Drag queen galore in the Tolhuistuin
Dutch carnival has just ended but some people like to disguise any time of the year. I’m talking about drag queens, or drags. A phenomenon that's getting more and more popular here. This Saturday nine drag houses with more than 100 drags compete for the precious title Leading drag house, on the Superball. So much extravaganza under one roof is simply fabulous. (..more)
What to do at Museumnacht this year
A couple of weeks ago my news feed was bombed with sweaty, naked human bodies. The women held a golden necklace in their mouth with two words: Art Sells. To my surprise this campaign wasn't Suit Supply, but the cultural institute of Museumnacht. (..more)
Have a sustainable weekend at the Strawberry Earth Fair
Who likes to visit an urban forest where you can drink, dance and at the same time learn more about the possibilities to make the earth a little ‘greener’? I do! This weekend the aptly named organization Strawberry Earth connects the dots at their Strawberry Earth Fair at the Tolhuistuin. (..more)
Relive the Seventies with Toneelgroep Oostpool
Sometimes I think I was born too late. I would’ve loved to live in the hippie age; wearing flared jeans, protest with a guitar and blow ideals into the world. I’d travel down to San Francisco to experience a summer of love and then go back to Amsterdam to lie in bed with Yoko Ono. Unfortunately I would never meet my historical heroes in real life, but the play They are Just Kids by Toneelgroep Oostpool can let me dream away. Writer Roeland Hofman tells me more about it. (..more)
KOPSTUKKEN at the House with the Heads
You gotta love the weekends of June. The sun kissed Amsterdam, its urbanites and both are more awake than ever. You would almost think the city is starved when you saw the crowds at The Rolling Kitchen last weekend. You might believe in fairy tales again when leaving the magical forest of Lentekabinet or cruising back to the mainland after the last bash of Toren. (..more)
Sunday Unknown on Super Sunday
Do you know why Sunday is my favourite day of the week? It’s easy, jazzy and my red wine always tastes sweeter. Friday madness is then already a memory you can whisper about with your good company. Having a hangover is totally accepted, so having brunch with eggs and pancakes is too. I once met a couple of guys who even had a song for this holy rest day. I only remember the dreamy line ‘Super Sundaaay’, but maybe that was all. Here’s an event that perfectly fits the tail of your weekend. (..more)
Confused souls in De City
On a windy Monday evening I meet two young women in De Smoeshaan, behind Leidseplein. We’re here to talk about De City, their theatre performance which is having a comeback in Het Compagnietheater. Director Marijke de Kerf and actress Naomi Velissariou both graduated form the Toneelacademie Maastricht. (..more)
Stedelijk Museum and Club Trouw show you DATA
Last weekend the third and last edition of Stedelijk at Trouw kicked off. No better way to check out art in a space where you normally dance the night away. This collaboration between our museum for modern art and Amsterdams ever advancing nightclub composed an exhibition around the theme DATA. Spread through De Verdieping and the smoking area you can see the video works of three artists.This marriage between our night shelter and contemporary art is definitely worth a visit, at least because this is the most low-key museum you'll find. (..more)
Het Proces shows Kafka had a righteous vision
‘Is this some crazy joke?’ Josef K. screams when he wakes up one day and gets arrested in his pyjamas. He’s guilty, but of what? Neither the clownish looking detectives nor he himself knows. ‘Because the court says so,’ is their repeated answer. This is the story of Het Proces (The Trial) by the writer Franz Kafka. You don’t need to have read the book to enjoy this crazy tale; Toneelgroep Oostpool created a thrilling theatrical piece with a lot of young men in colourful suits, who made me think of the University of Amsterdam's employees. (..more)
Upgrade your Kriterion movie night in the basement of DoKa
Have you already visited my favourite, Berlin-ish, temporary nightclub DoKa? If not, hurry yourself to the Wibautstraat. The basement of the former Volkskrant building now holds a disco with Amsterdam-atypical extravaganza: finally some more craziness you have to find out for yourself. Preparing for ADE and not really into a party mode upcoming weekend? Then Kriterion‘s film night is the best way to check out this new hotspot and save your energy. (..more)