Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

In the mid-80s, Austrian author Thomas Bernhard wrote a trilogy about the arts. Twelve years after performing the theatre monologue Oude Meesters (Old Masters), based on the second part of Bernhard’s trilogy, Damiaan De Schrijver thought the time was ripe for a new monologue. Together with Jolente De Keersmaeker he adapted Brandhout. Een irritatie (Cutting Timber. An Irritation). This final part of the trilogy was immediately banned in Austria because of Bernhards sharp criticism on the country. In revenge, the author’s last will and testament prohibited his plays from being performed in his home country until 2038. Luckily, STAN is Belgian and does not have to take this into account.