A winter pub drama on location in Ekeren
Putteke winter.
New Year's Eve.
The wood for the stove is gradually running out.
In a vacant industrial building, Jeanne (Reinhilde Decleir) has created a working-class café. Jeanne used to sing in the opera. From one day to the next, she said goodbye to her mundane diva life and decided it was time to unleash the bohemian in herself.
Her café is the place to be for dreamers, migrants, artists, philosophers, asylum seekers and poor people. An artists' collective rehearses the opera there La Bohème by Puccini. While waiting for the tenor, who just doesn't show up, the singers and musicians try to warm up a little. There is philosophising, discussing, flirting, singing and dancing until particularly unpleasant visitors come to disturb the atmosphere.
Come and have a drink at Café Bohème. If you still have some wood for the stove or vegetables for the soup, be sure to bring them along. And oh yes, be sure to put on something warm!
Public comments
"For me, yet another shot in the arm!"
Anita Stoop
"Great performance!"
Annick Ruyts
"Beautiful poetic performance. Totally so bohemian. Enjoyed it."
Paula Bartelen
"Friday night, January 3. Defied the cold wind for an hour on the waiting list. Got in anyway. I was endeared, surprised, amazed and confused. This was theatre of the highest order!"
André van den Oudenhoven
"It was really very nice, super enjoyed it, thank you very much."
Inge van Bakel
"The performance was unimaginable! Wonderful and moving!!!"
Fredel Rossaert
"Very beautiful performance. I was moved!"
Joke Nyssen
"Enjoyed Cafe Boheme tonight...really delicious! At the end, after much laughter, I found myself bleating again, which is to say it was good. That Judith Vindevogel is a gritty woman...go see that if you get the chance!"
Nikkie Van Lierop
"What was that like, so beautiful, café bohème. I want one of those on the corner of my street every night, I've been enjoying it for two days."
Sigrid Maes
"It was really unmatchable, the summit. You must have seen this...so beautiful."
Annick Van Heddeghem
"A beautiful performance, beautiful singing!"
Suzanna Pezo
"I enjoyed the setting, the technical setting, the music, the atmosphere, the warmth of the people, the costumes, the acting. It was a beautiful whole, a performance that should be seen. Sometimes the 'local' accent was a little less understandable for us West Flemish 🙂 Happy end of the year and good luck with the continuation of this worthwhile project!"
Patsy Magerman
"The performance so beautiful, moving, realistic but also hopeful and yet fairy-tale like in a special location. Every actor fitted their roles perfectly. On a musical level also completely finished ! Enjoyed it immensely."
Barbara Deckers
"Café Bohème = a 'creme de la creme performance with lots of winter fire!!!"
Jo Vermuyten
"Found it quite impressive and am very happy that you finally brought some culture with a big C to Ekeren."
Rina Vanwouwe
"Superb experience. This is what theatre was invented for. Congratulations!"
Anonymous
"Beautiful! Moving. Taken from life, clever to create such a thing with such a variety of actors, musicians and opera singers."
Babs
Press announcements
“Spectator becomes regular at Reinhilde Decleir's pub"
Ruben Aerts, Gazet van Antwerpen, 28.12.2013
Portrait of director Jan Bijvoet:
"I am only now really getting to know film"
Geert Verheyen, Gazet van Antwerpen, 28.12.2013
"The winter of Antwerp"
Liv Laveyne, DeMorgen, 26.12.2013
"Little soul sings big concerns. Why opera is often about poor people"
Tom Janssens, De Standaard, 26.12.2013
