Renowned Theater CollectIve Ontroerend Goed Finds New Home At NTGent

Two of the main players in the Belgian theatre scene are joining forces. The renowned theatre company Ontroerend Goed, that moves the world from Ghent, has been appointed artist in residence at theatre house NTGent in their hometown for the coming five years.

"The craftsmanship is astonishingly sturdy. The ensemble works with incredible precision, selling gestures and movements that might otherwise seem bizarre or arbitrary. Nothing here is arbitrary. Each step, each syllable has purpose", the leading newspaper The New York Times wrote about Are we not drawn onward to new erA, a performance by Ontroerend Goed that was recently touring the US and Canada. The umpteenth accolade for the work of the collective that moves the world from Ghent, their Belgian hometown.

In Ghent, Ontroerend Goed is now joining forces with city theatre NTGent, led by artistic leader Milo Rau. This collaboration entails that new productions by Ontroerend Goed will have their Belgian premiere at NTGent, which will support the collective of artistic director Alexander Devriendt whenever possible and necessary, including in the field of communication and promotion.

Ontroerend Goed will continue to produce its own performances, but co-productions are possible, as are collaborations in the framework of festivals. In the summer of 2023, three reprises of Ontroerend Goed (see below) are scheduled at NTGent, with the first premiere following in the spring of 2024.

"This collaboration is meant to be," says Milo Rau, artistic director of NTGent. "It is the task of a city theatre to offer space and support to local artists. Ontroerend Goed has a huge international appeal but at the same time the collective is part of what I call 'the Ghent miracle'."

"Ghent has guaranteed outstanding theatre for decades and is known all over the world for it," Rau stresses. "I admire immensely how Ontroerend Goed has been challenging theatre conventions for years with beautiful, emotional and humanistic work, garnering applause as far away as Australia and Canada."

Alexander Devriendt, artistic director of Ontroerend Goed, finds it striking how NTGent has been transformed in recent years: "From a pretty classical bastion after all, to a city theatre of the future. And without abandoning the audience in the process. That audience has grown together with NTGent and has welcomed the growth of the house. What connects us and NTGent is the courage to see theatre as a unique experience that is impossible to find elsewhere."

Ontroerend Goed is expanding its artistic core at the same time as their new landing at NTGent. In addition to Alexander Devriendt, the artistic team now also includes Angelo Tijssens, Aurélie Lannoy, Charlotte De Bruyne, Julia Ghysels, Karolien De Bleser, Leonore Spee, Remi Cosijn and Samir Veen. "Because we can create and do so much more," says Devriendt. Though the focus remains the same: "One new creation a year, extensive but sustainable touring and international remakes."