Global Citizens of the Voorstreek

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Global Citizens of the Voorstreek

What can the entrepreneurs of the Voorstreek tell us about the Leeuwarden of 2018? What are the real stories from behind the scenes? Inspired by the residents of the well-known Leeuwarden Voorstreek, Tryater collaborates with Leeuwarder Courant (a newspaper) to create the unique, multimedia presentation Global Citizens of the Voorstreek. 

A journalist and a theatre-producer went grocery shopping at a Kurdish supermarket, had their hair braided at an African salon, ate biscuits in a Russian supermarket, asked questions. They finally got to hear the real stories from behind the scenes in the Voorstreek, Leeuwarden. From this, a multimedia showcase will be made in 2018 entitled Wereldburgers van de Voorstreek (Global Citizens of the Voorstreek).

The Voorstreek has always been a bustling area in Leeuwarden. In the 21st century, it’s a street where you can find the most unconventional of products: from luxurious buttons to exotic food. A place where people from all over the world define the street image and where you hear a chorus of different languages.

Collaboration between newspapers and theatre company

What do these people have to say about the Leeuwarden of 2018? It’s a question that Kirsten van Santen (cultural anthropologist and journalist at the Leeuwarder Courant) and Ira Judkovskaja (theatre producer and artistic director at Tryater) pondered upon. Their curiosity formed the initial spark to Wereldburgers van de Voorstreek. A multimedia theatre piece that interweaves the accents from the Voorstreek into an arrangement and brings their stories closer to the surface. The Leeuwarder Courant publishes a series of articles on the (people of the) Voorstreek.

Language and story

Tryater constantly works with Frisian and multilingualism. They, however, go a step further with Wereldburgers van de Voorstreek: each and every story is included in the performance...word for word. Each foreign accent acts as a tool for active listening and to get to know the person behind the accent.

Performance dates

This unique theatre performance can be seen on location in Leeuwarden in April and May. Want a sneak-peak? A public rehearsal takes place in March in De Harmonie theatre.

Wereldburgers van de Voorstreek is a project-concept by Ira Judkovskaja and Kirsten van Santen, with direction and concept by Ira Judkovskaja and co-direction by Aukje Schaafsma. Music is written by Beppe Costa. With performances of Nynke Heeg, Raymond Muller and Tamara Schoppert, and costumes designed by Linda Eijssen.