Cast and Creative

Eline Arbo

Adaptor and Director

Eline has been Artistic Director at Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA) since September 2023. Before that, she joined ITA as Associate Artistic Director from 2022. From January 2023, Eline was appointed as The Ibsen Artist in Residence.

Theatre includes: Penthesilea, The Laws, Prima Facie, The Hours (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam); The Years, Yerma (Het Nationale Theater, The Hague); Jane Eyre, Peer Gynt, Harmennene pà Helgeland, Haugtussa (National Theatre, Oslo); Iliaden (Betty Nansen Teatret, Copenhagen); The Passion of Young Werther (winner of BNG Bank Theater Prize and Toneelkijkers Award); The End of Eddy (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem; winner of VSCD Directing Award).

Annie Ernaux

Original Book Writer

Annie Ernaux is a French author born in 1940. She has written eighteen books, all of which were published by Editions Gallimard. In 2022, she received the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Works includes: La Place, Passion simple, L’Événement, Les Années, Mémoire de fille, Le Jeune homme, La Honte, Une femme.

Stephanie Bain

English Stage Version

Stephanie is the Head of Programming and Literary at the Almeida Theatre and in-house Dramaturg on Almeida productions.

Thijs van Vuure

Music Supervisor and Sound Designer

Thijs is a composer, music director, musician and sound designer for theatre, art installations and film. His work is always heavily driven by the context and concept of the material, and ranges from classical music to heavy rock performances.

Theatre includes: Haugtussa, Jane Eyre (National Theatre, Oslo); The Laws, The Hours, Prima Facie, Penthesilea (Internationaal Theatre Amsterdam); A Case for the Existence of God, Verdriet is het ding met veren (Theater Rotterdam); Riaden (Betty Nansen Teatret, Copenhagen); The Years (Het Nationale Theater, The Hague); The End of Eddy (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem); The Narcosexuals (Studio Dries Verhoeven, Utrecht); Witch Hunt (Noord Nederlands Toneel, Groningen); Maria Stuart (Rogaland Teater, Stavanger).

Juul Dekker

Set Designer

After his studies of Theatre Science and Scenography in Amsterdam, Juul founded Art Collective Labland, a group of scenographers creating theatrical work in public spaces.

Theatre includes: The End of Eddy (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem); The Years, Happy Days (Het Nationale Theater, The Hague); Hell is Other People (Teatret Värt, Molde); De Drie Musketiers (Amsterdam Bostheater); Gavrilo Princip (Holland Festival); Une Cérémonie par Raoul Collectif (Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles).

Opera includes: Amadigi di Gaula (Kraków Opera); The Naked Shit Songs (Holland Festival).

Rebekka Wörmann

Costume Designer

Rebekka graduated in 2005 with a degree in fashion design from the Utrecht University of the Arts. Since then, she has been responsible for costume design across various theatre and film

Theatre includes: The Family, Immens, What is Love, Versus, Panic Room (Theater Utrecht); Bloedlink, De Gebroeders Leeuwenhart, Happy Days, The Years, Yerma, Waiting for Godot (Het Nationale Theater, The Hague); Client E. Busken, Prima Facie (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam); Revolutionary Road, Find Me A Boring Stone, Verdriet is het ding met veren, A Case of the Existence of God (Theater Rotterdam); Drie Zusters, De Revolutionairen, Orlando, Het leven zelf, The End of Eddy, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, De Wereldverbeteraar (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem); Sea of Silence (Frascati, Amsterdam).

Film includes: The Deflowering of Eva van End, Aanmodderfakker, Dames 4, Zenith, Bouwdorp, Lampje.

Television includes: Dropje.

Varja Klosse

Lighting Designer

Varja is a well-known lighting designer in the Netherlands who trained at the Amsterdam University of Arts. She has worked on various touring productions across the Netherlands and internationally.

Theatre includes: The End of Eddy, Drie Zusters, Het lijden van de jonge Werther, De Revolutionairen, The Last Poet (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem); The Hours, Penthesilea, Prima Facie, The Laws (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam); De Gabber Opera, CRISPR, Not All Is Lost (Theater Rotterdam); Do Not Look Back With Regret (Theater Rotterdam/ International tour); Timerne / The Hours (Det Kongelige Teater); Panic Room (Theater Utrecht); Droken Mensen, Zwart Water, Witch Hunt (Noord Nederlands Toneel, Groningen); The Years, Yerma (Het Nationale Theatre, The Hague); Sea of Silence, Emma Watson – The Play, Battlefield of Dreams, Mephisto Park, Naar Ikea, SIXTH (Frascati, Amsterdam); 233°C (Rose Stories, Amsterdam).

Amy Ball CDG

Casting Director

Varja is a well-known lighting designer in the Netherlands who trained at the Amsterdam University of Arts. She has worked on various touring productions across the Netherlands and internationally.

Theatre includes:The Years, Alma Mater, Cold War, Portia Coughlan, Women, Beware the Devil, “Daddy” A Melodrama, Albion, The Hunt, Shipwreck, Dance Nation, Boy (Almeida); Hamnet (RSC); The Hills of California, Lyonesse, Jerusalem, Leopoldstadt, Uncle Vanya, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Night of Iguana, Rosmersholm, True West, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, The Pillowman (West End); The Son (Kiln/ West End); Sweat (Donmar/ West End); The Ferryman (Royal Court/ West End/ Broadway); The Moderate Soprano (Hampstead Theatre/ West End); The Birthday Party, Consent (National Theatre/ West End); Hangmen (Royal Court/ West End/ Atlantic Theater Company); Berberian Sound Studio (Donmar); Stories, Exit the King (National Theatre); White Noise, A Very Very Very Dark Matter (Bridge); The Brothers Size (Young Vic); Maryland, ear for eye, Girls & Boys, Cyprus Avenue (Royal Court).

Yasmin Hafesji

Associate Director

Yasmin studied at the University of Cambridge and trained with the Young Vic and National Theatre Studio. She was Associate Director at the Gate Theatre from 2020-2022.

Theatre includes: Haugtussa, Jane Eyre (National Theatre, Oslo); The Laws, The Hours, Prima Facie, Penthesilea (Internationaal Theatre Amsterdam); A Case for the Existence of God, Verdriet is het ding met veren (Theater Rotterdam); Riaden (Betty Nansen Teatret, Copenhagen); The Years (Het Nationale Theater, The Hague); The End of Eddy (Toneelschuur Producties, Haarlem); The Narcosexuals (Studio Dries Verhoeven, Utrecht); Witch Hunt (Noord Nederlands Toneel, Groningen); Maria Stuart (Rogaland Teater, Stavanger).

BRYONY BLACKLER

Associate Sound Designer

Bryony is Sound Supervisor at the Almeida Theatre. She graduated with a Foundation Degree in Stage Management and Technical Theatre from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Theatre includes; as Associate Sound Designer: A Mirror (Trafalgar); Cold War (Almeida); as Production Sound Engineer: The Years, A Mirror, A Streetcar Named Desire, King Lear, Macbeth, Patriots, Portia Coughlin, Tammy Faye, Romeo and Juliet, The Secret Life of Bees (Almeida); Death of a Salesman, Klippies, Nora: A Doll’s House (Young Vic).

Matt Spencer-Smith

Associate Music Supervisor

Matt trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He is a patron of NK Theatre Arts in Manchester.

Theatre includes, as Musical Director: My Neighbour Totoro, Ain’t Too Proud, Dear Evan Hansen, School of Rock, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Taboo 20th Anniversary Concert, Some Girl I Used To Know, Thriller Live (West End); The Infidel (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Taboo (Brixton Clubhouse); The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Water Babies (Curve Theatre, Leicester); Unmasked (The Other Palace); Never Forget (West End/ UK tour); We Will Rock You (Palladium Theater, Stuttgart/ Theater des Westens, Berlin); The Prodigals (Belgrade Theatre); Footloose (UK tour/ European tour); The Rocky Horror Show (European tour); Cinderella (New Wimbledon Theatre); Bohemian Rhapsody, This is Elvis, Dancing in the Streets (UK tour); Vampirette (Manchester Opera House); as Musical Supervisor: Here & Now (Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham; also Orchestrator); Dear Evan Hansen, School of Rock, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (UK tour);Love Me Tender (UK tour, also Orchestrator); The Last Tango (West End/ UK tour); We Will Rock You (North American tour).

Television includes, as Vocal Coach and Musical Director: Cilla, The World at War.

FRASER CRAIG

Associate Lighting Designer

Fraser is a Lighting Designer and Programmer currently based at the Almeida Theatre in North London.

Previous work includes; as Lighting Designer: 24 (Day): The Measure of my Dreams, The Key Workers Cycle, Beyond Her Years, The Maladies, Lear is Not Okay, Lessons, Rush, The Village (Almeida Participation); Six Artists in Search of a Play (Almeida); Deitrich: Natural Duty (Wilton’s Music Hall/ international tour); The Future (Little Bulb Theatre); Great Again (Vault Festival); Don’t Blame the Bankers… $Toopid (Canal Cafe Theatre); as Lighting Programmer: A Mirror, A Streetcar Named Desire (Almeida/ West End); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Years, King Lear, Cold War, Portia Coughlan, Tammy Faye, Spring Awakening, The Tragedy of Macbeth (Almeida); Orpheus, Snow White and Rose Red (Battersea Arts Centre).

Sophia Khan

Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Supervisor

Sophia is an experienced Wardrobe Supervisor, Wigs, Hair and Makeup Artist, Afro Hair Consultant, and Facilitator. Throughout her creative career, she has worked as a dresser and Head of Wardrobe for bands and musicians including George Michael, Lady Gaga, Dolly Parton and Motörhead. She then ventured into the ice-skating industry, touring globally with a variety of different live shows. In recent years, she has worked in the theatre industry alongside holding workshops teaching the history and importance of afro hair in television, theatre and film at Bristol School of Acting and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She is also a wigs, hair and makeup consultant specialising in afro hair and deeper skin tones, holding workshops for sound and lighting departments.

Theatre includes: King Lear (Almeida); Choir Boy, Cheeky Little Brown (Bristol Old Vic); The Cherry Orchard (Bristol School of Acting); Salty Irina (Edinburgh Fringe); Fawn (UK tour); For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy (Royal Court/ West End); Sound of the Underground (Royal Court).

Yarit Dor

Intimacy Director

Yarit is a multidisciplinary creative working as a Fight Director, IDC Certified Intimacy Director and Movement Director. She is Co-Director of Moving Body Arts and an Ensemble Associate Artist of Shakespeare’s Globe. In 2019, she originated the role of the Intimacy Director in the West End, and she was recently awarded a fellowship at Rose Bruford College.

Theatre includes: Why Am I So Single?, Hamilton, The Shark is Broken (West End); “Daddy” A Melodrama (Almeida); Hadestown (National Theatre/ West End); A Strange Loop (Barbican); Death of a Salesman (Young Vic/ West End); Rockets and Blue Lights (National Theatre); Othello, Henry V, The Merchant of Venice, Richard II, Hamlet, As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe); The Band’s Visit, Love and Other Acts of Violence (Donmar); The Homecoming, The Second Woman, Changing Destiny (Young Vic); A View From The Bridge (Headlong); This Is Not Who I Am (Royal Court); Old Bridge (Bush).

Film includes: Wicked.

Television includes: Daisy Jones and The Six, Mood, The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power.

Dance includes: Weather is Sweet, Death Trap, Peaky Blinders (Rambert Dance Company), The Burnt City (Punchdrunk).