When the Germans invade the Netherlands in 1940, Michiel van Beusekom initially feels as though he’s stepped into an exciting adventure novel. But he soon realizes that war is nothing to look forward to. In the final winter of the war (1945), Michiel becomes involved in caring for a British pilot who has crashed in the woods behind his house. Michiel tries to survive the long winter as best he can, but finds himself increasingly isolated. His father is arrested, and his sister lets slip a dangerous secret. Who can Michiel really trust?

Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw is the most famous Dutch youth novel about World War II. Theater group De Jonge Honden has adapted the book into a gripping stage production about friendship, trust, and coming of age during wartime. Nothing is what it seems, no one can be trusted, and nowhere is truly safe.

"Grey dominates the sleek design. Compact blocks transform into a living room, a hiding place, and even a rattling carriage. The stylized video animations on the backdrop speak volumes, without relying on historical or anecdotal references. Two musicians heighten the tension with piercing sounds from strings and keys."
- De Volkskrant ★★★★

For Oorlogswinter, I created 3D animations that were projected onto the grey backdrop. The floor consisted of two large treadmills which, in coordination with the projections, explored various representations of the passage of time.

Credits:

Company De Jonge Honden | Direction Jolmer Versteeg | Script Wessel de Vries | Dramaturgy Maarten Bos | Projections Wieger Steenhuis | Music Sebastiaan Flier and Fleur Dikken | Cast Klemens Patijn, Rik Witteveen, Yari van der Linden, Jelle Mensink, Tessa de Lange, and Robert Baarda | Costumes Hanne Pierrot