TravCast - Valentijn Dhaenens

Traverse Theatre

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Valentijn Dhaenens. After obtaining a Master’s Degree in Dramatic Arts at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, Valentijn co-founded his own theatre company, SKaGeN. From 2006, the company has been rewarded with structural subsidisation from the Flemish / Belgian Government for their work as one of the leading modern theatre groups in Belgium and Holland. Outside SKaGeN he has worked extensively as an actor in over 30 productions for Belgium’s major companies such as NT Gent, Kaaitheater Brussels and Ontroerend Goed. His international breakthrough came with his own written and directed solo-show BigMoutH that is touring extensively to major festivals and venues worldwide. A follow up called SmallWaR was presented at the Traverse Theatre as part of its Edinburgh Festival 2014 programme. Aside from his theatre work, Valentijn is a sought-after narrator for documentaries such as The boy is gone by Christophe Bohn. Occasionally he is a guest lecturer at Belgian and Dutch theatre schools. To a broader audience, Valentijn is best known for his acting in several TV shows and films, most notably for his lead-role in De helaasheid der dingen / The Misfortunates by Felix Van Groeningen which won numerous prizes worldwide such as the Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival 2009. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain