The reaction from Washington follows swiftly. The American Service-Members’ Protection Act is activated: a law that protects Americans by all means from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Even if that means an attack on the Netherlands. The Court refuses to back down. Tensions rise, the world is watching, and the pressure on The Hague increases. How far is the Netherlands willing to go to defend peace and justice?

This cannot be true
With Operation Hellfire , director Eric de Vroedt creates a political satire where law, power, and morality collide violently. A ‘what-if’ that comes frighteningly close to reality. You will see 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.

Director Eric de Vroedt: “Just now, when the international world order seems to be wobbling, we must ask ourselves: how just is international law actually? And does it work equally well for everyone?”

The Hague Invasion Act
In reality, America also does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC and therefore refuses to cooperate with investigations. At its establishment in 2002, America reacted with a remarkable law: the American Service Members’ Protection Act. This law gives the American president the right to use “all means necessary and appropriate” to rescue Americans or their allies who are being held by the Court in The Hague. Therefore, the law is commonly referred to as “The Hague Invasion Act.”

For over 100 years, people in The Hague have been working on international law, and there are about 500 international organizations in the city. The Hague proudly calls itself ‘the international city of peace and justice.’ In Operation Hellfire, writers Joeri Heegstra and Max Wind question: how far is the Netherlands willing to go to realize those ideals?

• text Joeri Heegstra & Max Wind direction Eric de Vroedt performance 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