Royal Theatre Toone

• Toone I, known as Toone the Elder (French: Toone l'Ancien): Antoine Genty (1804–1890), marollien, car painter by day and puppeteer by night. He could neither read nor write and made his own puppets. He cared little for historical truth and recounted popular legends, medieval epics and religiously inspired plays to a loyal audience, during a 45-year career.
• Toone II, known as Jan van de Marmit: François Taelemans (1848–1895), marollien, painter and friend of Toone I. He apprenticed as a puppeteer alongside Toone the Elder and succeeded him whilst keeping up the tradition. He had to change "puppet cellars" several times for hygiene and safety reasons.
• Toone III: after Toone II’s death, a turbulent period followed. Toone’s reputation was envied and around fifteen competing theatres attempted to appropriate the name. Two serious contenders claimed the title:
  • Toone III, known as Toone de Locrel: Georges Hembauf (1866–1898), marollien, workman. Trained by Toone II, he gave his theatre a new dimension by adding to it a new repertoire, sets and puppets, which allowed him to keep his audience, despite the competition. His son was named Toone IV, the first hereditary succession.
  • Toone III, known as Jan de Crol: Jean-Antoine Schoonenburg (1852–1926), marollien, hatter. Initiated with Toone the Elder, he resorted to a more evolved method of playwriting: he read novels, took notes, developed a canvas, and improvised the dialogues in front of his audience. His performances could sometimes last two months during which, every evening, the same regulars would come watch the show. Forced to give up the profession, which had become unprofitable, he ceded his theatre to Daniel Vanlandewijck, future Toone V, and hanged himself among his puppets.
• Toone IV: Jean-Baptiste Hembauf (1884–1966), marollien, son of Toone de Locrel. Associated with a puppet maker, Antoine Taelemans (son of Toone II), he directed his theatre for 30 years. However, with the break of World War I and the appearance of cinema, Toone IV was forced to close the doors of his theatre. The Amis de la marionnette ("Friends of the puppet"), a group of patrons, safeguarded the Brussels puppets and allowed Toone IV to resume his activities. He created Le mystère de la Passion, a play by Michel de Ghelderode written from oral tradition.
• Toone V: Daniel Vanlandewijck (1888–1938), factory worker. He bought Jan de Crol 's practice. Victim of an audience crisis and increasing hygiene requirements, he gave up the profession and sold his puppets. Bought by the Amis de la marionnette, the heritage was fortunately preserved.
• Toone VI: Pierre Welleman (1892–1974), workman. First associated with Toone V, he then succeeded him with his four sons. During World War II, a bomb fell next to his workshop and destroyed 75 puppets. Moreover, television and football represented new competitors. Struck with expropriation, Toone VI, discouraged, began to sell his puppets.

• Toone VII: José Géal (1931–), comedian, he discovered the Theatre of Toone and founded his own company. When in 1963, exhausted by the difficulties encountered in safeguarding this Brussels' folklore, Toone VI stopped playing, José Géal officially replaced him as Toone VII. As he did not find an ideal place to set up his theatre in the Marolles, he moved to the current building, a stone's throw away from the Grand Place. In 1971, the City of Brussels bought this house to help Géal keep his puppets alive. Far from looking towards the past, Toone VII opened the Royal Theatre Toone to Europe and the world by updating the repertoire and translating his shows into English, but also Spanish, Italian and German (always interspersed with the Brussels dialect), thereby attracting a new audience. Tourists, students, the faithful and the curious are now replacing the marollien spectators. He was made Officer of the Order of Leopold in 2004.
• Toone VIII: Nicolas Géal (1980–), comedian, son of Toone VII, he was crowned Toone VIII on 10 December 2003. His first creation in 2006 was a Romeo and Juliet after William Shakespeare.

The theatre is located north of the Grand Place, at the end of two narrow alleyways known as Impasse Schuddeveld/Schuddeveldgang and Impasse Sainte-Pétronille/Sint-Petronillagang (themselves located at, 66, rue du Marché aux Herbes/Grasmarkt). The district, commonly called Îlot Sacré since the 1960s, due to its resistance to demolition projects, is located within the perimeter of the Grand Place and consists of very dense city blocks testifying to the urban organisation of Brussels during the Middle Ages. The old buildings, meanwhile, belong to the so-called "reconstruction" period which followed the bombardment of the city in 1695.[2]

The theatre is open all year round, except in January. At least four shows are organised per week, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m., and on Saturdays also at 4:00 p.m. Shows can be played in short version (+/- 45 minutes) or in full version (+/- 2 hours). The folkloric tavern on the ground floor is open every day from 12:00 to 24:00, except Monday (closing day).[2]