Frank Kellendonk's Mystiek Lichaam at Toneelschuur Producties: a suffocating family as a mirror of our time

Director Koen Verheijden has brought Frans Kellendonk’s 1986 novel Mystiek lichaam to the stage in a new production by Toneelschuur Producties. The play centers on the Gijselhart family, an emotionally stunted and exclusionary unit defined by greed, jealousy, and mutual hatred. The characters, portrayed in recurring shades of green to symbolize their toxic dynamics, struggle with their personal desires and internal prejudices. The father, A.W. Gijselhart, is a reclusive miser, while his daughter Magda searches for affection and his son Leendert battles self-loathing and illness after returning from New York.

The production serves as a modern reflection of societal issues, such as intolerance and the fear of outsiders, mirroring contemporary tensions. Despite moments of vulnerability, the characters remain largely trapped in their own cycle of bitterness. The staging uses heavy symbolism and coded language, which creates a degree of emotional distance for the audience. Ultimately, the story follows Magda’s attempt to escape the stifling environment of her childhood home, questioning whether the world outside offers a more compassionate alternative.