The Filiaal theatre company launches its ‘Mooie Boeken’ Season 26–27

Award-winning children’s books come to life on stage, whilst new PISA results highlight the urgency of reading skills.

The day after the latest PISA results once again revealed a decline in reading skills among young people in the Netherlands, the theatre company Het Filiaal launched the ‘Mooie Boeken Seizoen 2026–2027’. The Utrecht-based theatre company is bringing five award-winning children’s books by Annet Schaap, Pim Lammers and Tjibbe Veldkamp to the stage. Through performances, reading sessions and the ‘Read a book, give a book’ campaign, Het Filiaal aims to introduce children to the power of stories in an engaging way and encourage them to read more.

From the new PISA results It appears that the reading skills of 15-year-olds in the Netherlands have declined further between 2022 and 2025. This once again places the importance of reading skills and the enjoyment of reading firmly on the agenda.

The Filiaal has chosen to strengthen the link between theatre and children’s literature at this very moment. The three performances in the ‘Mooie Boeken Seizoen’ are based on five award-winning children’s and young adult books.

‘Stories give children the space to be filled with wonder, to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and to see the world from a new perspective,’ says Monique Corvers, artistic director of Het Filiaal theatre company. ‘This season’s books have been a huge source of inspiration for us as creators. They spark our imagination, and we’d love to share that sense of wonder with our audience. Who knows – perhaps a performance might make a child think afterwards: ’I want to read that book.”’

From book to stage

The little lamb that’s actually a pig-and other farm stories is a cheerful, musical show based on three award-winning picture books by Pim Lammers. It’s about acceptance, friendship and being true to yourself. Running from 11 September to 28 November 2026 in theatres across the Netherlands. The kick-off for this revival is on 13 September at the Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht.

The boy who loved the world, based on Tjibbe Veldkamp’s book, which won the Woutertje Pieterse Prize, is a new production about wonder, courage and solidarity. Through miniatures, video projections and specially composed music, the story of eleven-year-old Adem comes to life. Running from 2 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. The premiere takes place on 8 October at Podium Hoge Woerd in Utrecht.

Girls & Princes is a main-stage production by Het Filiaal theatre makers and the Netherlands Bach Society, based on two stories by Annet Schaap. A musical performance about expectations, desires and characters who outgrow their classic fairy-tale world. Running from 5 March to 23 May 2027. The premiere will take place on Sunday 14 March 2027 at the Stadsschouwburg Utrecht.

Read a book, give a book

Alongside the performances, Het Filiaal is launching the campaign Read a book, give a book. Visitors can buy a children’s book and make a donation, which will be used to purchase a book for a school library. In this way, the organisation aims to help ensure that school libraries are well-stocked and to give more children access to wonderful books.

Het Filiaal also collaborates with public libraries. On 3 October, to mark the start of Children’s Book Week, actors will be reading aloud in libraries across Utrecht. Sacha Muller will be reading from *…* at Neude Library. The little lamb that’s actually a pig and Rabbi Jallo at the Overvecht Library The boy who loved the world.

From book to stage, and hopefully from stage back to book again. That is the idea behind the ‘Mooie Boeken Seizoen’ organised by Het Filiaal theatre makers.