Simon Stephens & Mark Eitzel join forces for Song From Far Away

Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens and legendary singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel tackle the theme of loss in Song From Far Away.

Writing about loss isn’t easy, but for the man who communicated the pain felt by the protagonist of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ onstage -- hailed as "one of the most fully immersive shows ever to wallop Broadway" by 'The New York Times' – it becomes second nature.

Of course, it helps when you’ve got a songwriting legend to collaborate with. Which is why Simon Stephens, who wrote Song From Far Away especially for Toneelgroep actor Eelco Smits, got Mark Eitzel behind the enchanting title song.

Eitzel is one of the most celebrated American songwriters of his generation. He was frontman of the iconic indie rock band American Music Club, best known for their brilliant, restrained melodies and clever lyrics.

Meanwhile, Stephens’ stage adaptation of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ won the Olivier Award for Best New Play 2013 and the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play.

Song From Far Away

‘Song From Far Away’ is the story of a young banker who returns home from New York to his hometown of Amsterdam for his younger brother’s funeral. It has already received glowing reviews, described by ‘Time Out’ as "a frail, gorgeous monologue”, while ‘The Times’ called it “Dreamlike and deeply unsettling”.

Simon Stephens and Mark Eitzel: a dream team

Stephens stated that he “wanted to reconstruct the past lives of the two brothers through letters. They take us directly into the intimacy of their relationship, their common ties, but also explore the questions which remain unanswered following the death of a loved one. This is a piece about loss and the fact that the past is a foreign country to which we can never return. The song by Mark Eitzel... reinforces the intimate atmosphere of family, memories and farewells.”

Eitzel had already been working on the song when he was approached for the play and he ended up adapting it for Song From Far Away. In the play, Eelco writers letters as he awaits the funeral, alternately melancholic, rebellious or calm in tone, in an attempt to come into contact with the brother he never had any real contact with in life.

Song From Far Away is directed by Ivo van Hove, the Belgian directing sensation who has made headlines around the world. He received an Olivier award for ‘A View From the Bridge’ and he co-wrote the David Bowie musical ‘Lazarus’ with Enda Walsh. Most recently, he directed Arthur Miller’s 'The Crucible' starring Saoirse Ronan, which is currently running on Broadway, and last month he bagged a Tony Award for Best Director for ‘A View From A Bridge’.