Trench warfare between the Castellums of Utrecht and Alphen?

Today we reported on the Opening in Utrecht Leidsche Rijn of the cultural park Castellum Hoge Woerd. In that Castellum lies a new theatre: Podium Hoge Woerd. Explicitly, the theatre does not carry the name Castellum. After all, there is already a Theatre Castellum in Alphen aan de Rijn that is 10 years old. Don't they bite each other?

Yes, that bites. Because the first visitors for Podium Hoge Woerd have already mistakenly reported in Alphen aan den Rijn. At that Theatre Castellum they therefore knew nothing of Castellum Hoge Woerd's plans until its recent opening in Leidsche Rijn.

'Indeed, I did not approach them,' agrees Harm Lambers, director of Podium Hoge Woerd, "I did choose not to use the term Castellum in the theatre name. But, he admits, it is obvious that visitors will automatically use Castellum as an abbreviation. Even in Alphen aan den Rijn, people don't talk about Theatre Castellum, but just Castellum. Hence also presumably the term All Castellum on the website of Podium Hoge Woerd.

Mr Daan van Eek of Hoogenraad & Haak, advertising + IP lawyers in Amsterdam, thinks it is a somewhat risky course of action. Especially if Podium Hoge Woerd's actually used trade name is 'Castellum' or ''All Castellum' becomes. Given the relatively small region in which both theatres operate, it is obvious that this will clash. Indeed, that has apparently already happened. However, if the new theatre strictly leaves 'Castellum' absent from its trade name, the legal risk seems a lot smaller.

Meanwhile, all hell is breaking loose in Alphen aan den Rijn. Because as of this year, the municipality, as sole shareholder, is turning the subsidy tap to a minimum dense. There is only municipal subsidy left to pay the rent - to the municipality. Now it is waiting for the outcome of a tender system (tendering as a market party) how and if the theatre will go ahead in 2017. So it could just end badly with the Alphen Castellum. Then the name will be released.

But surely that will not have played a role in choosing the name for Castellum Hoge Woerd in Leidsche Rijn. There, they are now setting up new theatre programming with fresh courage, preferably with their own productions.

To their credit.