17 May

15:30

Theater Rotterdam

Schouwburgplein 25, Rotterdam

The autobiographical novel by Édouard Louis was an instant worldwide success. The book tells the unvarnished life story of a gay boy in a homophobic environment.

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Weg met Eddy Bellegueule

Meer info & tickets

English surtitles: May 7 an 21

The Story

In a small village in northern France, the gentle and sensitive Eddy grows up in a crude, coarse, and merciless working-class environment. We follow him through his many attempts to be a 'normal boy,' but he is nothing like the children around him. His posture, his accent, and even his walk bring him as much humiliation from his classmates as from his alcoholic father and bossy mother. Even before he feels the slightest desire, many assume he is homosexual. By telling his story, Eddy exposes his suffocating environment. Can he break free from it?

In 2020, Eline Arbo created an acclaimed theatrical and musical adaptation of this novel at Toneelschuur Producties. For this theater hit, she received the VSCD directing award. The performance was also selected for the Dutch Theater Festival. The original cast from 2020 was nominated for the Louis d’Or, the then-theater prize for the best male lead role.

Four young actors played all the characters and also shared the lead role. It was a first that multiple actors were jointly nominated for one role. 'Like a striking choreography, text, music, and set design constantly interplay, resulting in a colorful and unpredictable evening of theater,' according to the jury report.

‘In the overwhelming Away with Eddy Bellegueule, director Eline Arbo shows how different inhabitants of a small working-class village try in vain to escape their own limited mindsets. It results in sizzling, heartbreaking, and sincere theater that continues to resonate for months.’ – The Theater Jury

Eline Arbo on the performance

“The first time I read Away with Eddy Bellegueule, I was blown away by the raw energy, the recognizable feeling of youth, the clever social criticism, the sense of injustice, and the main character's demand for a place in the world. The story is very personal and at the same time universal. We get a glimpse into the life of a boy growing up in a village and a family where there is no place for someone who is different. Like a chameleon, he tries to fit in everywhere, but eventually, he settles accounts with his past and creates a life where he can be himself. I am still proud of the performance I made of this book in 2020. Unfortunately, we still live in the same world today as we did then, where people are discriminated against because of their orientation. That's why I think it's important to keep telling this story. By popular demand and thanks to ITA's repertoire system, the performance can continue to exist.”

About the author, Édouard Louis

The young writer and sociologist Édouard Louis (1992) was born Eddy Bellegueule. Upon the release of his debut, he was already considered one of the most celebrated writers of his generation and a significant voice in the political debate in France. His themes include social and economic inequality, family, and sexuality. His passionate and engaged work is embraced by the international theater world: his books have been adapted for the stage nearly forty times worldwide.