Berkeljon, Sara - Altijd van je af

Title: Always From You

Author: Sara Berkeljon

Number of pages: 288

Publisher: Meulenhoff

Format: Paperback

Publication year: 2025

Summary:

The life story of Arjan Ederveen, written by journalist Sara Berkeljon, known for her extensive interviews in Volkskrant Magazine: a candid book about love, loss, friendship, loneliness, and creative drive. Includes unique photo material!

Arjan Ederveen's television programs are a household name in the Netherlands. He broke through in the mid-1980s with Tosca Niterink with the legendary children's program Theo en Thea (VPRO). It was an immediate success with its target audience, but also a cult hit among teenagers, students, and older viewers. After Theo en Thea, Ederveen and Niterink created the equally memorable Kreatief met Kurk and Borreltijd for adults. Always with regular director and good friend Pieter Kramer, with whom Ederveen also collaborated on his award-winning tragicomic series 30 Minuten. Ederveen also played countless other theater, film, and television roles.

A veil of mystery has always surrounded Ederveen. Sara Berkeljon spent over a year with him. They were together in India, she helped in his garden in Friesland, accompanied him to TV recordings, and interviewed him dozens of times. Ederveen's life is marked by loss. Both his brothers died prematurely; the eldest brother in the nineties from AIDS and the other brother a few years later unexpectedly from a blood disease. Ederveen fled into his work.

Berkeljon also spoke with people from his entourage, such as Kees Prins, Pieter Kramer, and Loes Luca. In Altijd van je af, Ederveen delves deeper into his time at the Kleinkunstacademie (Cabaret Academy), the creation of his successful programs, the painful break with Niterink, the care for his two dementing parents, his love for dogs, his aversion to "why" questions, and his unconventional marriage to Howie Getman. Altijd van je af is a moving portrait of a unique, eccentric, and creative spirit.

Relevant tags:

Biography, Non-Fiction, Arjan Ederveen, openness, Life story, Theo en Thea