Sander Janssens of Theaterkrant reviewed Ik moet u iets vertellen in his article about festival Yes in my backyard. You can read the full article here.
Brecht Hermans ultimately opts for full light: his solo Ik moet u iets vertellen (director: Nina-Elisa Euson) is a theatrical account of his coming out. And not so much the moment when he said he is gay - which consisted of several moments - but the whole process: from confusing feelings as a young teenager to a timid first visit to a dark room.
Hermans is an amiable theater personality with a good antenna for his audience, who he fully involves in his performance. For example, he randomly picks a woman from the audience, pushes a piece of script into her hands and assigns the role of his mother. Together they act out a scene in which he tries to come out to his mother. It is beautiful how sincere the mutual discomfort is: we see mother and son, but above all two strangers to each other, who try to come together but do not find each other. On the surface it produces a laugh, but it is an extremely strong theatrical choice that sticks.
Hermans emphasizes with this solo that a coming out is not linear, not a story that progresses from doubt to relief, it is not the arc from shame to shamelessness or a development that leads past obstacles to catharsis. It is searching again and again, doubt, discharge, surprising yourself, getting to know yourself better, overconfidence, courage. That is a valuable insight, which Hermans brings to the fore in all openness and with as much vulnerability as fun in the game.
Comments