Over Het IJ ("on the other side of the IJ") Festival


Each summer this locatietheater festival is held on the historical terrain of the NDSM shipyard, located on the “other side of the IJ” (the IJ being a body of water bordering the north side of the historical city center).  Shows here are held in all kinds of venues or locations (hence the Dutch word ‘locatietheater’), from giant boat sheds to tiny sea containers (previously used to transport items overseas) and then everything in between! It takes approximately 15 minutes to get there from Central Station by way of a little pedestrian (and bicycle) ferry, which for me only adds to the experience. It’s somehow refreshing to have a random snippet of 15 minutes all to myself, surrounded by nothing but water, with the wind (and sometimes rain) in my face, in the middle of an otherwise busy day. Then when I get to the other side, it’s almost literally like I’ve left everything belonging to the city behind.

Working as a volunteer at this festival, I received a pass that allowed me to visit all performances the festival had to offer (at least upon availability). I especially loved the dance performance Tide by Arno Schuitemaker (whose surname oh so coincidentally means: shipbuilder), which was set outside in five different scenes at five different locations, the first of which took place on a (what once may have been a typical Dutch fishing) boat. We followed the cast of three dancers through these different scenes on foot. Sometimes they were seen walking far off into wide set horizons, other times they were walking closely among us, at times even initiating physical contact in the form of a hug. This dance could absolutely not have had the same effect in any other location (despite the lack of music), as it was beautifully interwoven with the rusty remains of the shipyard, using the entirety of the terrain as its decor. The downside of course, was that a constant drizzle also accompanied us on our outdoor journey, which meant that at the end we (and I think I speak for most of us) were all quite damp despite the colorful rain ponchos.

I suppose, upon reflection, that volunteering was a good way to experience the festival. I don’t know a lot about theater and I had certainly never visited this particular festival before, but I was in the mood to try something fun and new in the middle of a dreary Dutch summer. Although I saw less of the festival than if I had spent the time in which I was volunteering as a regular paying visitor, I also became more inspired to see more of the different shows than if I had just randomly visited for a day with some friends. Volunteering also had the added effect of making me feel like a part of the festival as opposed to a mere visitor. Not to mention the fact that the shows were free for volunteers, which was a huge advantage for a ‘starving student’ like me (although I am technically speaking neither a student nor starving).  Also, since my job was to sell tickets at various sea container performances, I did manage to sneak into most of these (sometimes even during my shift). These were all short pieces made by recent graduates from theater related disciplines, who had to find a way to use this small space in a creative way.  By the end, I managed to see 8 out of the 12 that were being performed, and each one was crazier than the next.  

Besides the shows I described above, there was much more to see and do.  There were some I had definitely not wanted to miss out on, but due to time constraints on my part will forever remain a mystery. For instance, one piece (featuring the concept of solitude) consisted of a several hour walk through a meadow, in which you were all by yourself (how could that still be theater, I am  left to ponder). Another show was curiously set in the tunnel of the Noord-Zuidlijn ( a new metro line still under construction). Another by the name of ‘Sweet Dreams’, was performed solely by children and involved sleeping out in the forest all night. Although I’ll never know how these particular ones turned out, I must clear my schedule for next summer to see what they come up with next!








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