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Publicity image BOG. for KID.

'BOG.' plays 'KID.': how a simple question to the audience can lead to exciting theatre.

A collection of makers they are. A collection, but not a collective. What an 'f' can't already make up. So language is quite a thing. And crowdsourcing is quite a thing. These makers collect words from their audience, and give them back in a performance. That's 'BOG.', a still fairly young group trying to use language to make theatre to get us to... 

'Get well.' Grief therapist Julia Samuel on 'Grief work'

How should you grieve? Is there any way to grieve, or are you at the mercy of fate? How do you deal with someone in grief? Grief therapist Julia Samuel has been helping people who have lost a loved one for 25 years. By now, she knows how to and, more importantly, how not to. In March this year, a few days before... 

Thriller writer Tess Gerritsen: 'Everyone keeps their true self hidden'

I Know a Secret is the twelfth thriller in the series surrounding detective Jane Rizzoli and pathologist-anatomist Maura Isles. Writer Tess Gerritsen reached an audience of millions with it, but longs for more. As the main characters of Tess Gerritsen's thrillers, detective Jane Rizzoli and pathologist Maura Isles have been through quite a bit by now. Yet they are startled by the state of their... 

This is what makes The Dead Society such a successful podcast: noise.

I treated myself to one of those noise-cancelling headphones. The thing produces anti-noise to filter out highway, refrigerator and air conditioning from my daily life. So that I can listen to podcasts better. Podcasts like The Dead Society's. In which I am reminded again how important background noise from highways, air conditioners and rustling trees is. Radio journalist Carine van Santen... 

Rule of Three, Jan Martens/Grip. Photo: Phile Deprez.

Very different or not at all? Jan Martens on his new show Rule of Three

Rule of Three is a piece for three dancers: Steven Michel, Julien Josse and Courtney May Robertson. NAH makes the music live, the lighting is by Jan Fedinger and there are some lyrics by Lydia Davis. Rule of Three was released last month at De Singel in Antwerp, and its Dutch premiere is today at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam.... 

Han Bennink (75) on LGW: "Working hard and hoping the highlight is still to come."

World-renowned Dutch drummer Han Bennink celebrates his 75th birthday and the 50th anniversary of his ICP Orchestra at Utrecht's Le Guess Who? Festival (LGW). Time for a conversation with a diligent worker. All over the world, Han Bennink is famous. And for him, that whole world is his playground, literally. Bennink started drumming at an early age. Pots... 

North Netherlands Orchestra plays Canto ostinato

To his own dismay, Simeon ten Holt became famous as the composer of a single piece: Canto ostinato for four pianos. This composition immediately struck a chord at its world premiere in 1979. It still sounds just about every day somewhere in the world, in all possible line-ups. From 12 to 14 October, the Noord Nederlands Orkest will present a... 

Public broadcasting is salvageable. (Why football should go to commercial)

Our public broadcasting system is unique in the world. Unfortunately, it is not something to be particularly proud of. The system and the thinking behind it are virtually incomprehensible. Or, as NTR director Paul Römer put it less diplomatically in August: we have 'a backward system that cannot be explained to anyone (anymore)'. It was a sideline in his interview with... 

Conny Janssen Danst could turn the whole world into a dance set

I actually experienced it once! In the middle of a theatre performance, an elderly lady, who had nothing to do with the story, walked onto the stage. She must have got lost in the interval and ended up behind the wings through a door that was accidentally open. While the actors were engaged in a deeply serious Hamlet, she came laconic 

Wunderbaum provokes revulsion with sacred performance about North Sea cruise at Theatre Festival Boulevard

Anyone who is young, a little nicely educated and otherwise generally of good character does not go on a North Sea cruise. A cruise on the North Sea, that's what you do if you have no imagination, have bad legs or are too sick for anything else. Believes Wunderbaum. The theatre collective that likes to take care of the vulnerable of this planet is... 

On aliens, being alone and (too) much feeling: 9 life questions to rapper Typhoon

When he was given a car to play with as a child, you wouldn't hear or see him all day. Because he does love people and likes to perform, but off-stage rapper Glenn de Randamie (32), aka Typhoon, prefers to be by himself. Then he has peace, humour and creativity for ten. 'The more alone I... 

Celebrating Kylian

Everyone is celebrating Jiri Kylian's 70th birthday in full. Except NDT.

Even abroad, it is noticeable that Jiří Kylián's work is not showing at NDT. Even though the so-called embargo is expiring and this is his anniversary year. No Kylián past three years The Financial Times reported. Laura Cappelle describes a fine performance by Nederlands Dans Theater in Paris and concludes that Kylián's work is not among the... 

Thriller writer Jo Nesbø: 'Harry Hole is a very intense character'

He is a tormented, loner and contrarian fellow, but also one of the best detectives the Oslo police force has to offer. And: a much-loved character. Harry Hole is back, in Jo Nesbø's new thriller The Thirst. If the interview could be a few hours later, as he is suffering from jet lag. Popular Norwegian bestselling author Jo... 

Anna Woltz: 'I think normal people are boring'

Op woensdag 21 juni worden de Zilveren Griffels, Zilveren Penselen en Paletten en de Vlag en Wimpels uitgereikt – de opmaat voor de de uitreiking van Het Gouden Penseel en Het Gulden Palet in september en de Gouden Griffel in oktober. Interview met de Gouden Griffel-winnares van vorig jaar, Anna Woltz, over schrijven, volwassen worden en de Griffels natuurlijk. Door Tijmen… 

FLEXN. Photo: Hayim Heron.

Great dancers from Brooklyn in unclear direction by Peter Sellars #HF17

Flexing is a street dance style from Brooklyn, New York. Thirteen men, three women strong is the formation that has caused a furore in America in various guises (HyperActive, MainEventt, Ringmasters), from the local talent show Flex in Brooklyn to America's Best Dance Crew. Now the crew, led by pioneer Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray, is on a world tour with a show, which they will perform with the... 

Holland Festival blames itself with Orphanage of Music #HF17

The Orphanage of Dutch Music presents monthly 'forgotten Dutch masterpieces' at Amsterdam's Splendor stage. 'To discover the finer points', these are performed twice, interrupted by 'a short commentary or interview with special table guests'. On paper, a golden formula. Rightly so, the Holland Festival adopted three episodes. With the music, during the opening concert on Thursday, it was all in... 

'En Manque', or why your reviewer was on the dance floor at the #HF17

Do you write a review for people who are still going to the show, for people who have already been or for people who want to be informed? It is and remains an eternal dilemma. Vincent Macaigne's Holland Festival performance 'En Manque' will only be at the Compagnietheater on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 June. The chances of you, the reader,... 

Boris Charmatz

Danse de Nuit in the Bijlmer: 'Of course we want to influence public space' #HF17

Boris Charmatz has been a guest at many editions of the Holland Festival with impressive, provocative, socially engaged, finely composed and conceptually strong dance performances: Aatt enen tionon and Con forts fleuve (both in 2001); 50 years of dance (2010), Enfant (2011) and Manger (2015). His latest choreography, danse de nuit, premiered in Geneva last September. During the Holland Festival... 

Composer Huba de Graaff: 'I value provocative radicality'

Using a television interview as a libretto for an opera? Quirky composer Huba de Graaff does not shy away from it. On 22 June, her opera The Naked Shit Songs will have its world premiere. It is based on a 1996 conversation by Theo van Gogh with British artist duo Gilbert & George. Due to lack of interest, De Graaff wanted her opera with a... 

Johan Harstad (l) and Arjen Lubach

Arjen Lubach saves his twin brother Johan Harstad #ILFU17

Writer and television presenter Arjen Lubach has been a fan of Norwegian writer Johan Harstad for years, whose mega-thick Max, Micha & the Tet Offensive has just been published in Dutch. He even visited him in Norway. Lubach: 'I was afraid we were so much alike that we had nothing to say to each other.' That turned out to be giant. Logical, then, that he... 

Necessary and wonderful glimpse into the Chinese soul thanks to Utrecht festival #ILFU17

Good timing by the International Literature Festival Utrecht (ILFU) to put China at the centre of this year's edition. Just in time before the Chinese have connected the Betuwelijn to their own railway network on their own initiative, with their well-known decisiveness. High time to get to know the Chinese soul, it seems to me, and that does not succeed immediately.... 

About directionless hipsters, their parents, and the war in Europe (coming) #HF17

Vincent Macaigne is uncomfortable. He looks around nervously every time the waitresses run past with trays full of clinking glasses and slam the doors. He has barely slept, and the previous evening he had walloped the audience of the Swiss Theatre Vidy with his brutal, inimitable performance En Manque. Braced, he sat down for the interview. "Sorry, I... 

Grażyna Bacewicz: 'A composer doesn't want to repeat himself'

In Poland, her name appears on street signs and school buildings, and statues of her can be found in public parks. Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969) was the first Polish woman to achieve international success as a composer. Her work can even be found on one of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's CD anthologies. Yet she is still virtually unknown here in the country. Unjustly so, as she wrote... 

Three kilos of Raster-Noton over then, with three options in advance for tomorrow

German record label Raster-Noton is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The anniversary is celebrated with showcases at several festivals and with a three-kilo catalogue. These are records to go with the records, not a boxset of musical highlights. A very special approach, from a very special label. Sound and image A label that releases a substantial catalogue is not an everyday phenomenon. One is... 

Warlikowski's direction of Wozzeck is impressive, but does not grab you by the throat

We have to perform, from an early age. If you don't go along with that, you will be left out. It is the thrust of Alban Berg's opera Wozzeck, now to be seen at De Nationale Opera directed by Krzystof Warlikowski. The Polish theatre innovator has turned one of the most dramatic operas in music history into a fascinating musical... 

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