Theatre

Operation Hellfire

What if allies become enemies?

Category Scenography
Location Den Haag
Company Het Nationale Theater
Production 2026
Photo: Bart Grietens

Operation Hellfire is a political satire about the International Criminal Court. To mark the court’s 25th anniversary, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands hosts an international summit. The guest of honor is a former President of the United States. But then the unthinkable happens: immediately after his speech, he is arrested by the court—live on television, in front of the entire world.

The response from Washington, D.C. follows swiftly. The American Service-Members’ Protection Act is activated: a law that protects Americans by any means necessary from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC)—even if that means attacking the Netherlands. The court refuses to yield. Tensions rise, the world watches, and the pressure on The Hague continues to mount. How far is the Netherlands willing to go to defend peace and justice?

With Operation Hellfire, director Eric de Vroedt creates a political satire in which justice, power, and morality collide head-on. A “what if” scenario that comes unsettlingly close to reality. The cast includes Soumaya Ahouaoui, Gustav Borreman, Tamar van den Dop, Jouman Fattal, Hein van der Heijden, Yamill Jones, Yela de Koning, Rick Paul van Mulligen, Mika Peeters, and Emilio Pramatarov.

Photo: Bart Grietens
Photo: Bart Grietens

“Precisely now, as the international world order seems to be faltering, we must ask ourselves: how just is international law, really? And does it work equally well for everyone?”by Eric de Vroedt, director

Photo: Bart Grietens
Photo: Bart Grietens
Photo: Bart Grietens
Photo: Bart Grietens

Cast

Soumaya Ahouaoui, Gustav Borreman, Tamar van den Dop, Jouman Fattal, Hein van der Heijden, Yamill Jones, Yela de Koning, Rick Paul van Mulligen, Mika Peeters, Emilio Pramatarov, Alex Hendrickx (audio)

Credits

Text: Joeri Heegstra and Max Wind
Direction: Eric de Vroedt
Music: Florentijn Boddendijk and Remco de Jong
Set design: Maze de Boer
Costume design: Lotte Goos
Lighting design: Bernie van Velzen
Hair & make-up design: Bärbel Scheid
Dramaturgy: Remco van Rijn and Marit Schimmel
Assistant direction: Chyramain van Kempen
Co-creator: Anna Wouters

Photo: Bart Grietens