Ad Grooten & de Grote Boers

About

Ad Grooten and de Grote Boers built a full theatrical music show around a remarkable personal story. The project, called Ellen Lacht, centres on the life of Ad and Coen Grooten's mother Ellen, a woman who endured the Japanese internment camps during the war and yet remained extraordinarily upbeat throughout her life. That persistent optimism is the emotional core of the show, and the tone stays deliberately light despite the weight of the subject matter. The whole thing grew out of a box of old family letters that Ad discovered, which raised a question he felt compelled to answer on stage: how does someone come through experiences like that and still face life with such positivity? Joining Ad and Coen on stage is Jeroen Habraken, who handles keys, production and vocals.