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.

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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.

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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.

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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