Mothers


Bánffy-palota

Cast:
Marianne Greweldinger, Miquê Hamden, Dennis Mendez Contreras, Eline Mohunlol-Jaharia, Mahnaz Morrowatian, Nicky Odumegwu, Nabila Raja, Katherine Razawi Khorasani, Nastaran Razawi Khorasani, Ana Sanchez, Clara Sies- Frank, Rose Marie Trumpet

dramaturg
Liet Lenshoek
 
set design
Lidwien van Kempen, John Thijssen
 
lighting
Lidwien van Kempen, John Thijssen
 
directed by
Alize Zandwijk

Date of the opening: december 12, 2010
Alize Zandwijk: ‘The power of women amongst themselves is something we barely recognise. The cheerfulness, the energy, the intimacy and the humour that women from other cultures can share with one another is something I want to show. Theatre is actually nothing more than an encounter. There is a community on the stage, but also in the auditorium. For the duration of the performance, a group of people sit together watching that community on the stage. Every spectator may have their own opinion of it – one thinks this bit is stupid, and the other that bit – but they all share that experience of watching together’.
    
 “Nothing is taboo here. The women are impressive in the enormous frankness of their personal stories, in which both other women and men can recognise an unbridled zest for living.” (Volkskrant)
The women are unmistakably pure, intelligent, talented, witty, eloquent and frank. Starting out as strangers to one another, they felt great intimacy since their first rehearsal.‘Mothers’ is a performance that was created spontaneously. The whole text is based on stories as spoken out and written down by the women themselves” (AD / Rotterdams Dagblad)  

 
The Ro Theater is one of the three largest Dutch theatre companies, firmly rooted in its home city of Rotterdam, with a permanent ensemble and an innovative repertoire for large and medium-sized theatres. The company presents a modern and varied repertoire by a range of theatre makers for different audience groups. The artistic director of the Ro Theater is Alize Zandwijk. The actors of the ensemble, the designers and other directors all make important contributions to the identity and the recognition of the company. 
 
In Rotterdam, the Ro Theater forms an integral part of the city’s cultural identity, giving performances in the Rotterdamse Schouwburg, in its own theatre and on tour. The company’s own theatre is its creative home base. The public is welcome there on a regular basis; for performances and presentations, the Warehouse of Happiness (the meeting place for inquisitive fellow citizens) or its own mini festival: the Ro Theater Week. Abroad, the Ro Theater is perceived as an important ambassador of Dutch theatre.

Mothers is a production with 15 mothers from the city of Rotterdam, all with different ethnic backgrounds. The setting is a big kitchen. Guided by director Alize Zandwijk on the spot, the women present intimate monologues about their personal (but universal) motherhood, during which they prepare a course for the audience. At the end of the performance, dinner is served.

Mothers has been awarded twice by the jury of the Kontakt Festival (Poland):
- “performance that best reflects the changes taking place in the contemporary world”. 
- “Best Set Designer of the Festival”.