VĂ©rie Thijssen
VĂ©rie Thijssen originally comes from Venlo. After her training as an actress at the Academy for Music and Musical Theater in Tilburg, she lived in Amsterdam for many years. She played in the musical Soldaat van Oranje for a long time and can be seen in Opgelucht, the theater production by ADEM Theater Productions. Shortly after the high water in 2021, she moved back to Venlo with her boyfriend and son. She is currently in the midst of preparations for the spectacular musical Het was Zondag in het Zuiden.
"We often went for walks along the Maas in my youth, I can still remember that well," VĂ©rie says. "Actually, I'm very afraid of water. Especially when I can't see through it and can't see the bottom, it frightens me. I have a bit of that with the Maas as well. So I prefer to always stay at a safe distance from such deep waters."
"Mooder Maas, that's what we've called the Maas for as long as I can remember. Since becoming a mother myself, I think I understand where that name comes from. The primal force that the Maas has is like the strength of a mother who protects her child and stands up for it. The Maas has this power too. We often only notice it when it overflows its banks. The high water in 2021 mainly inspired awe in me. It was, of course, scary, especially with my parents living close to the Maas. It was also intense to see the destruction the water had caused. I found that power of Mooder Maas very impressive in multiple ways."
"My partner and I have commuted a lot between Amsterdam and Venlo, but we have really found our place here now. I travel all over the Netherlands for my work and sometimes have intensive rehearsal weeks. Now that we have a child, it's really nice that we live close to our parents. By the way, we also live quite close to the Maas. I never thought I would dare to do that," she chuckles.
"In 'Het was Zondag in het Zuiden', a musical about the high water in Limburg, I also have some extra roles like the other actors. For example, I play the neighbor of Mie and Hubert, the parents of the main character, Sarah. While Mie and Hubert want to stay when the Maas water starts to rise, the neighbors want to evacuate." VĂ©rie laughs. "That role is, of course, tailor-made for me, given my fear of water!"
"The musical is going to be fantastic, in De Doolhof in Tegelen a beautiful set is ready. It will be a total experience with a show of light and water. The music of Rowwen Hèze completes it, of course. I am proud of all the actors and the team that is putting on this musical. It's impressive to make a story that everyone already knows very well still exciting. In my opinion, that has been very well achieved!"
