Jules van Iperen
An unforgettable morning with Meester Kikker (Mr Frog)
One by one, classes from various schools across the municipality of Tilburg take their seats. The performance of Meester Kikker (Mr Frog) is staged twice on Monday 22 September. In total, nearly 1,000 primary school children will sit in the red velvet seats of the Schouwburg that day. For most of them, it’s their very first theatre experience – made possible in part thanks to the support of our Ambassadors.
The children’s excitement is palpable. They jump, squeal, wave and clap. The foyer is buzzing with energy. Meanwhile, the theatre staff and teachers are busy guiding the classes to their seats. “Year Five!” a teacher calls. The pupils bounce after him cheerfully. Once everyone is seated, the lights dim — Meester Kikker (Mr Frog) is about to begin. “Ssshhh,” can be heard from different corners of the venue.
The teacher’s secret
Mr Frog has a secret. As the name suggests, he occasionally turns into a frog! During Sita’s presentation, this happens for the very first time. Everyone in the auditorium is on the edge of their seat, watching intently. When the transformation takes place, shrieks echo through the audience. “Will you promise not to tell anyone my secret?” the teacher asks. “Yessss!!” the children shout at the top of their lungs.
According to Paul van Loon, everyone carries a hidden creature within them. This idea is emphasised in one of the songs. Mr Frans, headteacher Stork and Miss Suzanne sing:
“As long as no one sees it, it doesn’t exist. I’d love to shout it from the rooftops, but I won’t. I can’t bring myself to.”
When the inner creature reveals itself, the stage suddenly shifts from blue to red, and a tearing, aggressive sound amplifies the fear of showing a piece of your true self. The scene leaves quite an impression — one boy even shoots up from his seat, followed by loud applause.
A special plan
After a gripping finale, the performance comes to an end. The foyer still buzzes with the children’s excitement: “It was so much fun!” and “I thought it was exciting and funny!” echoes all around. With flushed cheeks and heads full of stories, the children climb back onto the bus. For many of them, this was their very first theatre experience — a magical moment they won’t soon forget.
Written by Stephanie Seitz