“The focus on the group is captivating as a meta-reflection on a collective creation process with eleven actors.” And eleven opinions,’ says Armin Mola with a laugh. Some actors may hardly get any text, but they all stand on stage as equal creators, with equal say. In that respect, this performance with an intergenerational ensemble of guest actors (two of whom are still in school) is a tribute to the collective creation process that STAN has stood for for decades.”

“The excellent actors manage to evoke a whole world with few elements. The raging sea is a plastic sail. The difference between child and adult depends on a cap. At the back of the set hangs an impressive theatre canvas by Joé Agemans, on which sea and land slide by. The canvas rolls up throughout this play like an inescapable fate. It lends this drama a certain grandeur as well as nimbleness.”

Tummers: “When STAN played Enemy of the People by Ibsen, it was a key performance for me. I had seen the play several times, but only really understood it through their performance. STAN made me realise that you can make a story flourish without pretending. I find it fascinating that they bring their own personality into the material. Besides, I love the freedom you get as an contributor at STAN. Nobody decides where you have to fit in: it’s a playground where everyone can move freely.”

“You see a real troupe at work here: I would love to see these gifted performers more often in this kind of constellation. The Flemish theatre landscape needs such large-scale performances. The fact that different generations work together collegially does the theatre heart even more good.”

“In terms of themes like lies, friendship, honour and responsibility an regarding the dramaturgical construction, this performance is a beautiful, convincing theatrical version of a haunting story. What makes this production even more special is the collective approach by a group of a total of 11 actors, varying in age and background.”

“A group of friends go on a seaside holiday when, one day, one of them suddenly disappears. The actors of the Flemish collective Tg Stan cleverly adapt the film by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Simple and playful. (…) The merry troupe of Tg Stan, with their ability to adapt to any situation and their almost instinctive flexibility, handle it all with effortless naturalness.”