The management of this cultural site has experienced some turmoil on the legal and political grounds since the City of Brussels undertook it in 2014 to terminate the concession with the Botanique and award it to Brussels Expo, an ASBL dependent on it and chaired by Mayor Philippe Close.

According to the mayor of the City of Brussels Philippe Close (PS), the alderman in charge of the Land Board Khalid Zian (PS), and the director of the Royal Circus, Denis Gerardy, there are 160 to 165 dates for the season 2019-2020, a record since the creation of the room. The program includes, among others, television program recordings, six to ten shows, six to eight private shows, and two to three movie shows.

According to Philippe Close, also the financial results exceeded the expectations. The theater has a significant impact on employment. The days of performances, it gives direct employment to forty people, not to mention its impact on nearby businesses. Within a year, the former stables located under the room should be redeveloped into a multipurpose room with 320 seats for show-case, rehearsals, concerts, receptions and much more.

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Indeed, the eponymous production opening this week at the Theatre de Poche in the Bois de la Cambre is the unexpected account of one man’s journey to explore and come to terms with his background, and in doing so realise his ambition to make theatre.

Fritland was – and is – Zenel Laci’s family business. For 18 years – from the age of 14 – he worked there 12 hours a day, sometimes 7 days a week. There’s nothing he doesn’t know about twice-fried chips, fricadelles and sauce andalouse, about the streets of Brussels late at night and the characters who inhabit them. “I have been wanting to write about it for years,” says Laci. Three years ago, he set pen to paper. Now, working with director Denis Laujol he has created and performs a one-man show that captures the humour, drama and pathos of those years.

Laci’s father arrived in Belgium in 1963, after fleeing from Albania and living with his family in refugee camps for a decade. He dreamed of America and discouraged his five children from integrating into Belgian society. But instead of crossing the Atlantic, the Laci’s father stayed, and ironically established the very symbol of Belgian life, Fritland. The whole extended family was pressed into service, working backbreaking hours to win the security their father coveted.

The play started as “a sort of patchwork”, says Laci. But for nearly two years, he and Laujol have worked to select the most interesting anecdotes and create a narrative. It is above all about emancipation. Laci’s love of literature and theatre brought him into direct conflict with his family’s traditional values, until he finally broke away to take up drama studies. The harsh disapproval of his father meant that he too experienced a form of exile.

“Fritland is about becoming an adult,” explains Laujol. “Zenel and I are both great dreamers. But there comes a time when you have to act. It’s not easy to become an artist.”

Not easy indeed for Laci – who never expected to be a performer. But when the Director of the Theatre de Poche saw and liked his script, he imposed just one condition: that Laci should play himself. With a successful career as director already behind him, this will be Laci’s first time in front of an audience: a place where he feels “uncomfortable”.

Fritland articulates the pleasure in storytelling. Says Laujol: “We play a lot with the expectations of the audience. It’s a story about emigration, so there’s something tragic, but there is also a lot of humour.” The material to draw on was plentiful. Staying open sometimes until 5am, Fritland became a haven for those with nowhere else to go. Laci recalls Joseph le clochard (the vagrant), the drôle d’homme with his little bonnet who showed up at Fritland at dawn one morning and found Laci behind the counter reading a book.

“He thought that was unusual,” admits Laci, who soon discovered that although Joseph lived on the streets, he was a former French teacher. Together they discussed Laci’s writing and Joseph edited his texts. “He encouraged me, and was the first person, apart from my sister, who really showed me what literature was about – that it has power.”

I wanted to know which writer most influenced Laci. “Dostoyevsky” he replies without hesitation. “He’s a genius. He goes to the truth and has something for say at all stages of life. He tackles universal themes.” He cites a phrase from The Brothers Karamazov which had a profound impact on him: “Every human being has at some time wanted the death of his father”. In Dostoyevsky, Laci found insights into his own personal family conflict. Yet despite the bitter struggle between generations, Fritland is still a homage to his father, who is “omnipresent” in the text, says Laci. Working with Laujol, he became more aware of how the older man struggled to build his own destiny.

A few years ago, Laci set up his own Fritland Theatre Company, and it was then he decided the story had to be told. More than just a chip shop, the staging recreates a space that stirs the imagination of the audience to soar beyond steaming trays of golden frites. “Fritland is what? It’s a fritkot, it’s people, it’s potatoes, it’s Belgium. Everything is there,” concludes Laci. For at the same time it is a kind of Utopia, an imaginary country: Fritland – Neverland, the culmination of his late father’s dreams of America.

The play promises to be a discovery for the audience, with some little surprises added in to recreate the Fritkot atmosphere. It can be seen at the Theatre de Poche until 18 May.

The post Dreams, people and potatoes: Fritland offers a glimpse of Utopia appeared first on Brussels Express.

It is known as « immersive » theatre and, if you haven’t experienced it yet, you’ll soon get the chance with an upcoming production in Brussels of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The roaring twenties come to life with sparkle, drama and a large yet intimate party in this innovative version of Fitzgerald’s classic novel. Welcome to the world of 1920’s jazz, cocktails and excess with this extraordinary production of Fitzgerald’s seminal tale of lust and liquor.

After five movies and innumerable plays, « The Great Gatsby Immersive » promises to take the audience deeper into the story and closer to the legend than ever before. A spokesman for the show told this website, « In our secret speakeasy in downtown Brussels, the audience will live their own version of the classic tale. They will embark on an adventure with the actors and roam through the home of Jay Gatsby.

« The production is full of hot jazz, bootleg liquor and intimate encounters. From big set piece dance routines, to secret meetings and snatched moments, no audience experience will ever be the same. »

For once the hype is probably justified and if there was any doubt check out the rave reviews the production has received elsewhere. The good news it that it is coming to Brussels where it will take over an as-yet « secret » location in the city after a sell-out season in London. At this version of the story you can learn to Charleston, creep down corridors behind adulterers or eavesdrop on plans for a tea party. Rather than a single linear narrative, the production breathes life into Fitzgerald’s prose with multiple scenes happening simultaneously.

For the Brussels shows, some of which are already sold out, there will be a French cast and a Flemish cast. The production has attracted full houses in London for over 2 years and is creating quite a stir as it is readies to cross the channel. For the uninitiated, The Great Gatsby is « immersive » theatre where the audience itself participates in the story of Jay Gatsby together with the actors.

The characters in the piece are real enough but, uniquely, they tell their story « up close and personal » with the audience.

Be advised: There is no stage but a lot of rooms, bedrooms,  jazz bar and a hidden boudoir. The audience is taken along in tow with the actors and is invited to sing and dance together with them. The public is also asked to come « dressed up » – 20s style of course – but that is not a must. Either way, be prepared for lots of plumes, boas, hats and ties. A week before the show visitors get a message from Jay Gatsby, with the address where they are expected (the location).

For this version, the script has been completely translated and reworked and the show will be presented in Brussels by 10 actors, including Veerle Malschaert, Katja Retsin and Timo Descamps. The Great Gatsby runs from March 21 at a « secret location » in Brussels. Only 200 people can participate per performance so, be warned, early booking is essential.

There are French, Flemish and English versions

• Info & tickets

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Happy Brussels

Happy Brussels reveals all the right maps in terms of bars and unusual places to party and celebrate New Year’s. It also includes free entry to any screening you choose at the Galeries Cinema. To cap it all, the pass includes a visit to the Atomium, the must-see architectural giant, a symbol of Europe’s capital, as well as two exclusive exhibitions on the subject of music and clubbing.For party people who are curious to discover the capital’s buzzing night life, Happy Brussels offers a pass granting access to the unmissable after-dark events lined up for the 2019 new year.

FCKNYE Festival

This year again, for the 9th edition, some 12,000 festival-goers from all over Europe will be celebrating New Year’s Eve at the FCKNYE Festival! 35 international artists will perform on 4 stages, in the 10,000 m² space of Palais 12 (Brussels), Belgium’s biggest event room. Celebrate 2019 with music from dusk to dawn!

Hard Rock Cafe

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Hard Rock Cafe in Brussels, and enjoy a special 4 course meal, open bar and a DJ until 4 am. Book online for 2 up to 15 persons and enjoy the exclusivity of having a guaranteed reservation.

Casino VIAGE

Start New Year in style!

This year Casino Viage invites you to the Moulin Rouge! Let’s have a midnight countdown altogether before we’ll set the dancefloor on fire with our DJ that plays all your favorite hits from the retro years til nowadays.

L’Os à Moelle: The Sassy Cabaret – Special New Year

« The Sassy Cabaret » it’s a trip back in time, it is the meeting of different  artistic universes, it’s a real old-fashioned cabaret, a Berlin-style cabaret. It is also an atmosphere: a particular link made of sensuality, poetry, glamor and  humor with a hint of forbidden, which is created over the show between a public  amazed and artists transcended.

Wolubilis: Bibot distinguée – Only in French

After the success of Bibot Debout , his new stand-up makes us scream with laughter. Bibot, she’s like that. With her aristocratic manners and heavy truck driver’s lugs, she dexterously handles the consummate art of the discrepancy between the elegance of the packaging and the triviality of the subject. A detonating mix that makes it irresistible!

 

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About last night 🎆🎇🌌 My son was so amazed he dropped his hot chocolate 😅☕️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #minieurope #minieuropebynight #atomium #fireworks #brussels #brusselsfireworks #laeken #laekenbrussels #atomiumbrussels #фейерверк #салют #атомиум #миниевропа

A post shared by Brussels Sprout | Tania (@taniatoday) on Aug 12, 2018 at 1:12am PDT

Or you could always visit your favorite site and enjoy the firework display with your loved one.

The post 6 ideas on how to spend New Year’s in Brussels appeared first on Brussels Express.

The actors decided to recreate the work of one of the most famous Baroque painters, Michelangelo da Caravaggio. Their performance La Conversione di un Cavallo (Conversion of a Horse) went viral on Youtube and Social media. The precision of the image and the similarities with more than 20 paintings amazed the public. They do not use words, they rely on the unique positions of bodies, costumes and facial expressions, which were characteristic of the painter. The staging reminds us of the studio of Caravaggio. The lights are brightly focused on the bodies, the background is dark and mysterious.

More than 5 million people clicked on the video in the previous weeks, but how many attended the live performance? With a full theatre hall, the theatre group presented the spectacular paintings in front of 300 people on every act.

This French technique ’’tableau vivant ’’ is an artistic method in which a group of actors or models statically represent paintings. It was invented in 19^th century but nowadays it is becoming more and more popular in reproducing not only paintings, but photography, sculptures and films.

The post Living paintings by Ludovica Rambelli Theater appeared first on Brussels Express.

It is a production of Snow White, which, irrespective of where it is performed, remains one of the most loved pantomimes of all time.

As an added bonus, this year’s ECC production features plenty of firsts,including the largest cast and crew ever, with 70 people on and off stage.

It also features the youngest leading character in ECC panto history: the girl playing lovely Snow White may only be 14 but is perfect for the role. Also, there were so many excellent dwarfs auditioning, that it was decided to have two different sets of dwarfs for different performances.

This musical extravaganza, the biggest ECC panto production to date, makes for great family entertainment and it all takes place at Auderghem Cultural Centre in Brussels from 19-21 January. Tickets are selling fast for what is a very popular annual event so it is best to book in advance if possible.

The English Comedy Club is a well-established amateur society dedicated to performing English language theatre and, in an interview,  Conrad Toft, from the ECC, outlined preparations for Snow White and some of the reasons for its perennial popularity.

He said, “We wanted to perform one of the most popular pantomimes and so it was an easy choice: Snow White. We also wanted to take the opportunity to use all of the talent we’ve been developing over the last three years. And indeed, we ended up with so many talented dwarfs who auditioned, that we now have two different sets of seven dwarfs for different performances because they were so talented and we really wanted to use them all.”

He said there will be no less than 70 people involved on stage.

The coolest thing about this show, he says, is the fact that “we’ve got so many people involved, also so many young people, really changes the nature of the show. We have lots of people involved in creating the script, involved on the directing side like stage directing, choreography, and we also have a dedicated musical director.”

He went on, “Another cool thing is that our leading character is the youngest in ECC panto history. When our Snow White auditioned, she was 13. I just had to take her on board because she was so perfect for the role. So now instead of celebrating Snow White’s 21st birthday on stage, we’ve changed it to her 18th birthday to make it more believable.”

Compared with previous years, there’s plenty of unusual aspects about this year’s show.

Conrad said, “There’s a lot more singing than in previous shows, and the dance routines are a lot more complex. A lot of the singing is done by the younger members of the cast both in the chorus and among the dwarfs.

Every year we build on what we did in the past. This is the fifth year of ECC pantos and every year there are a lot more people involved artistically than in previous years on the backstage side. I think that shows on stage.

“It’s amazing what a family has grown up around the ECC pantos. Some of the kids have been involved now for five years, and we’ve seen them grow up from the youngest members of chorus to having speaking roles, so that is really fantastic.

“What people see on stage is just the tip of the iceberg, and is the result of everything that’s going on off-stage, from parents’ chaperoning duty at rehearsals, to everyone helping put costumes and set together.”

Conrad adds, “And one thing everyone should definitely know is that the Swedish cook has built almost everything you see on stage!”

Good to know:
Performances:

• Friday, 19 Jan 2018 (20:00)
• Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 (13.30 & 17:00)
• Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 (13.30 & 17:00)

Tickets are on sale at thelittleboxoffice.com/ecc (adults: €16, children: €12)

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