MEDIATHEK

‘Tafel van Vijf’ (table of five) combines theatre, music and common heritage. We put the concept of freedom at the heart of all our productions. Freedom is an essential aspect of the lives of all young people – particularly now, when current events demand a very close look at what ‘freedom’ really means. The stories we take as our starting point are about rebellion and resistance and their effect in the world.

Mama Musa the project: Mama Musa was shown in Amsterdam for schoolkids (of which half were of Maroccan origin) in combination with a visit to the Jewish Historical Museum on the same day.

the performance MAMA MUSA (7+) This is the story of Musa (the Islamic name for Moses), who leads his people away from slavery in Egypt. It is one of the earliest stories about winning freedom – a story like an epic fairytale of visible and invisible powers, with a leading character who is a prince, a murderer, a refugee and a coward as well as a great leader.

Musa has to overcome his own fears and insecurities, soften the Pharaoh’s heart and lead his people into freedom. Again and again he also has to confront his people and their fear of change. Through this confrontation, important lessons about solidarity and trust can be learned – and, above all lessons, the essential golden rule ‘Treat others the way you would want to be treated’. It’s one thing to be free, but in the desert of freedom you need rules of behavior to be truly loving to one another.

Mama Musa is a musical tale in which the narrator identifies with the mother of Musa, who had to abandon her baby to the river. Distinguished actress and singer Nadia Amin takes this role, together with the unique and inventive sound of The Nordanians - www.nordanians.com - Oene van Geel (viola), Mark Tuinstra (guitar), Marko Bonarius (contrabass) and Niti Ranjan Biswas (tabla).

Mama Musa consists of sung and spoken stories - emotional commentaries from a mother’s perspective combined with beautiful yearning music. When the musicians sing they represent the captive people.

The music is composed by Oene van Geel (BoyEdgarprice 2013). He composes catchy songs as well as polyphonic and lyrical melodies, with links to sounds of the past, and for the narrative he composes chamber music with an exotic tone. Designer Renée Zonnevylle has created a striking video-wall in which we see the actors moving in costumes coloured by the desert and the river. The play is written and directed by Herman van Baar.