IN PROGRESS
FINDING WILLARD
On holiday in the US, theater maker Tom Struyf coincidentally arrives in Willard, in upstate New York. Willard is a small town in the shadow of the ruins of a former psychiatric hospital. Fascinated by the landscape, the history and the stories of the people living there, he soon discovers a link with a psychiatric hospital in the town of Geel, in his home country Belgium. It is the start of in-depth research and the creation of a new documentary theater piece.
As time and change both play a crucial role, the creation of Willard will be spread out over several stages, spanning several years. The result will be a multimedia and filmic piece, much like Act to Forget and The Tatiana Aarons Experience, in which Tom previously constructed a new story by bringing together his fascination for a specific place and specific people with a very personal story.
Willard will premiere in the fall of 2022.
On January 21, 2021 Tom will give an update in Geel on his most recent findings and unveil the next steps in his research and the development of the theater piece.
concept & creation Tom Struyf
cocreation Fien Leysen & Willem De Maeseneer
camera & technical supervision Geert De Vleesschauwer
editing Geert De Vleesschauwer & Fien Leysen
animation & illustration Bram Algoed
music Bert Hornikx
production Tatiana Aarons vzw
coproduction Het Zuidelijk Toneel, NTGent, C-TAKT, NEXT Festival,
Productiehuis TR, detheatermaker, kc deSingel, cc de Werft Geel, cc De Grote Post Oostende
in cooperation with WP Zimmer, Museum Dr. Guislain & Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond
with the support of the Government of Flanders & Erfgoedcel k.ERF