De Verleiders, last season's big theatre hit, heads the jury selection of The Theatre Festival 2013. The by a group of actors and cabaret artists, including Pierre Bokma and George van Houts, conceived and created show about the real estate fraud was a tremendous success in theatres. So it is also rightly featured in the festival, which since 1987 has annually showcased a selection of theatre performances from the previous season. Another hit that also received great media attention is the theatre festival Somedaymyprincewill.com, created by Sadettin Kirmiziyüz, which was mainly seen in the smaller theatres in the Netherlands.
These two theatre hits are part of a list of ten plays chosen by the jury led by writer and actor Arthur Japin from among the few hundred performances that premiered this year. The jury emphasised 'audience-friendliness' in its selection, according to the jury report:
'The 2012-2013 theatre season was perceived by the jury as very exceptional. The season started strongly right away with a couple of big, important productions. The jury also saw many sparkling small-venue productions, which are often accessible without losing depth. They exude zest for life and energy, are full of show-like elements, have a fast pace and are more cinematic than before, and through all this more audience-friendly.'
Statement
With this open choice for audience friendliness, the jury is making a statement in the debate currently taking place in the arts. Some artists in the Netherlands see this focus on audience friendliness as a humiliation imposed by the government's populist policy and a knee-jerk reaction to commerce. Others sigh that now, at last, theatre is once again being made by makers who don't mind having an audience in the theatre, who also have a good evening.
The debate will not die out with this selection. On the contrary. This is precisely why the experts' choice is a stimulating prelude to an art climate in which the viewer is once again central, if only in the discussion.
Full selection:
[one_half]Great halls of the NetherlandsTHE VERLEIDERS: the casanovas of property fraud - Bos Theatre Productions
Don Juan - NNT Noord Nederlands Toneel
Orlando - Toneelhuis
After the rehearsal / Persona - Toneelgroep Amsterdam
Platonov - NTGent[/one_half] [one_half_last]Small venues of the Netherlands
Somedaymyprincewill.com - Trouble Man / Sadettin Kirmiziyüz i.c.w. The Sadists (also choice District Jury 2013)
The Sunshine Show - Esther Scheldwacht
mightysociety10 - mightysociety
4.48 Psychosis - Thibaud Delpeut / Toneelschuur Productions
A Brief History of Hell - Abattoir Fermé[/one_half_last]
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