Tom Lanoye
Encyclopedia
Tom Lanoye [lan-WA] is a Belgian
novelist and poet
who works in Antwerp (Belgium) and Cape Town
(South Africa
). He gained widespread popularity in the early 1980s as part of the new generation of young Flemish novelists that included Herman Brusselmans
and Kristien Hemmerechts
. He is one of the most versatile and lauded authors of his generation, including outside the Dutch language area.
Lanoye was born in Sint-Niklaas
. From 1981 he was part of a duo together with James Bordello, who called themselves ‘the Two Last Great Poetic Talents From Just Before The Third World War'. They published their own booklets, and within a year they had progressed from unannounced performances in student bars in Ghent to an appearance at the ‘Night of Poetry’ in Utrecht. Lanoye also wrote polemical pieces for journals such as 'De Zwijger', 'Propria Cures' and 'Humo'.
In 1985 Lanoye’s prose debut was published, a collection of stories under the title Een slagerszoon met een brilletje (‘A butcher's son with glasses'). A guest appearance in the same year on the Sonja Barend television chat show brought the breakthrough among the public at large. Following the success of Ten Oorlog! (‘War of the Roses’), his epic – twelve hour-long – adaptation of eight plays by William Shakespeare
, he also became one of the most in-demand writers of contemporary drama in Germany
. His work has been published or performed in more than ten languages. Other highlights from his oeuvre include the melancholy novel Kartonnen dozen ('Cardboard boxes'), as well as Het Goddelijke Monster (‘The divine monster’), which together with Zwarte tranen ('Black tears') and Boze tongen (‘Angry tongues’) forms the ultimate trilogy on the disintegrating heart of Europe that is Belgium. This trilogy will shortly be filmed by the Flemish state broadcaster 'één' as a ten-part TV series.
Lanoye has grown from an enfant terrible into "an established talent in all forms of texts and writing, for books, newspapers, magazines and other printed matter, as well as for plays, cabaret and performances of song, all in the widest variety of forms and in the broadest sense of the word" (adapted quote from the articles of association of the public company limited by shares L.A.N.O.Y.E., incorporated in 1992).
In 2005 Lanoye was voted number 84 in the Flemish version of 'The Greatest Belgian' ('De Grootste Belg').
Then there is the bestseller The third marriage (Het derde huwelijk), the internationally staged plays La Forteresse Europe, Mamma Medea (a free adaptation of Euripides), Mefisto for Ever (adapting Klaus Mann’s novel Mephisto) and Atropa. The Vengeance of Peace (Atropa. De wraak van de vrede) (a free adaptation of Euripides
, Aischylos which also incorporates speeches by President of the United States George W. Bush
, Donald Rumsfeld
and Curzio Malaparte
). The two latter works mark the first and third parts of The Tryptichon of Power (De triptiek van de macht) from director Guy Cassiers. Both productions were invited to the Festival d’Avignon, where they were among the main attractions.
In 2007 he was nominated for the De Gouden Uil award and the Libris Literatuur Prijs literature prize for his novel The third marriage (Het derde huwelijk). In the same year he won the Gouden Ganzenveer
prize in the Netherlands for his oeuvre.
His long-awaited novel Speechless (Sprakeloos) was published at the end of 2009. It deals with the death of his mother - an amateur actress who loses the power of speech following a stroke. Speechless can be read as an unexpected sequel, with a gap of 18 years, to the equally autobiographical Cardboard boxes (Kartonnen dozen). The novel has received a great deal of praise.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
novelist and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who works in Antwerp (Belgium) and Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
(South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
). He gained widespread popularity in the early 1980s as part of the new generation of young Flemish novelists that included Herman Brusselmans
Herman Brusselmans
Herman Frans Martha Brusselmans is a Flemish novelist, poet, playwright and columnist. He lives in Ghent.Herman Brusselmans studied Dutch and English at the University of Ghent. In his early twenties he was a successful football player. He played for Vigor Hamme and SK Lokeren. He now has his own...
and Kristien Hemmerechts
Kristien Hemmerechts
Kristien Hemmerechts is a Belgian writer.-Life:Kristien Hemmerechts studied Germanic philology at the Katholieke Universiteit Brussel and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven . Afterwards, she studied literary science in Amsterdam for a year. In Amsterdam she met her first husband—who was...
. He is one of the most versatile and lauded authors of his generation, including outside the Dutch language area.
Lanoye was born in Sint-Niklaas
Sint-Niklaas
Sint-Niklaas is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and Sinaai....
. From 1981 he was part of a duo together with James Bordello, who called themselves ‘the Two Last Great Poetic Talents From Just Before The Third World War'. They published their own booklets, and within a year they had progressed from unannounced performances in student bars in Ghent to an appearance at the ‘Night of Poetry’ in Utrecht. Lanoye also wrote polemical pieces for journals such as 'De Zwijger', 'Propria Cures' and 'Humo'.
In 1985 Lanoye’s prose debut was published, a collection of stories under the title Een slagerszoon met een brilletje (‘A butcher's son with glasses'). A guest appearance in the same year on the Sonja Barend television chat show brought the breakthrough among the public at large. Following the success of Ten Oorlog! (‘War of the Roses’), his epic – twelve hour-long – adaptation of eight plays by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, he also became one of the most in-demand writers of contemporary drama in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His work has been published or performed in more than ten languages. Other highlights from his oeuvre include the melancholy novel Kartonnen dozen ('Cardboard boxes'), as well as Het Goddelijke Monster (‘The divine monster’), which together with Zwarte tranen ('Black tears') and Boze tongen (‘Angry tongues’) forms the ultimate trilogy on the disintegrating heart of Europe that is Belgium. This trilogy will shortly be filmed by the Flemish state broadcaster 'één' as a ten-part TV series.
Lanoye has grown from an enfant terrible into "an established talent in all forms of texts and writing, for books, newspapers, magazines and other printed matter, as well as for plays, cabaret and performances of song, all in the widest variety of forms and in the broadest sense of the word" (adapted quote from the articles of association of the public company limited by shares L.A.N.O.Y.E., incorporated in 1992).
In 2005 Lanoye was voted number 84 in the Flemish version of 'The Greatest Belgian' ('De Grootste Belg').
Genres
There is hardly a genre in which he has not produced at least one important work, whether it be a novel, poetry, columns, essays, short stories or theatre. He is also well-known for the lively and theatrical way in which he 'performs' his own work, touring from the theatre to theatre with his 'literary shows', as if they were more theatrical monologues than readings.Then there is the bestseller The third marriage (Het derde huwelijk), the internationally staged plays La Forteresse Europe, Mamma Medea (a free adaptation of Euripides), Mefisto for Ever (adapting Klaus Mann’s novel Mephisto) and Atropa. The Vengeance of Peace (Atropa. De wraak van de vrede) (a free adaptation of Euripides
Euripides
Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
, Aischylos which also incorporates speeches by President of the United States George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
and Curzio Malaparte
Curzio Malaparte
Curzio Malaparte , born Kurt Erich Suckert, was an Italian journalist, dramatist, short-story writer, novelist and diplomat...
). The two latter works mark the first and third parts of The Tryptichon of Power (De triptiek van de macht) from director Guy Cassiers. Both productions were invited to the Festival d’Avignon, where they were among the main attractions.
In 2007 he was nominated for the De Gouden Uil award and the Libris Literatuur Prijs literature prize for his novel The third marriage (Het derde huwelijk). In the same year he won the Gouden Ganzenveer
Gouden Ganzenveer
The Gouden Ganzenveer is a Dutch cultural award initiated in 1955, given annually to a person or organization of great significance to the written and printed word. Recipients are selected by an academy of people from the cultural, political, scientific, and corporate world. Members meet once a...
prize in the Netherlands for his oeuvre.
His long-awaited novel Speechless (Sprakeloos) was published at the end of 2009. It deals with the death of his mother - an amateur actress who loses the power of speech following a stroke. Speechless can be read as an unexpected sequel, with a gap of 18 years, to the equally autobiographical Cardboard boxes (Kartonnen dozen). The novel has received a great deal of praise.