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A Fine Mess

A Knock-Out Action Comedy
Dates
5 Mar — 12 Nov 2026
Tickets
Duration

A Knock-Out Action Comedy. Inspired by Tarantino, the Coen Brothers and '80s cult classics, Ahlbom and Gerris take you on a wild rollercoaster ride that gets your heart racing and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

In a remote desert town, a young woman, her brother, and their mother struggle each day just to stay afloat. Their mother is ill, the bills keep piling up, and debt collectors are seizing what little they have left. As they spiral deeper into poverty and despair, the siblings make a desperate decision: to rob a gas station.

What starts as a quick grab from the till quickly spirals into a chain reaction of absurd situations. In the midst of the chaos, our heroes come face to face with a corrupt sheriff, whose interests seem to lie solely in personal gain. As the situation escalates into a whirlwind of guns, betrayal, and twisted loyalties, they discover that even the most hopeless scenario can take an unexpected turn.

And then there's the mysterious cowboy with a guitar, who sings the story as it unfolds.

Following the success of Knock-Out (2021), Jakop Ahlbom Company, ISH Dance Collective and DeLaMar Theater join forces once again for an explosive collaboration. Prepare for a visually spectacular action comedy packed with music, slapstick, and special effects. For A Fine Mess, Jakop Ahlbom and Marco Gerris draw inspiration from the films of Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, and iconic ’80s action classics like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard.

Important information before your visit

  • This performance can be fully experienced without understanding Dutch.
    Movement, visuals and music tell the story.

  • This performance is recommended for audiences aged 15 and over due to its themes and explicit scenes.

  • The performance contains fight scenes and the use of firearms.

    Gunshots and sound effects may be experienced as loud or intense.
    The explicit violence is presented as a theatrical reference to iconic action films.

    If you are sensitive to loud sounds or explicit content, please take this into consideration.

  • The performance includes flashing visual and lighting effects.
    These may trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.

    If you have any concerns, please contact the theatre in advance.

  • In this performance, herbal cigarettes are smoked that have been specially developed for theater and film sets.

  • After the matinee performances on 15, 22, 29 March and 5 April, it will be possible to meet the cast members and have your photograph taken with them (the cast will vary depending on the date).

  • Want to know more about A Fine Mess? Step into the world of the creators, meet the cast, read articles about the performance and be surprised by behind-the-scenes footage. Take a look at 
    ish.dance/after-afm and win tickets to the next performance by ISH or Jakop Ahlbom Company!

  • Read more about the facilities at DeLaMar for people with (invisible) disabilities.

     

'A hilarious performance, full of fake fights and 1980s dances' — de Volkskrant.
Read the article from de Volkskrant about A Fine Mess here.

★★★★
De Volkskrant

'Hard falls, convincing firefights, rock-solid dance moves and a healthy dose of humour.' — De Telegraaf.
Read De Telegraaf's article about A Fine Mess here (for subscribers).

★★★★
De Telegraaf

‘A theatrical play on action film clichés, packed with masterfully executed fake violence in a fast-paced narrative.’ - De Groene Amsterdammer
Read the article from De Groene Amsterdammer about A Fine Mess here (for subscribers).

De Groene Amsterdammer

'A dazzling action comedy full of exaggerated fight scenes and funny hyperbole' - Parool.
Read the Parool article about A Fine Mess here (for subscribers).

Het Parool

'Dance battles and trickery ensure ten minutes of final applause'— Theaterkrant.
Read the Theaterkrant article about A Fine Mess here.

Theaterkrant

“It’s all about the stunts. It’s circus, it’s acrobatics, it’s action, and it’s actually very cartoonish. It’s really cool to see live.”

Peter Pannekoek

'The fierce fight scenes are incredibly well done, perfectly timed and clearly rehearsed extensively. Marco Gerris delivers top-notch work here.' – NRC.
Read the article about A Fine Mess in NRC here.

★★★
NRC

Nu & binnenkort te zien

Wed 11 Nov 20:15
Groningen SPOT
Thu 12 Nov 20:15
Groningen SPOT
Thu 5 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar (Try-out)
Passed
Fri 6 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar (Try-out)
Passed
Sat 7 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar (Première)
Passed
Wed 11 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Thu 12 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Fri 13 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sat 14 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sun 15 Mar 14:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Wed 18 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Thu 19 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Fri 20 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sat 21 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sun 22 Mar 14:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Wed 25 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Thu 26 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Fri 27 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sat 28 Mar 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Sun 29 Mar 14:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Wed 1 Apr 20:30
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Thu 2 Apr 15:00
Amsterdam DeLaMar
Passed
Show: