Remembrance Day

The international group of Theatre Association NEST presents:
Remembrance Day!

A play based on one of the most remarkable truces in history: the Christmas Truce.

Winter. 1914. Both sides of the war were promised they would be home before Christmas. As we now know, the war would continue on until 1918. But despite the orders from superiors, both sides laid down their weapons for Christmas. In some trenches, the truce would continue until New Years Day.

Actors from different countries made scenes for a play based on this amazing event. They researched how to salute, how different ranks would greet each other and how one would interact with an ‘enemy’. They wrote these scenes themselves. It also includes actual passages said and written by soldiers in the First World War.

The play takes place at undefined times, at an undefined location between undefined sides. This was done for two reasons. First, it respects the actual wars that were fought and does not attempt to re-enact actual events. The events only served as inspiration. Second and finally, in the First World War, women would stay at home or only be nurses, not soldiers. The directors made the decision to let go of the First World War so all the female players could also portray soldiers if they wished (they all did). 

In honour of the Remembrance of the Death (Dodenherdenking) they will perform this play, which will include the traditional two minutes of silence, the Taptoe and the Dutch national anthem on both days.