difficult to connect in your mind with the story you are sitting in the theatre watching for those 75 minutes. 

What's more, the performance is interestingly staged. On stage, we see Samson telling his story as a monologue from his own point of view. He is interrupted by a telephone call from Delilah, who remains invisible throughout. Alongside lead actor Jeroen van Arkel, we see two movers, skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In fact, with their play of suppression and yielding, they portray the most equal partners in the War of the Roses between Delilah and Samson.

Nuanced

It will be extremely exciting to see how this performance goes down with a young audience of secondary school pupils. Aluin has a considerable reputation to uphold and, with this sensitive subject matter, they are not shying away from controversy. Perhaps the most complicated aspect is the nuanced message that Erik Snel gives to the story. Because ultimately, the story of Samson and (to some extent) Delilah is about a battle without winners. 

Except for the one who can tell the tale.

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