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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

'Babel' is Classic Kommil Foo, Seeking Balance Between Humor and Emotion

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Belgian comedy duo Kommil Foo is premiering their new show, 'Babel,' which explores themes of love, death, and existentialism.
  • The brothers, Raf and Mich Walschaerts, have been performing together for nearly 40 years and are incorporating a video wall into their act for the first time.
  • They describe the show as a classic Kommil Foo performance, featuring their signature blend of humor and emotion, with extensive preparation including audience feedback sessions.

Belgian comedy duo Kommil Foo, comprised of brothers Raf and Mich Walschaerts, are set to premiere their latest show, 'Babel,' at Antwerp's Arenbergschouwburg. After nearly four decades on stage, the brothers describe the performance as a classic Kommil Foo production, featuring their distinct vocal harmonies, violin, piano, and guitar, but with new visual elements, including their first use of a video wall.

It's a classic Kommil Foo again: the two of us, our voices, violin, piano, guitar. With a few visual new things and for the first time, we're working with a video wall.

— Raf WalschaertsDescribing the new show 'Babel' and its production elements.

'Babel' delves into profound themes of love, death, and existential questions, aiming to strike the familiar Kommil Foo balance between humor and touching emotion. The brothers emphasize their deep understanding of each other after years of collaboration, which allows for a seamless performance. "If you've been on stage together for almost 40 years, you have no secrets from each other, you know each other inside out," Raf Walschaerts remarked.

If you've been on stage together for almost 40 years, you have no secrets from each other, you know each other inside out.

— Raf WalschaertsReflecting on the long-standing collaboration between the brothers.

Preparations for 'Babel' have been rigorous, involving five months of intensive work. This included approximately 15 preview performances for small audiences at the Arca Theater in Ghent, where the brothers used audience reactions to refine the material. "We know what we are good at, but also what we should not attempt," Mich Walschaerts stated about their approach after so many years. They have been rehearsing extensively, with the show's structure largely finalized, allowing them to approach the premiere with confidence.

We know what we are good at, but also what we should not attempt.

— Mich WalschaertsDiscussing their performance approach after nearly 40 years together.

The duo notes differences in audience reception between the Netherlands and Flanders, with Dutch audiences often laughing more readily. "Dutch people are more generous with laughter; in Flanders, it's always a bit more work," Raf Walschaerts observed. Despite this, they feel confident in their loyal Flemish following and believe the show will resonate. They humorously suggest that their best performances often occur around the 100th show, implying that even the premiere is a step in an ongoing refinement process.

Dutch people are more generous with laughter; in Flanders, it's always a bit more work.

— Raf WalschaertsComparing audience reactions in the Netherlands and Flanders.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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