Amsterdam, 17th century. A refugee community, three children, one family — and ideas that cannot be thought without consequence.
Spinoza is a bold and moving musical by NITE and Club Guy & Roni, in collaboration with HIIIT and Het Muziek. The story follows a brother and two sisters – Bento, Rebecca, and Miriam – growing up in the Portuguese-Jewish refugee community of 17th-century Amsterdam.
Shaped by exile, love, and loss, each chooses a different path. Bento dares to radically question God and tradition; Rebecca seeks safety within the community; Miriam dreams of a freedom beyond the roles imposed upon her.
Through explosive debates, tender family moments, and powerful songs, the musical traces their struggles with faith, philosophy, and forbidden love. Against a backdrop of plague, war, and Spinoza’s groundbreaking ideas, the three are slowly pulled further apart — yet never fully separated. Their bond is tested to its limits in scenes filled with grief, passion, and resistance.
Spinoza is a deeply human story about love, conviction, and the courage to think differently. It shows that a society cannot exist with only one voice. We need those who dare to question everything. We need those who root us in history and tradition. And we need the bridge-builders — those who remain between extremes, who connect where others break.
Only together do we remain human.
Only together do we remain free.
Credits
Direction: Guy Weizman | choreography: Roni Haver | text: Rik van den Bos, Marieke van Veen, Lev Avitan | cast: Adam Kissequel, Adam Peterson, Bien De Moor, Camilo Chapela, Jésula Toussaint Visser, Joes Brauers, Karima El Fillali, Malou Gorter, Nimuë Walraven, Olaf Ait Tami, Sarah Janneh | musicians: Niels Meliefste (percussion), Noa Eyl (violin), Mutasim Hassan (ney, ud), Giordano Mor (trombone), Zofia Sofinka Imiela (keys, vocal coach), Angelos Ursini (clarinet/saxophone) | music: David Dramm, Pink Oculus | lyrics: Guy Weizman | set design: Ascon de Nijs | costumes: Benji Nijenhuis | lighting design: Maarten van Rossem | sound design: Peter Zwart, Sander van der Werff | dramaturgy: Friederike Schubert | musical dramaturgy: David Dramm | assistant director: Ludy Golstein
