Fien Leysen / BERLIN & theater arsenaal

ALABAMA

VIERNULVIER & NTGent

Fri 24.04

20:00 - 22:00

Minardschouwburg, Gent

Tickets
Sat 25.04

20:00 - 22:00

Minardschouwburg, Gent

Tickets

A documentary road trip to the past, about different stages of loss

In ALABAMA, Fien Leysen follows in the footsteps of her deceased father, reporter Kris Leysen. In 1978 he visited Birmingham, Alabama (US) to create a television documentary for the Belgian broadcast station VRT. In Alabama, he spoke to young adults about work and studies, about the American Dream, and the gap between rich and poor. On his first night in Alabama, the local sheriff pulled over the television crew and charmed by their intentions, promptly gave Leysen the position of deputy sheriff (in name only). All so that the people of Birmingham would trust the film crew. Forty five years later, Fien - now the same age as her father then - sets off to Alabama. She wants to find the students and the sheriff from 1978, revisit the city and its people. In Birmingham, she’ll ask the questions her father forgot, and hopes to find answers for herself. Together with musician Steven De bruyn, Fien will share video of then and now on stage, and the result of her search.).

Part of

2025 - 26 | PODIUM

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De pers over 'ALABAMA'

"Door humor en ontroering goed te doseren raakt ze een gevoelige snaar. Een ontwapenende roadtrip (…) ondersteund door wonderlijke muziek van mondharmonicaspeler en allroundmuzikant Steven De bruyn."
– Nina Dillen in De Tijd op 02.02.2024

"‘Alabama is teder theater dat film als ruggengraat gebruikt om een rakend, autobiografisch verhaal te vertellen."
– Els Van Steenberghe in Knack Focus op 07.02.2024

"Het langzame ritme, het verglijden in de tijd die ruimte biedt om te mijmeren, om mee te gaan in de sfeer en de gevoelens, de weemoed en ontroering, dat maakt deze voorstelling zo bijzonder."
– Tuur Devens voor Theaterkrant op 22.02.2024

"(…) opzienbarend persoonlijk theater (…), waarin film, muziek en tekst superieur samenvallen. Dat komt allereerst door de open persoonlijkheid van Leysen zelf, die een antwoord zoekt op de vraag waarmee wij allemaal worstelen: waarom weten we zo weinig van onze ouders?"
– ★★★★ Hein Janssen in de Volkskrant op 11.08.2024

Zoom in

premiere: February 1, 2024, theater arsenaal, Mechelen (BE) – duration: 85 min – direction, text, video, performance: Fien Leysen – musical composition, live music: Steven De bruyn – artistic and technical support USA: Claire Hoofwijk – camera: Claire Hoofwijk, Fien Leysen – dramaturgy: Willem De Maeseneer – outside eye: Yves Degryse – scenography and set construction: Manu Siebens – stage decorator: Ina Peeters – sound design: Arnold Bastiaanse – final mix sound film: Peter Van Laerhoven – sound technician: Arthur De Vuyst – lighting design: Jannes Dierynck, Marjolein Demey – video support: Raf Willems, Jannes Dierynck, Geert De Vleesschauwer – research: Fien Leysen, Jessica Ridderhof, Sam Loncke – production management and props: Jessica Ridderhof – production aid: Jane Seynaeve – office management: Maya Van der Brempt – technical direction and tour management: Marjolein Demey – touring technicians: Jannes Dierynck, Arthur De Vuyst – freelance touring technicians: Koen Goossens, Hans De Prins – interviewees: Bruno Ronsmans, S. Wideman, Tone Rødseth Bjelland, Florence Delaporte, John Morse, Drew Taylor, Lewis Shannon, Jamal, Karalyn Harper, Tony Powers, Brian Rice, Peyton Grant, José Perry, Captain John Mayes, Matthew Barnes, Christopher Davis, Andre Brown, Lisa McNair, Tom & Valerie Pankey, Donald Carmichael, Mary Alice Beatty, Ashley Carmichael, Don Veasey, Catherine Champion, Sheriff Mark Pettway, Jacques Servaes, Michel van Laer, Lieve Demerre, Riet De Prins, Jan Dewinter – graphic design: Nick Mattan – photography: Koen Broos – business management: Tine Verhaert – business support: Dagmar Renders – distribution: Huub Colla/Collage Producties, Eveline Martens/BERLIN – communications: Sam Loncke – production: BERLIN – co-production: theater arsenaal (Mechelen, BE), Theaterfestival Boulevard (Den Bosch, NL), Het Laatste Bedrijf (BE) – with the support of: the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian federal government, Gallop Tax Shelter, deAuteurs – thanks to: VRT Archive, VRT, team theater arsenaal, Serge Jonnaert, Phara De Aguirre, Nic Balthazar, Liebie Wellens, Thidrek Van Grunderbeeck, Katrien Everaert, Tim De Canck, Linda De Leeuw, Sarah Bal, Bas de Caluwé, Joni Money, Austin Franklin, Paula Ross, Edward Feeley, Andy Urban, Truus Lostrie, Ron Holly, Jack Gray, Ruth Lodder, Sam Hoeck, Adriaan Severins, De Floeren Aap, Karine Vandaele

copresentation with NTGent