Play is an almost melancholic time travel to our inner child. To skipping rope, learning dance moves and inventing new games; to letting your imagination run wild and building your own world.
A world that exists alongside the present, with its sometimes confronting reality. Play questions the extent to which that fantasy world is a coping mechanism for all of us and it pays tribute to the power of imagination to process pain, stress or sadness.
Ann Van den Broek investigates where fantasy and reality meet and the friction that comes with it. Whether that concerns our personal lives, our own bubble or our collective togetherness.
Play is a multidisciplinary performance with characterful performers. As is often seen in Ann Van den Broek’s recent work, the piece moves between performance and dance. Live video is used to bring the audience even closer to the dancers.
concept and choreography Ann Van den Broek
performers Jean-Gabriel Maury, Marion Bosetti, Isaiah Selleslaghs, Yoko Haveman, Omar Karabulut, Guilherme Carvalho
interns Mira Sopart, Ana Paula Lemus Payiatsou
music Sjoerd Bruil
scenography Niek Kortekaas
photography Rio Staelens
premiere October 4, 2025, Nederlandse Dansdagen / Bordenhal, Maastricht (NL)
WArd/waRD is financial supported by the Fonds Podiumkunsten and the City of Tilburg.
WArd/waRD
| Date | City | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Oct 2025 | Play | Maastricht (NL), Nederlandse Dansdagen – try-out | Tickets |
| 04 Oct 2025 | Play | Maastricht (NL), Nederlandse Dansdagen – première | Tickets |
| 07 Oct 2025 | Play | Tilburg (NL), Schouwburg Concertzaal Tilburg | Tickets |
| 08 Oct 2025 | Play | Haarlem (NL), Schuur | Tickets |
| 13 Oct 2025 | Play | Roosendaal (NL), De Kring | Tickets |
| 16 Oct 2025 | Play | Breda (NL), Chassé Theater | Tickets |
| 05 Nov 2025 | Play | Rotterdam (NL), TR Schouwburg | Tickets |
| 06 Nov 2025 | Play | Rotterdam (NL), TR Schouwburg | Tickets |
| 18 Nov 2025 | Play | Delft (NL), Theater de Veste | Tickets |
| 01 Dec 2025 | Play | Groningen, SPOT/Stadsschouwburg | Tickets |
| 16 Dec 2025 | Play | Heerlen (NL), Parkstad Limburg Theaters | Tickets |
| 24 Jan 2026 | Play | Amsterdam (NL), ITA | Tickets |
| 25 Jan 2026 | Play | Amsterdam (NL), ITA | Tickets |
“A tribute to the power of imagination to process pain, stress or sadness..”