De Surpriseshow

Raw, moving and razor-sharp solo about growing up in the AZC, lost dreams and the power of being seen.

As a girl in AZC Kollum, Nazanin wanted only one thing: to participate in Henny Huisman 's De Surpriseshow. Every day, she practised her playback skills in front of the mirror, convinced that Henny would call. But that call never came.

Now, with an acting degree and a flourishing career, she is on stage herself and asks the question what endless waiting does to a child. And what happens to the dreams of a girl who saw everything, but was never seen herself? Until now.

About Nazanin Taheri

Nazanin Taheri fled from Iran to the Netherlands as a child and grew up here in AZC Kollum. That experience is at the heart of her work as a theatre maker. She graduated from the Toneelschool Arnhem and then built a multifaceted career in theatre and television. On stage, she performed with Het Nationale Theater in such plays as Laagland (Erik de Vroedt) and De Oresteia (Theu Boermans) and in productions by De Toneelmakerij and Theatergroep Suburbia. On TV, she appeared in Bennie (Videoland), De Ballonvaarder (Disney+) and in the series Rust en Vreugd (Omroep Max).

In 2015, she founded Theatre Group IND - In Nederland Dromen - with which she makes theatre with young people from asylum seekers' centres. The Surpriseshow is her first solo performance.

Credits

Text, concept and acting: Nazanin Taheri
Direction: Esther Scheldwacht
Lighting design: Julian Maiwald
Set design: Maze de Boer
Co-production: Via Rudolphi Productions, TOBAL
Jeroen Duijvendak - techniek@viarudolphi.nl