ZING EN WEES GELUKKIG over DIET KLOOS

SING AND BE HAPPY

In these times of (threatening) war, we ask ourselves: do we dare to resist when necessary and at what cost? How much solidarity do we show with each other in times of disaster?

Almost 80 years after the end of the occupation, the sense of what that solidarity of the resistance was worth seems to have faded somewhat. That is not strange after such a long period of peace on our own territory. Few people in the present day have really experienced that period. Now that the worldly conflicts are getting closer, the many generations that grew up in peace are being somewhat shaken awake. And the resistance dilemma of the German occupation is becoming relevant again.

Based on the life story of the Dordrecht resistance hero Diet Kloos, the performance tells about the courage to risk your life for a greater good.

Diet is 16 when she ends up in the resistance, together with her lover Jan, whom she marries during the war. When they are arrested and Jan is executed, he gives her another life mission: “sing and be happy!”. Diet starts a singing career and becomes a valued soloist and teacher, but will she succeed in the mission to become happy? What sacrifices has she had to make for her heroic deeds?

The performance brings the resistance past from current events to the audience in a very personal and direct way. This means that the questions that are central are not non-committal, but encourage reflection on war and resistance.

Game Dieke de Vries

Cello Nina Hitz

Text EW Geerlings, based on the letters of Jan and Diet Kloos.

With the help of students from the Johan de Witt Gymnasium.

Directed by Ellen Honings.

Production Theater The Orphanage

Duration: 1 hour and 15 min

More information: https://weeshuistheater.nl/zing-en-wees-gelukkig/