“how can you be a missing person, when officially you’re not even here?”
Three actors, twenty-eight characters, one true story.
It’s 2015 on the coast of Norway. A retired architect finds a wetsuit, and in it, the remains of a body. The detective unit hits one dead end after another – until another body in an identical wetsuit washes up in the Netherlands.
Starting as a Nordic noir, The Wetsuitman playfully and movingly transforms into an exploration of identity, prejudice and forced migration. As one journalist digs deeper into the story behind the Wetsuitman, it becomes an interrogation of the world in which he was washed up and exactly how that could happen.
This timely and important play by award-winning Belgian playwright Freek Mariën takes us on a journey from Norway, through Europe, and to Syria, revealing the devastating truth behind one family’s loss.
‘With this play, Mariën has created a monument to the nameless people of our world and their stories, which, even now, far too often go unheard.’ – Kaas & Kappes prize jury
Presented by arrangement with IPR Ltd, London. Made possible with support from Arts Council England, Flanders Ministry of Culture, Flanders Literature (translation), the Diplomatic Representation of Flanders, the Royal Victoria Hall Foundation and Mill Co. and Rose Lipman Building.
Content Warnings: contains use of strong language, discussion of violent crimes, including description of a dead body and a rape case, themes of and references to forced migration, themes and description of discrimination of migrants and refugees, infrequent references to racism, infrequent references to violence, description of wartime sexual violence, discussion of bereavement and grief.
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Here is an interview with the co-artistic directors at Foreign Affairs, Camila França and Trine Garrett speak with Nilgin Yusuf, Senior Reviewer at London Pub Theatre Magazine.
★★★★★ “Innovative and memorable theatre” – London Pub Theatres
