GDMW festival comes from the tube of the only literary magazine still doing a bit in the Netherlands: Passionate Magazine. A bit contrary, youthful but not juvenile and with an open eye to the many cultures in the city where it was founded: Rotterdam. A joyful combo of literary content, happy poets, embarrassing displays and beer, the festival is rather unique. It suited the Rotterdam Schouwburg, where the first editions were held. Whether it would also fit in Utrecht's Theater Kikker? In any case, with more than 300 tickets, that venue was rigidly sold out. So sold out, in fact, that a few people stood at a table all evening, unaware that there were performances elsewhere in the building. That the already not so big Theater Kikker even had two halls, a single visitor only found out afterwards. There were more learning moments like that.
1: Put a lonely girl with a guitar in front of a bored room and you have a Singer-Songwriter. Usually annoying. Rarely a hit. But: Put a lonely girl with an overhead projector and Tom America in front of a bored room and you have a minor miracle. So Klaske Oenega sits very modestly next to her projector, sings a song, plays recordings. Shows tinkering cuts and so that produces something that is a mix between Laurie Anderson, Spinvis, and, well, Klaske Oenega. Follow that woman.
2: Do NOT put a lonely Zeeland girl who has just written a successful book about her religious roots in front of a drunken audience in Gummbah's voo programme at 11pm, and certainly do not let her read a text she has prepared for a readers' evening in Staphorst church.
3: Invite Herman Brusselmans.
4: If you sell your books successfully over the internet, there is no point in sitting behind a table signing.
6: Have Ivo Victoria put together a programme with Eva Mouton, however, and it becomes quite funny. Although then you just barely manage to compete with the main act.
7: end the evening with Gummbah
Remains the question of what Belgians actually have with shoarma. More next time.
Seen: No Deeds But Words Festival at Theatre Kikker, Utrecht, 23 October 2010. Information: gdmw.co.uk
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