MY THEATRE MISSION 

I started my theatre interest from mainly being audience and from writing. I am a compulsive writer and everything I experience in life is a potential story. Theatre writing however, has only started for me beginning 2018 after a basic course. I have to admit I only got the sense of it AFTER this course.

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I have joined the London Playwright Workshop community in that year to be able to read, write and share ideas on writing as I found that collaboration with other writers was something I needed and wanted to develop. It has been a wonderful experience to me, being part of something bigger than

myself and having a sense of creation and doing good in this world. I like purpose.

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I see creativity as a sparkle.

 

Important here that the magic of the sparkle can remain in this process of innovation. To

make it tangible and transferable for collaboration and audience it needs to be become ´a

project´.

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The years 2018 and 2019 have been well spent. I have been involved in a group of theatre

makers at Huis van Puck the Netherlands whilst following an intensive course on making

theatre in all aspects. I became to understand Theatre build-up, directing and playing for

stage whilst learning and experiencing acting myself.

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I love making theatre. I am a very driven personality and there are so many influencing

factors involved I find it very rewarding to set something to stage.

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I wish to give a message to the audience in a though-provoking yet entertaining way as I find

using a bit of humor builds bridges between people. I find it a very strong way of sharing

underlying values without necessarily criticize or attack people: it has a nuanced way of

forcing interpretation to the audience that is a great fit for theatre.

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So far, my interests are diverse. I surprised by bringing worlds together that do not match, I

was playing and creating with (emerging) playwrights and/or had open collaborative

projects with writers. And I worked with amateur players.

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Success to me is to wake up every day inspired and open to the day, exploring, creating and

sharing this with other people who have mutual interests, to enrich life by some love and

care.

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In 2020 my work of field shifted. As the pandemic hit us, I stopped my activities at Huis van

Puck. Being a writer I felt I needed to develop myself more visually, and took the opportunity

to go back to my second love which is Photography. I come from a family of photographers

and walked with a camera, seeing the world though a lens, since early in childhood.

To continue my journey as artist - I learnt Fine Arts and Fine Art Photography at the Open

University, made my stories following images. Words were translated to images and images to

words. I became adapt doing that.

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As an artist, the world amazes me most of the time. That is why I create. I wish to let people

wonder. That is why I have chosen Fine Art. I play around with colours, I try to convey modes

and tones in my images. It should bring you onto a colourful and light journey imagining the

real.

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I am an explorer of life. I like to create. I love stories that have a strong sort of energy and for

this I started as a photographer with an urge to take something from the places I have been.

Something useful like building bricks. Something of the feel, the tones and modes. The

purpose I have when taking pictures is the possibility to recreate this world some other time,

focusing on something that still needs to be filled in with perhaps live actors.

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What makes theatre interesting?

The same aspects that makes life interesting!

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Let me elaborate on two things. The empathy part. And the creation part. Here you have it

why I love theatre: To make something together that was not there before.

On stage players are showing by their bodies and expressions, context etc. certain

experiences. And the audience knows it is fake, yet empathizes for the story and THEIR

experience. So the audience is aware and not aware - in a sort of semi-state of empathy.

There is a certain subjectivity created. I do not really grasp it and for some reason that is

fascinating.

 

Creative processes, in particular in collaboration with other people, have certain elements in

it that remain translucent and give al sort of provisional truths and different perspectives. It

gives room to try things out in the safest of environments, because partly you can invent your

own world.

 

It is the realization the world is wonderful - yet crazy - and the only part humans might have

to bring us a bit closer to each other is… this fuzzy thing as empathy and creation. We are all

unique human beings and stories are the closest thing that unite us and sustain us.

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Another important factor I believe: It is the proximity to things that defines you.

Which is context, largely based on your own experiences. If you open up a bit and empathise

with other people, hear a different story: You grow yourself. And this is not tangible, it is

subjective. You have become enriched. This makes you a stronger and arguably a better

person. We need and keep our culture, our values. Our humanity. And we need each other

to accomplish more, using each other’s differences. There is a reason you came onto this

world, you have ‘talents’ (some undefined. And with every defined talent comes on the other

side of their spectrum their pitfall – so life never gets boring) and you need to stir yourself as

best as possible. You are navigating this world. You build upon heritage. And yeah, hopefully

you enjoy the ride.

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I joined WOW-effect theatre amateur group in 2020 that is a group of English speaking actors

who still had projects despite the lock-down. They adapted towards monologues and filmed

performances. Following courses online and learning from their Art department I was able to

adapt myself from photography to film I was able to deep dive into collaborative art in a

different way.

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I love the international character and the opportunities to bridge different cultures, I explored

many options of art and collaborative opportunities. So far, I have written many plays and

being a maker became more and more serious and into my being as person. It became part

of my identity.

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The best advice:

‘Make your net as wide as possible. And synthesise only those things that speak directly to

your soul.’

I am in favour of starting big and making deliberate cuts. When I edit down I just exaggerate

different things and make other choices. I can always stop, go back again to the complexity

and make different choices. In fact - I would argue the bigger picture, the things that are not

emphasised and not even shown, might still be there in context. It builds an enriched and

condensed story world.

The more you cut off, the more headspace and room for creative processes to follow. It is an

ever evolving process.

I have such a diverse background, sensed and know I have a rich imagination, can

cooperate in all types of different projects. Yet.

 

Working with amateurs, picking up knowledge as I go. Writing and photography with such

energy makes me feel I am depleting it quickly. Another play, another film performance with

amateurs. Yes, I will learn from it, no doubt. Will I reach a higher level? Will I reach my

potential? If I am serious in this as theatre maker, and it did became part of me – of my soul.

How can I deepen it?

I need to study. Deeper. I need more of the classics, the people who have been on this

journey before. I need a peer group of other makers who share dreams, aspirations.

I need to believe in the future. And invest.

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I trust the coming years finding a collaborative partner I am able to guide myself and my program step by step to a much more comprehensive and less fragmented approach. All the pieces I worked out along the way can be put together, making a solid foundation, deeper connections. With references kept and safeguarded from my past, people I work with for a longer time and know me -  are able to recognize it. It will help me to enter into this field.

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I work in English, I love blending cultures and I believe International theatre in The Netherlands has growth opportunity. There are cities such as Amsterdam and The Hague who do not offer enough shows for expats, tourists or (other) people who prefer the English language. Translating to Dutch is sometimes sacrificing the inner meaning of a particular play. Certain words can never properly be translated. I love unravelling words and meanings, bring it alive with images and then building a mutual story out of it. With actors on stage. And then of course the ultimate:

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A live performance to audience on stage.