Tom Lanoye
(Belgium, 1958) writes novels, poetry, scenarios, columns and plays. The twelve-hour stage marathon Ten Oorlog (1997), his adaptation in verse of eight plays by Shakespeare, won him international acclaim. He lives and works in Cape Town and Antwerp, where he was the city's poet from 2003-2005. In 1985 he made his debut with Een slagerszoon met een brilletje, which was his instant breakthrough in a Sonja Barend tv show. In 2009 Sprakeloos appeared, about the death of his mother, who lost her capacity to speak owing to a stroke. With his theatre adaptation of this book he performed in Carre in 2012 during the National Book Week. In that year he wrote the national book week present: Heldere Hemel. His latest novel Gelukkige slaven is again typically Lanoye: an ink black tragicomedy with unforgettable characters and dialogues, an ingenious plot and a virtuoso style. At the festival in 2014 Tom Lanoye is recipient of the Constantijn Huygens Prize for his entire oeuvre.
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Archive available for: Tom Lanoye
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Tom Lanoye introduces South-African writer Marianne Thamm - Hitler, Verwoerd, Mandela and me
With: Marianne Thamm, Tom Lanoye
South-African writer, journalist and occasional comedian Marianne Thamm grew up in the heydays of Apartheid, amid Afrikaans neighbours in Pretoria's less salubrious suburbs. Today, she is an outspoken feminist icon and proud mother of two teenagers.
In her book she recounts her unconventional life story with great honesty and humour. Her German father who fought for Hitler and married her Portuguese mother in England, where she was working as a cleaner. Told in her inimitable, frank and funny voice, Marianne's memoirs offers a poignant, often hilarious account of her complex relationship with her parents, her father in particular, and the ever-present ghosts of history. Only after she adopted two black orphan girls, her father distanced himself from his Nazi sympathies.
Marianne's story of belonging, love and loss, set against the backdrops of Nazi Germany, Apartheid, and a free South Africa, is deeply affecting, and filled with wisdom and hope.
Marianne Thamm was interviewed by the renowned Flemish writer Tom Lanoye, who lives in South-Africa most of the year. In his introduction to the Dutch translation De ondraaglijke blankheid van het bestaan, he wrote: 'Nobody but a fantasist could have made up a crazy story like this'.B-Unlimited Friday 20th April
Tom Lanoye introduces South-African writer Marianne Thamm
20.30-22.00 hrs
English spoken
Program compiled by Ilonka Reintjens (Writers Unlimited)
Book sales: Van Stockum Boekverkopers
Centrale Bibliotheek, Studio B, Spui 68, Den Haag -
Writers Fest 2014
With: Aad Meinderts, Alfred Schaffer, Antjie Krog, Bettine Vriesekoop, Elsbeth Etty, Francis Broekhuijsen, Geert Mak, Huub van der Lubbe, Jaap Goedegebuure, Jan Paul Schutten, Marjolein de Jong, Micha Hamel, Oek de Jong, Ronald Snijders, Tijs Goldschmidt, Tiziano Perez, Tom Lanoye
The Writers' Fest is the festive conclusion of the festival with a programme full of writers and other guests. The line-up consists of among others the Dutch poet Alfred Schaffer, Geert Mak, the South African poet Antjie Krog, Tom Lanoye, literary critic Elsbeth Etty, flute player Ronald Snijders and singer/poet Huub van der Lubbe.
The Writers' Fest includes the award winning ceremony of the Jan Campert Prizes, the literary prizes of the City of The Hague, with the presentation of the Constantijn Huygens Oeuvre Prize. The winner is Tom Lanoye. The South African writer Antjie Krog will do a eulogy on him and we'll hear Lanoye's words of thanks.
The F. Bordewijk Prize goes to Pier en Oceaan (Jetty and Ocean) by Oek de Jong. The novel will be praised by Jaap Goedegebuure. Composer and poet Micha Hamel is recipient of the Jan Campert Prize for his book of poetry Bewegend doel (Moving Target). Bettine Vriesekoop will recommend the book to us. The Nynke van Hichtum Prize for children's literature goes to Het raadsel van alles wat leeft (The Riddle of Everything Alive) by Jan Paul Schutten. Writer and biologist Tijs Goldschmidt will sing the praise of that book.
A programme in co-operation with the Dutch Foundation for Literature and the Jan Campert Foundation. The earlier announced performance of Anne Vegter has been cancelled for health reasons.
In Dutch.
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Tom Lanoye reads Tom Lanoye
"Tom Lanoye has given literature in Dutch a breathtaking oeuvre, in which language whirls and flows and the world does not have a moment of rest", remarks the jury of the 2013 Constantijn Huygens Prize. Before accepting this prestigious prize at the Writers' Fest on Sunday afternoon he treats us to a chance programme in which the master himself reads from his work. In Dutch.
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Antjie Krog Sestig
With: Ad Zuiderent, Adriaan van Dis, Anne Vegter, Antjie Krog, Anton Korteweg, Bas Kwakman, Christine Otten, Hester Knibbe, Ineke Holzhaus, Jan Baeke, Jan Klug, Jan van der Haar, K. Michel, Liesbeth Lagemaat, Mark Boog, Peter Swanborn, Raj Mohan, Rob Schouten, Robert Dorsman, Rodaan Al Galidi, Tom Lanoye, Tsead Bruinja
Dutch poets honoured the South-African poet and writer Antjie Krog. She celebrated her 60th birthday in The Hague. A festive evening, where Antjie Krog presented the audience her favourite poems in Afrikaans. Writers Adriaan van Dis interviewed her on the position of the Afrikaans poet in South-Afrika. Numerous Dutch poets read their poems for Antjie.
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South-African Winternight
With: Aad Nuis, Adriaan van Dis, Carl Niehaus, Emma Huismans, Etienne van Heerden, Henk van Woerden, Lesego Rampolokeng, Louis Maholo and Friends, Michaël Zeeman, Peter Snyders, Robert Dorsman, Sandile Dikene, Soli Philander, Thula Sizwe, Tom Lanoye, Tribal Countdown, Vernon February
An evening with writers from South-Africa and The Netherlands. They read from their work and were introduced by Aad Nuis. They were interviewed by Michaël Zeeman and Robert Dorsman.
In het musical programme there were performances by (among others) Tribal Countdown, Louis Maholo, Seon Birgin, Frankie Douglas and Ernst Glerum. The popular South-African Soli Philander did his stand-up-comedy peformance.
The films shown were the documentary 'Mandela, Son of Africa, Father of a Nation' by Jo Menell, nominated in 1997 for the Oscar in the category 'best documentary'. And 'Breaker Morant' , the moving drama by director Bruce Beresford on the Boer War, followed by some shorter movies on South-Africa from the beginning of the 20th century.
