Introduction

© Sanne Peper

Theatre director Ola Mafaalani creates repertoire on large stages throughout Europe, and recently in the United States. She directed three main-stage productions at the largest theatre company in the Netherlands, Toneelgroep Amsterdam. She also feels an affinity with the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge MA, and the Royal Flemish Theatre in Brussels. In january 2009 she becomes artistic leader of a Dutch theatrecompany named North Netherlands Theatre (Noord Nederlands Toneel). She will make international and national main- stage productions with her new company.   

Her Shakespeare productions include The Merchant of Venice (2001, Toneelgroep Amsterdam), Macbeth (2000, Konikelijke Vlaamse Schouwburg, Brussels), Othello (2002, State Theatre of Cologne, Germany), Romeo and Juliet (2004, Toneelgroep Amsterdam).
In 2006 she staged Wings of Desire/Himmel Über Berlin, an adaptation of Wim Wenders’ legendary film, for Toneelgroep Amsterdam and the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA.  Her other recent film adaptations include A Clockwork Orange, based on Antony Burgess’ screenplay.

Mafaalani’s theatre reflects social and political issues which are of high concern to her.  She adapts classical plays to our contemporary times, and her productions are always multi-disciplinary – a kind of gesamtkunstwerk (“total theatre”) that includes dance, visual arts, happenings, opera, circus, and traditional acting. She believes that a story which needs to be told accepts every artform to communicate. She involves the public in an unconventional way.

Mafalaani works with a team of artists that includes her scenic designer Andre Joosten, the German costume designer Regine Standfuss, the dramaturg Dirkje Houtman, and her partner Ko van den Bosch.