They have done it again. The National Theatre (HNT) has won the Delftse Kijker 2026 with the stunning production ‘Phaedra in Flames’. The theatre audience award from theatre DE VESTE was presented on Sunday afternoon during the presentation of the new 26|27 theatre season. With this fourth victory in the past nine editions, HNT officially crowns itself the emperor of the Delftse Kijker. 

Under the inspiring direction of Ola Mafaalani, the company presented a raw, contemporary reinterpretation of classical Greek tragedy. The Delft audience was blown away en masse by the intensity. Enthusiastic audience reactions showed that the performance “grabbed you straight by the throat” and “doesn’t let go.” 

Visitor speaks
Visitors praised the extraordinarily powerful performances of lead actresses Malou Gorter and Yela de Koning. Add to that the rock-solid live music by the New European Ensemble and a daring set design (including an aquarium), and you have a total visual and musical experience that left a deep impression. One visitor summed it up aptly: “Acting, music, costumes, and technical aspects: everything merged into a masterful whole that forces you to reflect on our current society. This was absolute top class.”

The National Theatre audience favorite
The Hague-based company is historically successful in Delft: in recent seasons, they have managed to snatch the audience award no fewer than four times. De Delftse Kijker previously joined them on tour for the hit productions ‘The Nation’ (17|18), the epic ‘Trojan Wars’ (21|22), and last season for the hit show ‘De Jaren’ (24|25). An unprecedented achievement with which HNT definitively seals its status as the audience favorite in Delft, alongside companies such as Orkater, Theater Utrecht, and Jakop Ahlbom Company.

Theater DE VESTE congratulates director Ola Mafaalani, the cast, the musicians, and all behind-the-scenes crew members on this audience award!

https://www.theaterdeveste.nl/de-delftse-kijker-5pnz