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Wijbrand Schaap

Cultural journalist since 1996. Worked as theatre critic, columnist and reporter for Algemeen Dagblad, Utrechts Nieuwsblad, Rotterdams Dagblad, Parool and regional newspapers through Associated Press Services. Interviews for TheaterMaker, Theatererkrant Magazine, Ons Erfdeel, Boekman. Podcast maker, likes to experiment with new media. Culture Press is called the brainchild I gave birth to in 2009. Life partner of Suzanne Brink roommate of Edje, Fonzie and Rufus. Search and find me on Mastodon.

From Broadway musical to Lebanese Nightingale: Pierre Audi proudly shows the programme of the 2011 edition

Zijn Nederlands is nooit zijn sterkste punt geweest, en hij houdt ook al niet van speechen. Toch is een persconferentie van het Holland Festival iets om bij te zijn, dus nemen we Pierre Audi’s mindere performerskwaliteiten voor lief. in februari presenteerde hij het programma van de editie 2011, die een hele mooie belooft te worden, en die hopelijk niet de… 

With the best actors of their generation, Oostpool makes beautiful theatre of J.D. Salinger's America

Things become more fascinating when you look back on them 30 years or so later. Three decades make the life you were once in the middle of history, and that is happening to my generation (40-somethings) now with the second half of the last century. Hence the success of Jonathan Frantzen's masterpieces Freedom and The Corrections, and hence the success of a DVD series like Mad Men.... 

Ifigeneia had to die, according to the reconstruction by the jubilee Theatre Group Alum

"That looks like a book series!" my wife spoke with some horror upon seeing the cover of 'The Revenge of Iphigenia'. And yes, it has to be said: in book format, the poster of Theatre Group Alum's latest theatre production is a bit too much of a stretch. From the A0 poster, you would never have thought so. Indeed: those posters of Alum, which... 

Craft 'blob' by Atelier van Lieshout awaits buyer among 'country houses'

Country houses will surround it, but in the middle there will be something completely different: a real "sculptural dwelling" by Atelier van Lieshout. With a price tag of a million euros, the house is not a cheap work of art either, but then you have something that the whole world comes to see. Less original than his recently erected one in Rotterdam... 

Column: "As soon as they start embracing art in the PVV, right-thinking people should start watching out."

The Hague is quite complicated for those who do not visit it on a daily basis. I was there last Monday, as a spectator at the discussion of the culture and media budget, and it has taken me until now to fully understand what is going on. For that understanding, being there live was essential. After all, to understand a social system like the Lower House, you not only have to listen to what is being said, and see who is speaking, much more important are the 'listening shots': the body language and actions of those who are not speaking.

Culture Council threatens to pronounce 'unacceptable' on cabinet plans with arts and media

"It cannot be ruled out that previous choices made by the cabinet, such as on the VAT increase and the hefty cut to the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation's Music Centre, together with the announced cuts will do irreparable damage to the cultural sector." Of course, even though Halbe Zijlstra has thankfully banned the term "Leftist Hobby" when it comes to culture, the distinguished gentlemen... 

The arts subsidy system is like a house that changes hands a little too often: new cultural policy Rutte cabinet is capital destruction

The art subsidy system is like a house that changes hands a little too often. In 2008, after long deliberations, the previous owner fitted a new kitchen, replaced the bathroom, installed a new central heating boiler + underfloor heating and freshly painted the exterior. However, he had to move out prematurely, and now the new owner plans to replace the old kitchen... 

Order of Tax Advisers severely criticises VAT increase for performing arts: 'theatres will be in exceptional position'

The Rutte government is defending the VAT increase on admission tickets to theatres and concerts, claiming that it will straighten out an exemption for the arts. However, this does not appear to be true, according to a response from the Order of Tax Advisers to the proposal. "The Bar Association additionally points out that the explanatory memorandum notes that for the performing arts on... 

How much darkness can a theatre-goer handle? Alize Zandwijk tests it with 'Dog days'.

Beppe Costa. Who doesn't know him. And who wouldn't go to a show he plays in without thinking for a minute? After all, the little Italian musical jack-of-all-trades is capable of winning hearts with his music. And with his presence. Well. Director Alize Zandwijk must have thought: we're going to change that image completely this autumn,... 

Sometimes a story is beautiful enough when told: Autoroute du Soleil by Leen Verheyen demonstrates that

Ooit, heel lang geleden in een ander land dan vandaag, was er een toneeltekst over een jongen uit Bosnië die mensenmassa’s aan het huilen bracht. Ad de Bont had met Mirad, een jongen uit Bosnië niet alleen een gevoelig verhaal geschreven, maar hij vond ook de perfecte manier om dat verhaal te brengen. Het uit brieven van en aan een… 

GDMW: Seven learning moments about literature, Rotterdam, Utrecht and partying

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. The festival is a happy combo of literary content, happy poets, embarrassing displays and beer,... 

Art world via Facebook in action against culture cut even before Rutte-Verhagen cabinet installed

It was a pleasantly out-of-control flashmob: according to the police, there were around 3,000 people on The Hague's Malieveld at around noon. Young people, mostly: students from The Hague Art Academy and the Consevatorium. But that is not enough to make the Malieveld feel crowded. From all corners of the country, young art students were... 

French theatre nerds do droll version of the Big Bang at reopening Rotterdam Schouwburg

Ok, a few people might have been a tad disappointed. Who had hoped that Rotterdam's theatre would reopen with real bang, after the extremely successful upgrade of the interior by scrap artist Jan Versweyveld (suspended ceiling, marble and carpet on the stairs). But that, of course, cannot happen. After all, the Rotterdam Schouwburg only does bangers when International Choice boss Annemie Vanackere is there... 

Getting a whiff of Lotte van den Berg's special approach, fresh back from Africa

What she does is vulnerable to the point of confrontation. Theatre-maker Lotte van den Berg has such a personal view of the world that, outside the safe context of theatre, it can come across as absurd. Or alienating. On Sunday 26 September, she returned with the members of her Dordrecht-based location theatre company OMSK back from a four-month stay in the Congo capital Kinshasa. A full house at Rotterdam's Gouvernestraat then got to be there when they unpacked their bags a few hours after landing.

Cultuurwereld in actie op 24 september

Kunstbezoekers opgelet: de gezamenlijke vakbonden en beroepsorganisaties in de cultuursector roepen vrijdag 24 september uit tot landelijke actiedag. Die dag kunt u als bezoeker dus geconfronteerd worden met sprekende muzakanten en dansers. Op de website ‘Stop de culturele kaalslag’ roepen tal van kunstenaarsorganisaties (van FNV Kiem tot de Art Directors Club) de Haagse opnderhandelaars op om af te zien van… 

Zestien persoonlijke verhalen geven een ontroerend beeld van Rotterdams veelkleurigheid. #dekeuze

Ze heeft 14 voornamen, omdat haar vader graag zijn hele familie wilde vernoemen en zij enigst kind was. Ze is een veelgevraagd actrice, maar Gonny Gaakeer is ook een meisje met een oma geweest. Een mooie oma, die in de laatste jaren van haar 95-jarige leven steeds vaker omviel en daar de lelijke wonden van droeg. Gonny vertelt haar verhaal, en… 

'I am Zutphenian, but also Turkish' actor Sadettin Kirmiziyüz gets jury nomination for Wilders, The Musical

Gijs Scholten van Aschat was so convincing that casting director Hans Kemna was a bit scared of him. Van Aschat did an original wilderness speech and shock went through the audience. Since he now plays the villain of villains with Orkater (Richard III), convincingly delivering a hate speech reasonably is a piece of cake for him. Two true Wilders fans found... 

Impressive confrontations in humorous 'K, A Society' by Kris Verdonck #decision

The Dodo International Choice journal, episode 2: Wijbrand Schaap came, saw and was overcome by Kris Verdonck's seven installations about plighted people. It should have ended with terrible bangs, a canned fireworks display a few metres from the spectators. But that's not allowed in the Netherlands since Enschede. And certainly not with Belgian fireworks. Theatre-maker, installation artist and video jockey Kris Verdonck ended up... 

Director Thomas Ostermeier argues for 'dramatic non-dramatic' theatre in his masterclass #tf2010

She has just returned from a long holiday in her native Norway and, although many Norwegians find Ibsen boring these days, she herself loves his work. Maren Bjorseth is a third-year directing student at the AHK. Her Dutch is flawless; it is hard to believe she has only lived here for two years. Maren is one of four directing students chosen to take a master class from German director Thomas Ostermeier, artistic director of Schaubühne Berlin. Last year, the Stadschouwburg showed his Hamlet (starring a nasty, rather fat Hamlet) and in December, Ostermeier will direct Ibsen's Spoken at Toneelgroep Amsterdam.

The master class is a collaborative project of TF with the AHK and actors from ACT. It is the first day of school for the students and, as Maren says, they were immediately thrown into the deep end: 'It was very short and intensive, we worked from ten to three and Thomas Ostermeier came to watch twice. So it really is a work in progress.'

True theatre is like Storm and Cappuccino: irresistibly sublime, says Adelheid Roosen on #tf2010

'It is a wonderful thing, for instance, that every day, my body shows the same eager desire for a keigoeie kappoetzjino. That every 24 hours the desire to 'want to taste' is born in me and wants to hit me again. And I don't have to do anything for that, that desire drags me into the shower and saliva starts foaming... 

NNT's 11 minutes not only makes you lose the desire to laugh, but all lust. My wife regrets that. #tf2010

Ola Mafaalani. That's a very fierce one. So you can never ignore that. The human is so full of passion and emotion that all her stage work, because she is a director, cannot possibly leave you cold. At least, so it was until recently, with me personally finding her last play at Toneelgroep Amsterdam 'Hemel boven Berlijn' the most beautiful, because it was also the most... 

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