Belgian theatre duo Silke Huysmans and Hannes Dereere are known for their documentary theatre. Based on in-depth scientific research, they conduct interviews, fieldwork, audio and video recordings, which they transform into performances that blend theatre, film, journalism, and science, with music playing a central role in their storytelling. Their work engages with social, environmental, political, and economic concerns.

Between 2016 and 2022, they created a trilogy about mining that explores its many social, environmental, and economic impacts. The trilogy opens with Mining Stories (2016), in which Silke and Hannes revisit Silke’s Brazilian hometown, which was devastated by a dam collapse in 2015 that flooded the area with toxic mining waste. In Pleasant Island (2019), the second part of the trilogy, the story of the remote Pacific island of Nauru offers a reflection on the long-term consequences of exhaustive mining. In the final part of their trilogy, Out of the Blue (2022), Silke and Hannes look ahead to the future of mining by exploring the emerging industry of deep-sea mining.

The work of Silke and Hannes can be seen on various theatres and festivals across Europe and beyond. Their latest performance In Future Hands premiered in May 2026 at Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels.

< photo Clara Hermans

@ FIT

Pleasant Island
2020 Edition
29.09 – 11.10