ABOUT MENEER MONSTER
Meneer Monster is a theatre company based in Utrecht that creates raw, visual and physical total theatre for the whole family. Our productions are defined by playful performance, physical slapstick, imaginative worlds and direct contact with the audience. We deliberately seek out the edges and step outside the lines whenever it strengthens the theatrical impact.
From Utrecht we develop theatre for young audiences that speaks equally to children and adults. Our signature lies in translating international (children’s) literature and visual stories into energetic, physical and playful stage productions.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
With The 13-Storey Treehouse, Meneer Monster won both the Zapp Theatre Award and the VSCD Silver Cricket in 2018.
INTERNATIONAL
Meneer Monster has performed its productions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, South Africa, China and Taiwan, reaching a broad international family audience.
Get in contact with us for more information or bookings via bloem@meneermonster.com
Available for international touring are: Lucky Luuk, The Big 5, and The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business
LUCKY LUUK
A spectacular homemade Western show
The Dutch theatre company ‘Meneer Monster‘ is hitting the stage with an explosive family show, loosely inspired by the well-known comic book series Lucky Luke. A ‘low land’ Western as an ode to daydreaming and the rich imagination of playing children.
In LUCKY LUUK Meneer Monster slowly disappears into the Wild West. Starting from a magical miniature world, three boys make their way through their own imagination. Like three lowland cowboys who want to feel big and tough. But they soon run into their own shadow and run wild in fright.
LUCKY LUUK is a physical and visual performance framed by polyphonic Western music. Due to its universal theme of children playing and the lesser importance of words versus movement and visuals, Lucky Luuk is an ideal show for the international stage.
LUCKY LUUK is available for international
touring. Get in contact with us for more information
or bookings via kantoor@meneermonster.com
"Ge-ni-us!"
Sonja de Jong – Noord-Hollands Dagblad
"Great theatre for all ages, young and old."
Het Parool
"An absolute gem!"
Luuk Verpaalen – Theaterkrant
THE BIG 5
A hilarious spectacle with rousing beats and extravagant costumes.
Meneer Monster is bringing the biggest animals of Africa on stage! In THE BIG FIVE Meneer Monster performs big and exciting for the smallest children.
The show starts at the blistering heat of an African desert and slowly evolves into an exciting parade where costumes are the main character of the show.
A theatre show with rousing beats, where we celebrate the full colours of nature and humankind. About diversity, standing out but also blending in and camouflage. The show explores the tension between being and showing yourself and hiding and belonging to a group.
THE BIG FIVE is performed in a catwalk configuration. The audience on both sides of the runway. The performers coming through middle. This way the audience is very close to the performance in order to create a immersive experience. But no worries, everybody is behind a strong cord, because we expect THE BIG FIVE on stage.
THE BIG 5 is available for international
touring.
Get in contact with us for more information
or bookings via kantoor@meneermonster.com
A theatrical wildlife park where your eyes will never get enough. (...) Rarely will these animals have made a bigger impression on the little visitors than with 'De Grote 5'."
"An impressive feat that the designers of the musical 'The Lion King' would admire."
Patrick van den Hanenberg – THEATERKRANT
"A magical ride"
Lorianne van Gelder – HET PAROOL
SUBSIDIES
Meneer Monster receives structural support from the Municipality of Utrecht.
In addition, the company was part of the Dutch Performing Arts Fund’s Multi-year Production Subsidy scheme from 2021 to 2024.
PRODUCTIONS
2013 – The Gruffalo
2015 – Fantastic Mr Fox
2016 – The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business
2017 – The 13-Storey Treehouse
2019 – Rovers
2021 – The 52-Storey Treehouse
2022 – Lucky Luke
2023 – The Big Five
2025 – Speelgoed (Toys)
2026 – The 78-Storey Treehouse
PROFILE
Olaf van de Ven and Christiaan Bloem have been making theatre together since 2010. In 2013 they founded Meneer Monster. Through the company they create idiosyncratic stage adaptations of international children’s bestsellers, which quickly gained national and international recognition. Their work is characterised by physical visual comedy, accessibility and a powerful imagination that invites both children and adults to think along, laugh and be amazed.