{"id":138815,"date":"2026-09-14T14:07:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T12:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/?p=138815"},"modified":"2026-09-14T14:07:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T12:07:53","slug":"bij-queer-quark-snap-je-waarom-kunst-ingewikkeld-mag-zijn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/09\/bij-queer-quark-snap-je-waarom-kunst-ingewikkeld-mag-zijn\/","title":{"rendered":"At Queer Quark, you\u2019ll realise why art is allowed to be complex"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI love complicated stories. My role model is Chekhov. His characters are also incredibly multi-layered.\u201d Director and writer Evgeniya Rudyuk was responding to comments from the audience during the post-performance discussion following \u201cQueer Quark\u201d at CC Amstel. The mission was a success. Her nameless protagonist, played by Natalia Perel, tells a story, part of which she then denies at the end. This leaves the audience in a state of confusion. Very Russian, it turns out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The title of this performance, *Queer Quark*, does not necessarily refer to the \u2018queerness\u2019 expressed during Pride events, but it does draw on it. According to the writer, her \u2018queer quark\u2019 is a ghost particle from quantum physics, elusive and not fitting into the Standard Model. So that was also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npoklassiek.nl\/klassiek\/podium\/427d164d-15a1-42fa-90bf-a0d1ca10ee55\/pianist-en-poetin-criticus-pavel-kushnir-39-overleden-tijdens-hongerstaking-in-cel\">Pavel Kushnir<\/a>, the pianist and poet from Birobidzhan, who spoke out against the war in Ukraine and paid the price with an unmarked grave in a mass grave near the detention centre where, according to the authorities, he died following a hunger strike. Being gay, Jewish and anti-war \u2013 that\u2019s all it takes to die in Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political prisoners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A play staged as a protest against the murder of political prisoners: that\u2019s the sort of thing we\u2019re happy to go to the theatre for. But for us, as residents of a free country, it\u2019s also a bit of a cop-out. That\u2019s what you realise when you go to see a play created by a whole team of Russian women who, for various reasons, have left the country they long for and\/or abhor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just as the three sisters in Chekhov\u2019s play of the same name long for Moscow, the narrator in *Queer Quark* yearns for Birobidzhan. And that is complicated from the outset, because there is little to like about this city in the Far East of Russia, the capital of a Jewish state created by Stalin. The team includes women who have sometimes fled, and others who have remained in the Netherlands, feeling somewhat displaced, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Natalia Perel explained that her situation was even more complicated. As a Jew who had been oppressed in Russia, who had fled, and who was then condemned here as a Russian because of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine: \u201cAnd then came 7 October\u2026\u201d. Talk about complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Complications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That, combined with the fact that family members left behind also need to be protected, means that the dialogue with the public is not as open and honest as we might hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It turned out to be a complicated evening, with a play that could still do with some improvement if it were also performed in Russian or Yiddish, with surtitles. Perhaps it would then become even more complicated, but if this performance \u2013 followed by a post-show discussion \u2013 makes one thing clear, it is that you can only tackle a complicated reality with complicated art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s why you need a non-commercial festival like Amsterdam Fringe to see a production like this, one that isn\u2019t quite ready for the mainstream circuit. Because it teaches you that \u2018the stranger\u2019 is always worth the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">The team has set up a crowdfunding campaign. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.voordekunst.nl\/ontdek?q=queer+quark\">Click here<\/a>.<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Ik hou van gecompliceerde verhalen. Mijn voorbeeld is Tsjechov. Zijn personages zijn ook enorm gelaagd.&#8221; Regisseur en schrijver Evgeniya Rudyuk reageert hiermee op opmerkingen uit het publiek tijdens het gesprek na de voorstelling &#8220;Queer Quark&#8221; in CC Amstel. De missie is geslaagd. Haar naamloze hoofdpersonage, gespeeld door Natalia Perel, vertelt een verhaal waarvan ze een [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[16518,8843,4759,11687],"tags":[480,58,4079],"class_list":["post-138815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-podiumkunst","category-theater-podiumkunst-2","category-donatie-gevraagd","tag-amsterdam-fringe","tag-recensie","tag-rusland"],"featured_image_url":[],"post_author":"Wijbrand Schaap","assigned_categories":"featured, PODIUMKUNST, THEATER, WAARDEER &amp; DONEER!","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101084,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/genomineerden-jos-brink-prijs-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":0},"title":"Nominees Jos Brink Prize 2026","author":"een van onze leden","date":"30 March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The nominees for the Jos Brink Oeuvre Prize and the Jos Brink Innovation Prize have been announced. An independent jury led by Duncan Lawrence has selected Splinter Chabot, Pim Lammers and Fleur Pierets for the Oeuvre Prize.  Remco Boxelaar, Romy Rock and Junior van Keulen are the nominees to receive the Innovation Award,...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":123576,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/07\/rene-geerlings-en-maas-theater-en-dans-nemen-afscheid-van-elkaar\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":1},"title":"REN\u00c9 GEERLINGS AND MAAS THEATER EN DANS ARE GOING THEIR SEPARATE WAYS","author":"Maas Theater en Dans","date":"2 July 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"ROTTERDAM - After years together, Ren\u00e9 Geerlings and Maas theatre and dance are parting ways. Since taking up his position as artistic director-manager in 2020, Geerlings has set the artistic direction, bringing together youth theatre, social engagement, experimentation, and multiplicity of voices. Under his leadership, among other things, Maas theatre and dance has further developed as...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":89063,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2022\/12\/evenementen-in-het-amsterdam-museum-maand-januari-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":2},"title":"Events at the Amsterdam Museum - Month of January 2023","author":"een van onze leden","date":"22 December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"In addition to a permanent collection on display at Amstel 51 and at Huis Willet-Holthuysen, as well as temporary exhibitions, the Amsterdam Museum offers a programme of public events. These take place at various venues and are aimed at a diverse audience. The following events are scheduled for January 2023. Visit www.amsterdammuseum.nl for the latest information. ----------------------------------------------- Queer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;PERSBERICHTEN&quot;","block_context":{"text":"PERSBERICHTEN","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/persberichten\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Amsterdam Museum aan de Amstel -Panorama Amsterdam. Foto: Amsterdam Museum Gert Jan van Rooij","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Amsterdam-Museum-aan-de-Amstel.-Panorama-Amsterdam-2-.-Foto-Amsterdam-Museum-Gert-Jan-van-Rooij.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":88504,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2022\/10\/de-queer-avonden-van-house-of-circus-hebben-humor-met-tanden-festivalcircolo\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":3},"title":"House of Circus' queer nights have humour with teeth #FestivalCircolo","author":"Helen Westerik","date":"25 October 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Toen ik een jaar of zestien was en een beetje onhandig, heb ik een clownerieworkshop gedaan in het cultureel centrum in de buurt. Ik leerde er over mijn eigen voeten struikelen. Dat heb ik helaas niet meer verleerd. Hiermee was mijn kennis en liefde voor het circus wel zo\u2019n beetje\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Circolo&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Circolo","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/specials\/circolo\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/joakim.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":94685,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/07\/queer-ballroom-cultuur-komt-naar-nieuw-west-amsterdam\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":4},"title":"QUEER BALLROOM CULTURE COMES TO NIEUW-WEST, AMSTERDAM","author":"een van onze leden","date":"4 July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Een roep voor meer queer activiteiten klinkt vanuit Nieuw-West en zal op 29 juli worden beantwoord. Op de eerste maandag van\u00a0Pride Amsterdam\u00a0zal\u00a0The Kiki Kiki Ball\u00a0plaats vinden in\u00a0Space for Dance Art, georganiseerd door\u00a0Deion Versace\u00a0en ondersteund door\u00a0ICK Dans Amsterdam,\u00a0en maker\u00a0Robin Nimanong.\u00a0 The Kiki Kiki Ball\u00a0zet hun allereerste editie groots neer met workshops,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;DANS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"DANS","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/podiumkunst\/dans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/e79119d022198052cd6ff4fc6c120130b3a4d1e7.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/e79119d022198052cd6ff4fc6c120130b3a4d1e7.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/e79119d022198052cd6ff4fc6c120130b3a4d1e7.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/e79119d022198052cd6ff4fc6c120130b3a4d1e7.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/e79119d022198052cd6ff4fc6c120130b3a4d1e7.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70711,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2021\/07\/proud-aliens-een-kleurrijke-tentoonstelling-door-framer-frameds-open-atelier\/","url_meta":{"origin":138815,"position":5},"title":"PROUD ALIENS: A colourful exhibition by Framer Framed's Open Atelier","author":"een van onze leden","date":"30 July 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Is it okay to be a proud alien in a world where marginalised people feel alienated? The LGBTQ+ project group at Framer Framed's Open Studio for i-psy participants have created a utopian future where differences and diversity are celebrated and recognised as something beautiful. 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