Judas
"There is phenomenal acting by the whole ensemble, and especially by Hans Kesting." – Theaterkrant
The name Judas is familiar to many of us. The traitor. The scorned man. A man condemned century after century for his cunning cowardice and who to this day deserves no pardon - or - is that perhaps half a story?
Run time 130 minutes
Genre theatre
Language Dutch
Surtitles English, Thu, January 11 & 18
In Gesprek Fri, January 12 & 19
Judas
When you hear the name Judas, you think of betrayal. He is the man who agreed to hand over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins. That is the official version. However, in the Gospel of Judas, Jesus asks Judas to betray him, which means he did it because Jesus himself had asked him to. And that is strange, because Judas’ deed leads to the crucifixion of Jesus.
Robert Icke became fascinated by this other version of the story: Judas as the true, perfect disciple of Jesus. A play about the positive side of betrayal.
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Previously, Robert Icke created an acclaimed contemporary version of Oedipus and The Doctor at ITA. He created a sequel to Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, called Children of Nora.
Robert Icke on Judas
"The story of Jesus is perhaps the most famous story ever told. Yet Judas' story, though famous, has a very different colour and weight. Nobody praises his name, which has become an insult, a condemnation. Yet an ancient text, which resurfaced in the 1970s, the Gospel of Judas, offers a glimpse of another version: a story which offers us a different understanding of Jesus' most notorious disciple. This new re-telling of the final days of Jesus' life, will think about betrayal and loyalty, about sacrifice and service, and about what it means to know that something is about to end."
de Volkskrant
"Chris Nietvelt and Hans Kesting make a heartbreakingly destroyed couple, and Judas' power struggle with Jesse Mensah's enigmatic Jesus produces beautiful rhetorical fireworks."
NRC
"Actor Hans Kesting is an unparalleled Judas. Big, muscular, tormented. His play is worth a reservation at the theatre. (...) Jesus is beautifully and elusively portrayed by Jesse Mensah: mystical and human by turns, broad-minded and rigid."
Theaterkrant
"There is phenomenal playing by the whole ensemble, and especially by Hans Kesting."
Scènes
"I have seen Hans Kesting play many times, but I am always impressed by this Monumental Actor."
PROGRAM BROCHURE
Read more about the production's direction, scenography and costumes in our digital brochure.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Go backstage at the rehearsal process of Judas and find out how the show is made.
Robert Icke decided to become a playwright and director after he had been torn away from his PlayStation by his father as a teenager and saw a performance of Richard III, with Kenneth Branagh in the title role. He is regarded as a great young talent in British theatre. From 2013 until 2019 he was an associate director at the Almeida in London, the famous theatre that used to be led by Pierre Audi before he came to Amsterdam. From 2019 till 2022 Robert Icke was committed to Internationaal Theater Amsterdam as Ibsen Artist in Residence. This new form of support was created by the Philip Loubser Foundation.
In season 23|24 his directions of The Doctor and Judas will be reprised.
CREDITS
text and direction Robert Icke
translation Aus Greidanus jr.
dramaturgy Maria Luttikhuis
scenography Hildegard Bechtler
costumes Wojciech Dziedzic
lighting design Natasha Chivers
sound design Tom Gibbons
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private producer Gabriella de Rooij and Hendrik Jan ten Have