A message from inside the unknown

Dear reader,

It’s been a while. In this new, wide field of the unknown, we wave to you with our arms wide open. How are you?

In the last two months we noticed that – just like the measures of our Government – our needs and feelings are changing week by week. On a personal level as well as on a creative/working level. I write to you from within the unknown, a greeting, hoping to see you again soon. 

Veem House for Performance is a theatre for ideas, artists and audiences to meet. A place to form new perspectives, together. And to form a new perspective you need a starting point. That’s why we made a questionnaire to hear what your needs are. 

We are aware that we cannot provide a solution or prediction – but we do have experience in improvising. With adjusting to new situations. We have been embracing the unknown for quite some time now. We gain trust from that and will continue to be agile and considerate in this universal recalibration. And we are not alone. We are grateful to be part of a community of very involved artists, artworkers and audiences.

After the measures responding to COVID-19, we decided to slow down. To save resources, save hours, save space, save health. Creating space, time and attention to use in the near future. We hope to welcome a polyphony of voices again, entering Veem as curators, artists and audiences as soon as possible. But we are taking it step by step and will keep you updated about when our doors will reopen – we will do this when we think it’s right and safe to, not just when we are allowed to.

It was strange to enter our theater again after being absent for more than a month; absent from a space designed for communal gathering. I was there for an intimate run through of a new performance by Rob Smorenberg, who worked alone in our theatre in April. It felt so odd to recreate ‘normal’, to see three people so close but uncomfortably far and saying “hi” from across an empty tribune. It felt like doing something in secret, but it was so nice to see each other and to watch a performance in the theater. I also noticed that I was observing the space with a renewed gaze. It made me think: returning to the theater will be strange for all of us. Re-entering a site for communal gathering is not going to be like flipping a switch after the new norms of social distancing, we will have to start again, with little steps. Maybe we will organize a contextualised ‘Wendag’* for our community. We are so much looking forward to welcoming you again. 

We hope to see you soon, we hope you are safe and well. And for now, we are curious: what are your needs, thoughts and impressions about re-entering the theatre? Let us know.

Best,

Marga Kroodsma

Artistic Director

* a day of getting used to being in the theatre again