For starters, tell us a bit about yourself.
„Well, I’m 24 and a year ago I graduated from the HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht as a teaching theatre maker. I also studied professional dancing, and this is something that you really see in my work. During my performances I love to move around. At the moment I’m with a mime company to create theatre with themes that inspire me.“
What inspires you to create a performance?
„Many things inspire me. Stuff on the street, music I hear or videos I see. I’m a big fan of commercials. The new Kenzo commercial for instance really blows my mind. You should see it. A woman at a sophisticated event just loses it completely. I think you can say that I like things that are a bit weird and causes friction.“
What will you do during Secret Rooms?
„For Secret Rooms I got inspired by an old Amsterdam poem by Guido Gezelle from 1859. It’s a poem that repeats itself over and over again and sounds a bit outdated and even goofy. The goofiness, humoristic and light vibe is something we’ll use in the show, which will be acted out by five players of Toneelgroep BAM. The performance is about when you keep trying and trying, but it just won’t work. It will be funny and visual with a lot of moving around. The rooftop hot tubs of Badplaats will be our stage. Think swimmers and hot and steaming bodies.“
How does an unusual location, like a hotel room or elevator, contribute to your performance?
„Oh, it’s fantastic. You can do so much with the location as a theatre maker. It gives you a lot to work and play with. It’s great to honour the special spot that you’re playing at. But sometimes it can be a bit of a practical and technical challenge.“
Can you tell us a little secret of your own?
„Ok, here it goes. During Secret Rooms we’ll perform with clothes, but also without…“
// Secret Rooms – Location theatre festival for curious minds
Sunday 26 February 2017 // 13:00-22:00
Tickets between €7,50 and €12,50 per show
Available online // www.volkshotel.nl/secretrooms
// Osmosis by BAM!
Find out more about Jochem’s Secret Rooms performance.