The stool behind the grand piano on stage is still empty. Five pianists have accompanied Paul de Leeuw in theaters and television studios over the past decades, and now they no longer all want to tour with him. De Leeuw, waving wildly across the stage as usual: , because I am so present, so demanding, so commanding. I’m too much, too much, I’ve heard it all my life.”

Then he explains the performance 60? we will see Quiet for a moment, so that the audience can peek at the phones and they themselves can relax. Di Leo concludes that he is much needed after his “Matisse moment”.

Here De Leeuw shows himself to be the cabaret craftsman he’s been for half his life. Full of self-irony, with a great nod to current events, full of surprises: of course he has a whole host of tricks and in this great performance he opens it up entirely. There are some classics in his collection: a spoonful of Bob de Rooij in a sketch over a cup of coffee with Rita Corita, a touch of Annie de Rooij in a playful imitation of SBS long term love.

But in the first place 60? Who will see Captivating story. Especially regarding his father, Henk, who passed away two years ago. But also about love for a person and children. Along with his self-proclaimed ‘Matthijs moment’ is a sketch about how his teenaged foster sons and their love conquests drove him insane a few years ago.

Just like that, seemingly out of nowhere, in that article about parenting woes, he quotes a wonderful line from poet and TV presenter Wim Brands, who passed away in 2016: “Walking means falling late.” Paul Di Leo’s clips about licking an empty mayonnaise jar and singing a refreshed cult hit Naked boys in the park.

In a performance by a formidable human being like De Leeuw, tougher choices in direction could only have been made. A scene from a declining relationship with her later husband leads through a holiday in Spain and his father’s sentimental legacy to the portrait Holland has of Sigrid Kaag and Angela de Jong. All of this goes too far. He had heard it all his life, but at that moment De Leeuw wanted and wanted so much. too much.