14 april 2026
Looking back with Georgios
‘The crew that programmed tent Paars was incredibly helpful, professional, and knowledgeable.’
We asked artists what their most prominent memories of the last edition of Theaterfestival Boulevard were. What was their favourite moment, what was the atmosphere at the festival like for them, and what did they learn for the future.
Georgios Lazakis (1985) is a spoken word artist, rapper and speaker with Greek roots. In the past, he has worked with Kyteman, 2Pac’s Outlawz, The Game, Snoop Dogg and many others. Last year, he visited Boulevard with ‘No Story, Just Life’, where he guided the audience through a personal and musical journey.
The performance is autobiographical and tells the story of a son of migrants. At home he grows up surrounded by Greek culture, while Dutch society moulds him outside of it. Where his (grand)parents were handed certain opportunities fifty years ago, we now see those opportunities used for the next generations, like by Georgios himself. In his teens he worked in production, just like his family. At the same time, he dreams of a future in music. It seems like that will be happening for him, when an unexpected event changes his life.
Experience
He doesn’t have to think about his personal highlight for too long. ‘The Cyper HQ team that programmed tent Paars was incredibly helpful, professional and knowledgeable. Well done to the crew, for how they supported the new arts and managed to make every day a party of its own.’ He can also name the most Brabant-like experience within a heartbeat: the sentence ‘Hedde gij zo un showtje hier?’ (‘Do you have a performance here soon?’).
The atmosphere could be described as familiar, according to Lazakis. ‘It’s a pretty big festival, yet it’s like everyone knows each other. The venue is also amazing. On De Parade, right before a performance, you’re looking up at the Sint-Jans Cathedral. That’s epic. And Tent Paars turns into a dance party at night, that was incredible. I also thought it was quite special that some visitors came to the performance twice. Apparently, they’d been so moved by the first performance that they wanted to see it again. That’s love!’
‘The response that stuck with me the most is that of the visitors that were visibly emotional and told me, in tears, that they recognized themselves deeply in my story. Parents also told me that the performance gave them and their kids a way to start conversations about topics that don’t get brought up in casual conversation, like death. It gave them a space to share these themes with each other.’
‘I also thought it was quite special that some visitors came to the performance twice. Apparently, they’d been so moved by the first performance that they wanted to see it again.’
Looking back and ahead
‘My takeaway from this edition artistically speaking is that we had to bring the show back to half an hour. It forced us to make harsh and powerful choices. You really learn to see what is essential and dare to let go of sections that might be good, but not necessary for what’s at the heart of the story. The same thing goes for decor.’
‘Personally, I was touched that the performance managed to gather such a wide audience. Young and old could recognize themselves and enjoy it. To me, that really confirmed that the story is universal and can connect different generations.’
‘At the same time, I realised that the performance does not necessarily fit within the boundaries of the current theatre sphere. For example, we noticed a limited response to our announcement, which can be confronting. That made it extra special when the Greek embassy replied. Izak and I were invited for a conversation with the ambassador in The Hague, where we talked over a cup of coffee and handed over our vinyl record. She told us that she appreciated how the show represented both the Greek and Dutch culture so strongly. That was recognition that really moved me.’
‘Professionally speaking this edition also helped us move forward. Production centre Kosmik was a fan of our work, and we are looking into how we can mutually support each other. Currently, we are evolving the performance into a complete evening programme, with the goal of having an official premiere and a tour across the country. At the same time, we’re having a hard time placing the show into one genre. It’s a mix of hiphop, music, spoken word and singing accompanied by multiple instruments. While that is an artistic strength, it also makes it hard to program the performance within traditional theatre frameworks. That’s why we’re also looking into other venues such as pop podiums and festivals. We’ve already set up a small theatre tour in May, and we hope to do a bigger tour across pop podiums in the second half of 2026. Naturally, that prospect is very motivating.’
There are some things Lazakis would do differently, like bringing his own sound and light crew for some extra creative flexibility. ‘But I would be back to perform at Boulevard’s Tent Paars in a heartbeat. That would also be my advice to visitors: take a couple days off in August and wander around the festival. Bring your friends, family and partner and laugh, cry, feel together while visiting multiple performances a day. Meet new people, discover new artists and welcome new artforms into your life. Enjoy the atmosphere and end your night dancing in Tent Paars. I hope to meet you on that dancefloor.’
