20 april 2026
Looking back with Studio Figur
‘The audience understood the message of our performance perfectly, some members even came up to us who were genuinely moved. That was an incredibly special moment for us as artists.’
We asked theatre companies 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.
In the last edition, Studio Figur performed at Boulevard for the first time with ‘GAMMEL’.
In ‘GAMMEL’, you follow a peculiar friendship between an old man and a mysterious kid. A musical figure performance with puppets and masks about feeling needed. How every day counts, for young and old.
Experience
‘The highlight for us was performing for people with visual impairments during the meet & feel. It was nice to have time to really convey the performance before and afterwards. The audience and the organisation around it was nice. The employees in the nursing homes were also incredibly warm, friendly and open.’
‘What made the atmosphere at Boulevard so unique to us was the ability to perform on site at nursing homes. ‘GAMMEL’ has a target audience of 4+ and 75+, but it’s not always easy for those audiences to visit a theatre or other locations. The opportunity to visit the audience was super cool. The responses to ‘GAMMEL’ during Boulevard were also positive and enthusiastic, which is exactly what the performance is about.
Looking back and forward
‘GAMMEL’ is about growing old and how it might make you feel less needed in society. With this performance, we want to remedy that feeling and show that every day counts for young and old, to make the most out of it.
‘The audience understood the message of our performance perfectly, some members even came up to us who were genuinely moved. That was an incredibly special moment for us as artists.’
Currently they’re working hard for the performance of ‘Kakek, Opa & Ik’. A very personal story by director Noufri Bachdim. The performance will premiere in August, and then they’ll tour the country to perform in various cities.
In ‘Kakek, Opa & Ik’, Novi dives into her hidden family stories. Through old photobooks, letters and forgotten melodies she travels back in time, to a past that’s slowly coming to life. What starts as a fun journey of discovery about where she comes from, quickly grows into a magical journey through family history and a colonial history of The Netherlands and Indonesia that still affects the present. During her journey, Novi discovers that the anger she’s been feeling might be older than herself. That emotions can travel, from heart to heart, from one generation to the next. And how sometimes, understanding starts with watching, listening, and feeling.
‘We want to thank everyone who visited ‘GAMMEL’! We hope to see you at more performances from the Studio Figur universe. See you next time!’
