''Soldier of Orange'' (

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

: ''Soldaat van Oranje'') is a Dutch musical production, based on the true story of resistance hero

Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema Siebren Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (3 April 1917 – 26 September 2007) was a Dutch writer who became a resistance fighter and RAF pilot during the Second World War. Near the end of the war he was adjudant (assistant) to Queen Wilhelmina. He was ...

. In the 1970s, he wrote his experiences during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

down in a book and director

Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch director, producer and screenwriter, active in the Netherlands, France and the United States. His blending of graphic violence and sexual content with social satire is a trademark of both his dram ...

made it into a 1977 film, starring actor

Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. Hauer's career began in 1969 with the title role in the Dutch television series ' ...

. The musical premiered on 30 October 2010, in a theatre that was purpose-built for the production: the TheaterHangaar on the former Valkenburg air base in

Katwijk Katwijk (), also spelled Katwyk, is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland, which is situated in the mid-western part of the Netherlands. The Oude Rijn ("Old Rhine") river flows through the town and into the North Se ...

(in an old

hangar A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...

). Queen

Beatrix Beatrix is a Latin feminine given name, most likely derived from ''Viatrix'', a feminine form of the Late Latin name ''Viator'' which meant "voyager, traveller" and later influenced in spelling by association with the Latin word ''beatus'' or "bles ...

attended the premiere together with Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema's widow, Karin. ''Soldier of Orange'' is produced by NEW Productions, which is a subsidiary of investment company Amerborgh Nederland. In the autumn of 2020, an English version of ''Soldier of Orange'' was set to premier in a newly build ''Royal Docks Theatre'' near

London City Airport London City Airport is a regional airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the Borough of Newham, approximately east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the twin centres of London's financial ...

but the plans were postponed in March 2020 when the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

started.

Plot

Student Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema and his friends are carefree, until the Germans invade the Netherlands in the early days of May 1940. The war changes everything. They can no longer take friendship and love for granted. Everybody has to make choices. Fight for the country and for freedom? Focus on studying and deny what's going on? Or join the enemy? The book of Hazelhoff Roelfzema, with the title Cave of the Rattlesnake (Dutch: Het hol van de ratelslang), was published in 1970. It reappeared a year later under the title Soldier of Orange. Paul Verhoeven created a film version in 1977. Rutger Hauer played the character Erik Lanshoff, based on the resistance hero. Soldier of Orange – The Musical brings the true story to the theatre. After World War II starts, Erik decides to flee to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. He smuggles transmitting equipment to the Netherlands and, as a pilot, is involved in bombing Germany. He becomes adjutant for Queen Wilhelmina and receives the

Military William Order The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William (Dutch: , abbreviation: MWO), is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Oran ...

('Militaire Willems-Orde'), the highest royal honour in the Netherlands, for his contribution to the resistance movement.

Background

Producer Fred Boot obtained the rights to turn the story into a musical in 2005, after meeting Hazelhoff Roelfzema the year before. Scriptwriter Edwin de Vries wrote the musical script. American duo Tom Harriman and Pamela Philips Oland was responsible for composition and lyrics. Dutch actor and composer Frans van Deursen translated the lyrics from English into Dutch. In 2008, Boot asked theatre producer Robin de Levita to join him. Director Theu Boermans joined the team in 2009.

Location

The show takes place in a former flight hangar, that is converted into a theatre. The location of the so-called TheaterHangaar is former military airport Valkenburg between Wassenaar, Katwijk en Leiden, a suitable, historical place. A foyer with a bar and restaurant is placed in front of the hangar.

SceneAround

Producer Robin de Levita invented a new theatrical performance solution for Soldier of Orange – The Musical: a rotating auditorium in the center of a venue with 1100 seats. He named it SceneAround. The auditorium is placed on a turntable. The audience rotates from scenery to scenery, accompanied by 180 degree projections on panel screens around the auditorium. Both the auditorium and the screens are motorized and automated. The set is built around the auditorium. Almost every scenery has its own set. There is even a ‘sea’ and the runway of the airport is also part of the set.

Dakota

Queen Wilhelmina returned to the Netherlands with a Dakota. The Dakota C-47 was made available for the musical by a Dutch museum and was taken to Valkenburg in August 2010. Shortly after midnight, the plane got stuck in an overpass. It was too damaged to have it repaired on time for the premiere. The Dakota PH-ALR ‘Reiger’ from 1939 that's being used in the production now, was delivered on 23 September 2010.

Cast

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Part !! Cast 2010/2011 !! Cast 2011/2012
till 14 February 2012 !! Cast 2012
from 14 February 2012 , - ,

, , Matteo van der Grijn , , Julian Looman , , Dragan Bakema , - ,

Queen Wilhelmina Wilhelmina (; Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria; 31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World Wa ...

, ,

Catherine ten Bruggencate Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Christ ...

, Anke van 't Hof , , Anne-Wil Blankers,
Sylvia Poorta,
Truus te Selle, Petra Laseur , ,

Marisa van Eyle Marisa may refer to: * Marisa (town), an Indonesian town * Marisa, Hellenised name of Maresha, town in Idumea (today in Israel) * Marisa (given name), a feminine personal name * ''Marisa'' (gastropod), a genus of apple snails * MV ''Marisa'' (193 ...

Trudy de Jong Trudy is a diminutive of Gertrude. Notable people with the name include: People * Trudy Adams (born 1964), American actress * Trudy Anderson (born 1959), New Zealand cricketer * Trudy Bellinger, British music video director * Trudy Benson ( ...

, - , François van 't Sant , , Nico de Vries
Bart de Vries (from January 2011) , , Bart de Vries

Edwin de Vries The name Edwin means "rich friend". It comes from the Old English elements "ead" (rich, blessed) and "ƿine" (friend). The original Anglo-Saxon form is Eadƿine, which is also found for Anglo-Saxon figures. People * Edwin of Northumbria (died ...

(alternate) , , Bart de Vries

(alternate) , - , Tessa , , Margreet Boersbroek , , Melissa Drost , , Melissa Drost , - , Chris , , Boy Ooteman , , Boy Ooteman , , Thijs Steenkamp , - , Charlotte , ,

Loes Haverkort Loes Haverkort (born 1981) is a Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States ...

Marlijn Weerdenburg (from January 2011) , , Linde van den Heuvel , , Linde van den Heuvel , - , Ada , , Anne Lamsvelt , , Christine de Boer , , Christine de Boer , - , Anton , ,

Oren Schrijver Oren ( he, אורן) is a masculine given name, meaning 'pine' or 'ash' in Hebrew. In the Book of Chronicles, Oren is one of the sons of Jerahmeel, the first-born of Hezron, along with Ram, Bunah, Ozem and Ahijah. Oren, as a given name or surna ...

, , Reinier Demeijer , ,

Robbert van den Bergh Robbert is a Dutch language, Dutch form of the masculine given name Robert. People with the name include: * Rob Agerbeek, Robbert A.J. Agerbeek (born 1937), Indo Dutch boogie-woogie and jazz pianist * Robbert Andringa (born 1990), Dutch volleyball ...

, - , Bram , , Jorrit Ruijs , , Reinier Schimmel , , Rutger Bulsing , - , Fred , , Tijn Docter , , Xander van Vledder , , Harpert Michielsen , - , Victor , , Ad-Just Bouwman , , Ad-Just Bouwman , , Raymond Paardekooper , - , Paul , , Kes Blans , , Kes Blans , , Joey Schalker

References

* http://www.avinteractive.co.uk/features/29801/case-study-dutch-masters * http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-14115345/A-wheel-musical-treat-Dutch.html * http://wingsofliberation.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=244&lang=en * http://fohonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5019&Itemid=1 * https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2010/11/01/koninklijke-premiere-soldaat-van-oranje

External links

Official website
Theatre in the Netherlands Dutch musicals 2010 musicals Plays set in the Netherlands Musicals based on films Musicals based on novels Musicals about World War II Plays set in the 1930s Plays set in the 1940s Cultural depictions of spies Cultural depictions of soldiers Cultural depictions of Dutch men Cultural depictions of Wilhelmina of the Netherlands