Thomas Ryckewaert

Before completing his acting course at the Herman Teirlinck Institute in 2006, Thomas Ryckewaert had studied biology and philosophy. This background in science now provides him with material for his stage productions. He approaches his work like a researcher and moulds his findings into expressive, almost film-like theatre. He is now presenting 'Golem', the result of a three-week residence in our Theatre Studio.

According to old Jewish legend, the golem is a creature that a scholar shaped out of dust or clay and brought to life by ritual invocations. The relationship of the golem to its human creator is that of a helper or protector. But the experiment goes awry: the golem turns against its creator. Thomas Ryckewaert took inspiration from this myth to tell a story of ambition, creativity, power, creation, madness and destruction.

The main topic of Ryckewaert's 'Golem' is the desire to create, and the accompanying fear of creating something that will surpass us. These are themes that have occupied mankind for centuries, from the Bible, through Frankenstein, to today's artificial intelligence.