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ACTUAL

All about politics, policy, society and how those things relate to culture and art.

‘De uitvaart’ zorgt voor commotie rondom Willibrorduskerk, maar breekt lans voor katholieke kerk en haar rituelen

De commotie die is ontstaan door de voorstellingenreeks ‘De uitvaart’ in de St. Willibrorduskerk in Utrecht had niemand voorzien, laat staan gewild. Het apostolaat van de St. Willibrorduskerk vindt dat de kerk ‘ontheiligd’ is en wil er geen missen meer houden, nu Dries Verhoeven daar met hulp van Sens Uitvaarten tien avonden lang ‘De uitvaart’ opvoert. Het zijn theatrale uitvaartmissen, waarmee hij onder meer de verzorgingsstaat en het maatschappelijk draagvlak voor de kunst ten grave heeft gedragen. Maar iemand hiermee kwetsen was nooit zijn intentie geweest: ‘’Als ik de provocatie al op zoek in het project, dan is dat die met de toeschouwer.’’

Read More "‘De uitvaart’ zorgt voor commotie rondom Willibrorduskerk, maar breekt lans voor katholieke kerk en haar rituelen

Faust: eye- and ear-pleasing, but distant

In Catholic Limburg, I was taught catechism every week in primary school. "What are we here on earth for?", asked Mr pastor. With the whole class we droned out the answer: "To become happy here and in the hereafter." A similar question occurred to me last night during the performance of the opera Faust by Charles Gounod at The National Opera. "To what end do we go to the theatre?" For me, the answer is: "To be touched, purified, yes maybe even happy." Given the rave reviews, I expected that this would indeed be the case.

Read More "Faust: eye- and ear-pleasing, but distant

More films in cinemas due to digitalisation, says survey

The digital canvass battle in cinema is still some time away. For now, moviegoers are benefiting, according to research.

About two years ago, the digitisation of the Dutch cinema business was completed. All cinemas and film houses have been projecting digitally since 2012. In the projection booth, the disappearance of 35mm equipment meant a landslide.

Read More "More films in cinemas due to digitalisation, says survey

Legendary director Peter Brook (89): Theatre is the field given to me

The Valley of Astonishment. Titles don't come much prettier than that of 'The Valley of Astonishment'. Theatre legend Peter Brook's tentative last play is coming to Amsterdam. The Holland Festival gave me and two journalists from Parool and NRC, respectively, the opportunity to talk to the already legendary director when he was alive. Pretty special, because the man who enchanted an entire generation of theatre-makers and audiences with performances such as the nine-hour Mahabharata in Avignon, is considered a deity among theatre connoisseurs and enthusiasts.

Read More "Legendary director Peter Brook (89): Theatre is the field given to me

Rebuilding Empire 5.5 million cheaper than feared

370 million cost to renovate the Rijksmuseum. All but a tonne. 5.5 million less than the last estimate from 2010. Which again it was almost quadruple the original budget, which still assumed 134 million. But that was before the crisis over those stairs and that bicycle route, and before all kinds of construction companies went bankrupt, and before the whole thing was in danger of collapsing anyway.

Read More "Rebuilding Empire 5.5 million cheaper than feared

Is Anne too big for reviews? 3 reasons why I find it hard to review Anne

Someone commented on Facebook that it looked a bit odd for a newspaper to hand out stars for a play based on The Diary of Anne Frank. Although I myself shudder to give out stars this early for a Godwin make, surely there is something to The Play and The Review. Indeed, reviews of The Play to The Diary seem superfluous. For how do you review such a play, with such a history? Isn't fuss about layering or no layering, adventurousness or no adventurousness in the direction even a little irreverent? So these are three issues, which led me to consider that maybe it shouldn't be possible at all. Anne review.

Read More "Is Anne too big for reviews? 3 reasons why I find it hard to review Anne

We have tickets: you can tell us where to go in the Holland Festival

The Holland Festival, we have been doing that for years. It is definitely the highlight of the cultural season. At the Holland Festival, you see how the international art world hangs out. In recent years, under the skilful leadership of Pierre Audi, the whole thing has become a lot less elitist and pompous than it used to be. A ticket often costs a lot less than An evening of André Rieu in Maastricht, to say the least.

Read More "We have tickets: you can tell us where to go in the Holland Festival

Ironing or hitting

It will be hard to choose how we will musically fill our next weekend: will we stay in Amsterdam for the Amsterdam Marimba Weekend, or do we travel to The Hague, where Day in the Branding is devoted entirely to the string quartet? In short: are we going to string or strike? Those unable to choose can visit later this month at Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Slagwerk Den Haag - they just both do it!

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You may ask 1 question to theatre legend Peter Brook, what will you ask?

I will be talking to Peter Brook in Paris on 7 May 2014. For people who have studied theatre, this is something very special. The man once wrote a very clear and manageable booklet that is on the shelf of all theatre people: The Empty Space. But he was also the director of performances where more people attended than there were ever seats. In other words.

Read More "You may ask 1 question to theatre legend Peter Brook, what will you ask?

Help! Vind de Lost Painters Vouwfiets!

In de categorie kunstroof is dit de laagste vorm: een oude vouwfiets stelen voor de deur van een dure kunstbeurs. Pak dan dat overbodige navigatiesysteem uit die Porsche Cayenne, het Guccitasje dat achteloos op de balie is neergezet, of schuif die driedubbelverzekerde, met diamant ingelegde iPhone van dat koffietafeltje onder je krant en geniet buiten verder van je geweten.

Read More "Help! Vind de Lost Painters Vouwfiets!

Concertzender fights for his life again

For the umpteenth time in its more than 30 years of existence, the colourful Concertzender going down. That is why there will be a benefit concert at the Amstelkerk in Amsterdam. Greats like Liza Ferschtman, Yuri Honing, Erik Bosgraaf and the Ragazze Quartet will perform for free, to support the station that broadcasts so many live recordings of their concerts. I myself started my career as a radio producer there in 1995, so I would say: come all, and donate generous! For less than two tonnes a year, the station will stay on air.

Read More "Concertzender fights for his life again

Marketeers, toon ons uw ziel

Best lastig, marketing in de cultuursector. Voor een deel werk je in een markt waarvan men tegenwoordig denkt dat wat mooi is, zichzelf wel verkoopt, en voor de rest van de tijd moet je concurreren met een overvloed aan aanbieders. En dat ondanks de pogingen van de regering om het cultuuraanbod drastisch te decimeren. Of misschien wel dankzij. De markt… 

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Johan Simons ontvangt 150.000 euro: ‘Ik dacht, dat moet voor Elsie zijn’

De Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prijs gaat dit jaar naar Johan Simons. Bij de mededeling, in een weiland onder Utrecht, was de regisseur verbaasd: hij vermoedde dat de prijs bedoeld was voor zijn vrouw, Elsie de Brauw, alom beschouwd als een van de beste actrices van Nederland en België.

Read More "Johan Simons ontvangt 150.000 euro: ‘Ik dacht, dat moet voor Elsie zijn’

UPC in court: 'Writer is assembly line worker in peanut butter factory'

The noble art of cable pulling is one of the most profitable activities in Dutch media land. This was evident on Tuesday 15 April in the Amsterdam court. There, Dutch writers, represented by Lira, versus the major cable companies and producers, represented by some very expensive lawyers, from the office towers on Amsterdam's nearby Zuidas.

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De toekomst van kunst en reizen is 3 dimensionaal en virtueel. Powered by Google.

Even een korte tijdje vooruitdenken en je bent waar Google wil dat je bent. Alle kunst, overal ter wereld bereikbaar via je beeldscherm, je tablet. Zelfs de obscure kunst. Of sterker: mee te maken in je google glass of je Oculus VR bril. Je kunt nu al kunst in musea bekijken, maar dan zonder een rondleider die je vertelt wat je moet zien. En hoezeer we dat in het dagelijks leven ook niet op prijs stellen, soms is het best fijn om aan de hand van een gids door onbekend terrein te lopen. Zonder je vakantiegeld eraan te geven.

Read More "De toekomst van kunst en reizen is 3 dimensionaal en virtueel. Powered by Google.

Tom Waits exists thanks to Partch. 7 reasons to go see Delusion of the Fury. And listen.

'Harry Partch knew exactly what he was doing. He chose very specific bourbon bottles to fill in those 43 steps in the octave. So he made music that is very accessible, but also very elusive. And that's what good art should do.'

Read More "Tom Waits exists thanks to Partch. 7 reasons to go see Delusion of the Fury. And listen.

'Already depressed when the sateh is finished.' Lineke Rijxman on 'The Freudjes' by Mugmetdegoudentand.

Update: performance The Freudjes has been postponed for now, until probably later this year.

'I think it's theatre. Psychoanalysis is theatrical.' Lineke Rijxman is fascinated by psychiatrists. Not because she walks through their doors herself, but because psychiatry is a rewarding subject for someone who makes theatre. That is why it had to happen: a play about Freud. But not about Sigmund himself, or his family. The play "The Freuds (No Family)' is about three sisters in today's busy life overflowing with pills and abbreviations. 'We talk about depression so easily. You already say you get depressed when you run out of chicken satay at the butcher's.'

Read More "'Already depressed when the sateh is finished.' Lineke Rijxman on 'The Freudjes' by Mugmetdegoudentand.

Ziggo and UPC sued. Writers to court because cable billionaires won't pay up

 Just imagine being a screenwriter. Or a journalist for a documentary programme. So you won't get a penny for your work in the Netherlands. Really. The broadcasters are already not generous. But then. Indeed, all the money that cable companies earn from the television viewers of the Netherlands disappears into the pockets of a few US companieswho in turn share it with a few broadcasting bosses, producers and some other big earners. All those bosses have nothing to spare for the people who think up and write all that. This makes it very easy to make a profit.

Read More "Ziggo and UPC sued. Writers to court because cable billionaires won't pay up

Read everything everywhere with 1 login. Book industry works on central ebook platform

It's still kind of a secret, but the website is already online. Without reference to the people behind it, but then again, we know that. So we can break the news: it CPNB (that book week club) collaborates with the booksellers and publishers on a revolutionary platform for ebooks. This project, titled 'Leesid' should put an end to the chaos of DRM-shit, lots of different readers and tablets and bizarre ownership rules the Dutch electronic book reader still has to live with.

Read More "Read everything everywhere with 1 login. Book industry works on central ebook platform

Sometimes a good story needs to be told, not just imagined.

Some art needs a story. Then a canvas on the wall with the caption 'Untitled' is not enough. The performance 'Laaroussa' (Bride) by French-Tunisian brother and sister Selma and Soufiane Ouissi falls into that category. As extraordinary as their physical presence on a dark stage is, without explanations beforehand and a Q&A afterwards, it all says precious little.

Is that bad?

Read More "Sometimes a good story needs to be told, not just imagined.

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