History does not repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes. A century ago, the vibrant, smoldering vacuum of the interwar period gave rise to both the electrifying freedom of jazz music and the suffocating grip of rising political extremism. The turbulent 1920s, a time when everyone was searching for new paths and no longer felt bound by long-standing conventions, serves in this production as a distorted mirror of the 2020s.
In the production BRASS, the Dutch ensemble Muziektheater BOT delves into the pulsating, feverish vacuum between the two world wars. Through raw music, visual absurdity, and humor, the creators highlight the contradictions between the desire for innovation and extreme conservatism. This raw and irreverent musical theater, strongly inspired by events from a century ago, uses basic materials and delicate technologies to create an atmosphere that is as unsettling as it is familiar to us. This is not merely a look back; it is a view of a world where we ask ourselves every day: will the tension escalate to a catastrophic explosion, or will reason prevail this time and will we be able to reconcile with one another?
“Brass, a production by the Dutch company Muziektheater BOT performed by an all-male cast, is a riveting open-air retro cabaret. Its atmosphere oscillates between interwar avant-garde and jazz on the one hand, and punk DIY aesthetics on the other—as if Marcel Duchamp and Tom Waits had met and decided to jam together. The performance employs absurd humour and playfulness that gradually reveal an urgent theme: parallels between the interwar period and the present day, marked by rising tensions and the return of authoritarian tendencies. Yet these connections are never stated outright; instead, the audience is invited to uncover them through small absurdities and idiosyncratic images. Brass thus captivates with its originality, intensity, and an unexpectedly sensitive resonance.” Tomáš Jarkovský, member of the Dramaturgical Board
INFORMATION FOR THE AUDIENCE: Czech and English translations of the song lyrics will be available upon request.
In the production BRASS, the Dutch ensemble Muziektheater BOT delves into the pulsating, feverish vacuum between the two world wars. Through raw music, visual absurdity, and humor, the creators highlight the contradictions between the desire for innovation and extreme conservatism. This raw and irreverent musical theater, strongly inspired by events from a century ago, uses basic materials and delicate technologies to create an atmosphere that is as unsettling as it is familiar to us. This is not merely a look back; it is a view of a world where we ask ourselves every day: will the tension escalate to a catastrophic explosion, or will reason prevail this time and will we be able to reconcile with one another?
“Brass, a production by the Dutch company Muziektheater BOT performed by an all-male cast, is a riveting open-air retro cabaret. Its atmosphere oscillates between interwar avant-garde and jazz on the one hand, and punk DIY aesthetics on the other—as if Marcel Duchamp and Tom Waits had met and decided to jam together. The performance employs absurd humour and playfulness that gradually reveal an urgent theme: parallels between the interwar period and the present day, marked by rising tensions and the return of authoritarian tendencies. Yet these connections are never stated outright; instead, the audience is invited to uncover them through small absurdities and idiosyncratic images. Brass thus captivates with its originality, intensity, and an unexpectedly sensitive resonance.” Tomáš Jarkovský, member of the Dramaturgical Board
INFORMATION FOR THE AUDIENCE: Czech and English translations of the song lyrics will be available upon request.
Authors: Muziektheater BOT
Directed by: Ko van den Bosch
Music / Performers: Job Van Gorkum, Doan Hendriks, Tomas Postema, Geert Jonkers
Production and Costumes: Linde Legat
Sound: Jan Aike Luchtenberg
Lighting: Marco Chardon
Graphic Design: Robert Muda
Photography: René den Engelsman
Cast: Job Van Gorkum, Doan Hendriks, Tomas Postema, Geert Jonkers
Directed by: Ko van den Bosch
Music / Performers: Job Van Gorkum, Doan Hendriks, Tomas Postema, Geert Jonkers
Production and Costumes: Linde Legat
Sound: Jan Aike Luchtenberg
Lighting: Marco Chardon
Graphic Design: Robert Muda
Photography: René den Engelsman
Cast: Job Van Gorkum, Doan Hendriks, Tomas Postema, Geert Jonkers
