Impact of new performing artists increases

Press release + programme booklet

Delft, Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Over the centuries, creatives broke through many barriers and taboos with their stories. Anno 2024, this development within the performing arts is more palpable than ever. At the foot of this growing impact of creatives is the organisation of the Delft Fringe Festival. For 13 years, it has been giving space to the performing arts of young (theatre) makers. And in the city of Delft, they set the tone again this year during the 13th edition, which takes place mainly at special local locations. You will watch stories, swaying on a houseboat, after climbing the steps of a 17th-century windmill or join the round table in a Delft council chamber.

“Performing artists, despite the tightness in the cultural sector, are still influential and still regularly create social and intellectual shifts we should be proud of", said festival director Roel Beeftink - Funcken.

Stories that give colour to life

That colour is created through dance, performance, theatre, words and music that stay with you, surprise you and touch you. Therefore, from 28 May to 9 June 2024, 28 new performance artists (chosen from over 410 applications) will present the important stories of today. What binds the creators is that each of them communicates directly or indirectly about ingrained preconceptions, love & hope, politics, aesthetics, humour and sadness.

10 out of 28 impactful performances

This year, themes of immigration and integration, gender identity, inner chaos, loneliness, love, masculinity and feminism, climate issues and greenwashing are at the heart of the performances. As every year, emotion, wonder, reflection, entertainment and hilarity go hand in hand.

From abortion stories (Stories of Progenitors) and a show about tinder as an autistic person (Tales of the Tinderverse) to a confrontation with the Indian silence (sudah), a performance on how to Coming out of the closet as a 15-year-old Christian (Thanks for listening) and a piece on the hypocrisy and madness of our time through the eyes of a young woman (Maaike finds it very). But the Delft Fringe Festival also provides a play on the misinterpretation of sign language (Unheard) and a performance on how to also be a drag in the drag world may be out of line (A drag fairytale). It also addresses how the lack of connection hampered us (CabaRap, the Ubuntu remix), how difficult it is in today's find out the truth (Vague News) and that graduate doesn't mean you made it (Mandangst) .... this and 18 more performances so at the Delft Fringe Festival from 28 May to 9 June.

About Delft Fringe Festival

The Delft Fringe Festival Foundation organises an annual performing arts festival and supplementary annual programming to bring together young makers and audiences at unexpected locations by using the city of Delft as a stage. In doing so, the Delft Fringe Festival aims to support makers in their professional development, offer existing and new theatre audiences a unique cultural experience and broaden and improve the cultural offer in the city of Delft. The thirteenth edition of the festival will take place between Tuesday 28 May and Sunday 9 June 2024. The complete programme can be found at www.delftfringefestival.nl.