Ten Commandments

Johan Simons made the diptych Ten Commandments with the NTGent ensemble and the actors of the Wunderbaum ensemble, based on the television series by Krzysztof Kieslowski and Krysztof Piesiewicz. In ten episodes, they wrap up cutting moral themes in situations as bizarre as they are recognisable, associatively based on the Ten Commandments that you might remember by heart. Koen Tachelet’s adaptation respects the cinematic atmosphere of the stories and Johan Simons turns it into a moving, intimate performance.

Part I premiered on 7 September 2007. Part II and the marathon on 17 January 2009.

The performance was showered with superlatives, and won several awards. Part I was immediately selected for the Flemish Theatre Festival. The marathon was selected for the 2009 Dutch Theatre Festival. Wine Dierickx received the Columbina 2009, prize for best female supporting actor, for her roles in Ten Commandments, and the entire show received the Gouden Bouwmeester 2009 for best performance. These awards are presented by The Dutch Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors (VSCD).

Text

  • Krzysztof Kieslowski
  • Krzysztof Piesiewicz

Text adaptation

  • Koen Tachelet

Translator

  • Benjamin Gysels

Director

  • Johan Simons

Dramaturgy

  • Jeroen Versteele

Acting

  • Walter Bart
  • Wine Dierickx
  • Els Dottermans
  • Frank Focketyn
  • Matijs Jansen
  • Maartje Remmers
  • Marleen Scholten
  • Oscar van Rompay
  • Anne Gehring

Production manager

  • Wilfried van Dyck

Set design

  • Bert Neumann

Costume

  • Nina von Mechow
  • An de Mol

light

  • Dennis Diels

Hair and make-up

  • Marie-Jeanne van Damme

Producer

  • Wunderbaum

Co-producer

  • NTGent

Photography

  • Phile Deprez

Past dates

  • April 2009

    05

    NTGent
    Gent (BE)

  • March 2009

    08

    Theater aan de Parade
    Den Bosch (NL)

  • February 2009

    22

    Parktheater
    Eindhoven (NL)

  • February 2009

    08

    Schouwburg Tilburg
    Tilburg (NL)

  • January 2009

    24

    NTGent
    Gent (BE)

  • January 2009

    18

    NTGent
    Gent (BE)

  • January 2009

    17

    NTGent
    Gent (BE)

  • September 2007

    14

    Rotterdamse Schouwburg
    Rotterdam (NL)

  • September 2007

    13

    Rotterdamse Schouwburg
    Rotterdam (NL)

  • September 2007

    07

    NTGent
    Gent (BE)

“Overwhelming diptych”
Parool

“Probably one of the best performances of the decade”
NRC Handelsblad

“A hit!”
VRT

“I only play roles that involve sex. Talk about typecasting,” Walter Bart laughs. “Those are unfortunately not for me. As a woman over 45, I can only play old mothers and landladies,” sighs Elks Dottermans.”
Hans de Ruyck (Gazet van Antwerpen)

“On Saturday 24 January [2009], there will be a marathon performance covering the entire bid cycles. A long run from 4 p.m. to past 10 p.m. and virtuoso acting, with actors playing eight to ten different characters. “This is great fun. Imagine playing the same people for six hours,” Dottermans quotes.”
Hans de Ruyck (Gazet van Antwerpen)

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