About failing parents and their best intentions.

Parental pardon is the third and final part of the MINOUX theatre triptych Mother-Father-Children. After the comical and moving first two parts, Mother Must Not Die and Not the Fathers, it is now time to give the children a voice.

A child is made in a jiffy and parenting doesn't require degrees. In fact, parents do nothing but imitate what their fathers, mothers and nurturers taught them, or try very hard not to.
According to international children's rights, there is a right to "optimal development, growth and development". Nice words, but what does this mean for parents' duties? What if they mean well in parenting but can't? Should we punish them, stop them, help them or forgive them?

Theatre maker Minou Bosua uses music, song, documentary and plenty of humour to explore what becomes of parenthood and parenting. She proposes a parental certificate, which, like marriage, carries legal obligations. With this, children can go to court in times of need.

Parental pardon is a theatrical court case in which passionate pleading and singing take place, with a children's choir, opera singers, Minou and many witnesses on screen. The libretto of this new 'folk opera' is based on the experiences of (former) children's judges, youngsters (distraught or not) and parents (desperate or not). With new music by composers Sinem Altan and Robbert Klein, documentary footage by Maasja Ooms and colourful design by Bas Kosters. Parent pardon is a new opera about the second oldest profession in the world.

Many thanks to all the young and old people featured in the documentary footage.