John Lanting: Koning van de klucht

John Lanting and his Theater van de Lach (Theater of Laughter) ‘De Koning van de Klucht’ (The King of Farce). John Lanting wanted to be a clown from an early age. From 1949 onwards, he led a very adventurous life, which he ended after four years to attend the Amsterdam Theater School. He performed with the Rotterdam Theater for eight years before making his breakthrough with Kafka's Monkey. In the years that followed, he performed this show all over the world. In 1971, John Lanting founded his Theater van de Lach (Theater of Laughter) and staged his first farce a year later. From 1973 onwards, the performances were broadcast on television by TROS. In 1996, Lanting decided to end his Theater van de Lach at its peak. He had performed more than 3,300 shows with over 2 million visitors.

Directed by Elmira van Dommelen, John Lanting: Koning van de klucht leans on a strong ensemble — John Lanting, Hein Boele, Richard Groenendijk — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2018.