The Years
Based on the book by Annie Ernaux

"All images will fade. Death erases everything in a second, and we must save something from the moments that will never return.”

How majestic can the life of an “ordinary woman” be? The Years—the acclaimed book by 2022 Nobel Prize for Literature winner Annie Ernaux—is a narrative tour de force where female experience and collective adventure find a perfect common ground. How fitting, then, that the talented director and newly appointed artistic director of the prestigious Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Eline Arbo, introduces herself to the Greek audience with an insightful theatrical adaptation of the book, featuring an all-female cast.

In The Years, five actresses collectively narrate the life of one woman against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. Growing up amidst the debris of the Second World War, the protagonist breaks free from her middle-class upbringing and, through writing, develops a keen political and social awareness. Using photographs, songs and news reports that activate memory, the work traces her path to emancipation, illustrating how female identity is interweaved with sexuality, class background, and personal aspirations. A woman's personal history thus transforms into a biography of post-war Western Europe. “A dazzling history of a time and of a life," as crowned by De Standaard der Letteren, Ernaux’s book became a dream source material for Arbo’s stage adaptation, and it was precisely this dreamlike quality that informed her dramaturgical approach to the work. Further, the book mirrors two recurring elements in her directorial vision: on the one hand, the “sociological” view—evident in the adaptation of Édouard Louis’ The End of Eddy (2020)—and on the other hand, the powerful female presence on stage, as showcased in her recent productions such as the theatrical adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway into The Hours (2021), Heinrich von Kleist’s Penthesilea (2023) and The Laws (2024), the adaptation of Connie Palmen’s debut novel. “When I read ‘The Years’ I knew immediately: this book was written for me. Annie Ernaux's style is so striking and universal that all those memories resonate with me. Her images evoke a sense of nostalgia but at the same time shame and anger,” Arbo confesses. This connection is powerfully reflected in her direction. Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant praises the production, noting, "Thanks to the fantastic acting and the musical performances, the hours – and at the same time the years – fly by.” Meanwhile, Telegraaf observes, "Arbo, in this magnificent production, showcases how epic an entirely ordinary woman's life can be." Theaterkrant adds, “Arbo once again proves herself to be the finest ensemble director in the Netherlands, and her production of The Years is one of the best performances of the year." One more reason to discover this gem in Greece.