The Holland Festival, Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam
11 – 24 June 2007
Amsterdam
This was one of the more startling buildings the show has been presented in. The geometric lines and vast glass walls made this a spectacular version of the show, if not an especially large one. The audience was a mix of people searching the show out and those stumbling across it before or after a concert in the main hall. To our knowledge this performance was the first time Royalty have experienced the show. Queen Beatrix is reputed to have looked round late at night long after the Stan’s Cafe crew had hit the bar, but failed to leave a comment in the book.
Those people who did leave comments described the show as ;confronting’. The Dutch clearly enjoyed the show’s political provocations. People kept adding themselves to the show in rice on pieces of paper they found and labelled, really getting into it.
Highlights
Large cruise ships docked alongside the venue, filling our field of vision Saskia one of the helpers came as one of her performance characters The City Maiden of Amsterdam and read a poem about the show before giving out small gifts. All this after her mother had donated a beautiful set of weights for the show.
Credits
Performers: Heather Burton, Alison Carney, Chris Dugrenier, Louisa Pearson, Jack Trow.
Concept & Direction: James Yarker
General Manager: Emily Dawkes
Advisory Producer: Nick Sweeting
It’s marvellous and in a way very sad. It helped me to see the perspective again. Thanks
Edo
Great, confronting and laughable. The Eurovision Song Contest surprised me a lot.
Regine
Genius, never had so many thoughts with one grain of rice.
Nib
It was unlike anything I imagined! What an experience!! You go through all these emotions and real life stories…looking at heaps of rice. Thanks!
Anne
This is a political debate. Art that makes you think. That’s real art. Very arty.
Audience Member
I hope you will be able to convince the right people to add only one dish of rice to each hungry child in the world.
Audience Member
Fine to see statistics brought to life, and yet with a material that once lived but lives no more.
Ken
Hope I am a nice rice grain
Roos