From this week, try-outs of Poison, about an ex-couple who lost a child, are playing. After the premiere on 19 February in Leiden, as many as 70 performances will follow throughout the country. Actor Stefan de Walle is ready for it.
The wonderful play Poison by Lot Vekemans Since its premiere in 2009 at NTGent under Johan Simons has been shown in 21 countries in 15 languages, making it the most performed Dutch play abroad. Free producer Korthals Stuurman once again takes Poison in production: The trailer is online.
Venom is played by Carine Crutzen and Stefan de Walle, under the direction of the major Johan Doesburg. Stefan de Walle, also currently seen in the film My best friend Anne Frank, talks about his role in Poison, and life after leaving The National Theatre in August 2021.
What are we going to see with Venom?
'An intense theme: two people meet again after ten years in the cemetery at their son's grave after which an incredible amount of shared history surfaces; in which they recognise each other in, and react to, small words and gestures they remember from each other. It turns out they still have a lot to sort out together, as their relationship is on the rocks due to the grieving process after the death of their infant son.'
What explains the enormous success of this play, even internationally?
'It is an incredibly well-written piece, because the situation seems mundane but there is so much depth and cleverly expressed history in it. The subject touches us all, because it is also about loss in general, of each other, of a part of your life, of a seemingly safe and comfortable world, of happiness, of so many essentials.
The beauty of this play is the contrast in dealing with disappointment and grief. The mother hangs in there, honouring her infant son by allowing the grief to continue. The father feels that life must go on, despite still struggling with grief every day. He initially already chooses to move away from it, departs from his wife who, on the contrary, literally and figuratively stays in it. Suddenly there is then the conversation about the past and how they will deal with it going forward. You witness them figuring out and fighting out how it was and how to move on, which makes the play incredibly beautiful.'
What insights have you come to in terms of playing the role, the technique?
'The alluring is also the here and now, and that is exciting. We build that encounter together, seeking and discovering the nuances of dialogue. It is very nice to work intensively with Carine Crutzen. We have a very good time together, really experiencing the performance together.
Not everything is set in stone, there is room to breathe and bring in your own touches. It is necessary for me to have room for my own interpretation. The biggest challenge and struggle is to keep it as fresh as possible every performance, that you experience and engage with it every night. If you start repeating yourself every night, you are a bad actor. It's about building the tension with each other in that moment, that you burn something up, a live fire on a night like that.'
Do you and Carine Crutzen also personally come closer to each other with feelings in and through this play?
'You remain actors and we play the man and the woman, it is not a therapeutic session or that you get on an emotional rollercoaster together. More that you make a story together as children to disappear into it completely for a while in a playful way. You have to let it unfold every night, be able to trust and feel each other very well. We have already built a trusting relationship in the past.'
Were you also able to see foreign performances of Venom?
'No, I did the primal version in Dutch, the first performance. That one was very well received, a special performance. I am not surprised that it is such an international success, but I only know that from the information. It is incredibly good and also universally and recognisably written down by Lot Vekemans.' (The trailer in French, the British trailer, a South African fragment a meeting in New York and many reviews are online)
Venom is playing you for a free producer, after years of association with The National Theatre. What is the difference?
'Apart from Carine, I have also known director Johan Doesburg for a long time, from the HNT. With a subsidised company you usually have two months for rehearsals, now one month. But because I have known Does for so long, it went very smoothly. Also thanks to a very good team around him, the preparation has been incredibly fine.'
Are audiences eager to get to shows again?
'Publicly, it takes a lot to start again after a period of stagnation under the pandemic; and also ambiguity when plays could and could not be performed and under what conditions. We have to make people find their way to the theatre again. We hope people will now appreciate extra what they had to miss all this time, just like us actors.'
Why did you leave the HNT in August 2021?
'I was ready for another challenge, but the pandemic accelerated it. Pieces shifted in which I had no role, so I would be little active with HNT for some time. I had been with the company for quite some time, incredibly nice and enjoyable. Offers came in from outside and now that I am freelance, I can make the choices myself.'
What is the next play, and/or TV series and/or film?
'Currently on Netflix is the film My Best Friend Anne Frank, in which I play Anne's father, Otto Frank. In spring, I play a leading role in a new series on NPO1. And in the summer I play in the revival of a big musical theatre show in Twente, much looking forward to it. I love the freedom to tackle things like this. It's really enjoying this new period for me, all the more so now that this pandemic also seems to be coming to an end...'
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