How do you get young people into your auditorium? Almost every theatre struggles with that question. Bran Remie (35), programmer and theatre maker at Wilminktheatre and Muziekcentrum Enschede, succeeds. With the online and offline theatre series Huize Enschede, about student life in that city.
Students are hard to get to the theatre. Theatres do their best, with targeted marketing and special promotions for young people, but still the step to visit a show is too big for many. It is not in their system. Moreover, many prejudices about theatre still exist; they are said to be 'stuffy' and 'elitist'. This leaves students ignorant of what theatre can offer.
Remie therefore decided to make a theatrical series that connects directly to students' experiences. He went to dozens of student houses in Enschede and collected hundreds of stories, which he processed into a four-episode theatre series directed by Anne de Blok. With hard student jokes, an energetic style and serious undertones, Huize Enschede is reminiscent of De Lullo's and Feuten.
Pranks and performance pressure
The strength of Huize Enschede lies in its recognition: the script contains numerous references to specific student houses. These include references to the provosts of certain houses ("Huize Hubertus, hebbes!"), items from existing living rooms are incorporated into the set (such as the tie lamp of Huize Chop), and true anecdotes pass by. Enschede has a strong house culture and many jokes are played among themselves.
For instance, Huize 't Pott, a white student villa, was painted pink overnight by a rival house. "The pranks are welcome material for the script," says Remie. "But Huize Enschede certainly doesn't consist only of pranks. I mainly want to show what the performance culture does to students." Remie does this through an exciting plot about a big student party that gets out of hand when a professor visits the party.
Run on tickets
The concept is popular among students. All the performances are sold out and the episodes are also well watched online by viewers from all over the country. For many students, it is their first time visiting the theatre, and already they have been inspired to go to the theatre more often. "Students ask me for tips on where to go with their flatmates," Remie said.
Huize Enschede beer
After the performance, there will be an after-party in the foyer, where a Huize Enschede beer brewed especially for the show will be enjoyed. There will be a DJ and bands will perform, with the main act being singer- songrwiter Chris Egbers, who wrote the soundtrack for Huize Enschede: Lost in Space.
Good to knowHuize Enschede plays at theatre De Kleine Willem in Enschede on 24 October and 7, 14 and 21 November. Check out www.huize-enschede.nl for more information.
Actors: Lara Roozemond, Danny Westerweel, Jelmer de Groot, Willianne Liemborg, Ruben Brinkman and Anne Verhart
Directed by Anne de Blok
Script: Bran Remie
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