De Parade Festival Lineup Features Margriet van der Linden and Queer-Themed Performances

De Parade Announces Summer Tour with a Focus on Diverse Voices

The annual traveling theatre festival, De Parade, has announced its full program for the upcoming summer season, featuring around 100 different performances. The festival, a staple of the Dutch summer, will travel to Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. This year's lineup includes several shows of particular interest to the LGBTQ+ community, with artists exploring themes of identity, history, and social structures.

Spotlight on Queer Narratives

Among the most anticipated performances is a new show by journalist and presenter Margriet van der Linden. She will guide the audience through her life, from a childhood in an orthodox Christian family to becoming the editor-in-chief of Opzij and the Netherlands' 'first lesbian talk show host'. The performance reportedly grapples with the question of progress in a world where conservative values are resurfacing.

Another notable entry is Hete Lijven (Hot Bodies) by Lennon Kors. Described as a "hyperactive monologue driven by compelling electronic music," the piece is framed as an "inner reflective rave." It aims to engage the audience directly, using sound and performance to seduce, confront, and encourage dancing.

Other Highlights from the Program

The festival offers a wide range of theatre, music, and performance art. Other selected highlights include:

Gershwin Bonevacia: The artist presents a show that seeks to dissolve binaries between music and word, light and sound. His performance is an exploration of integral beauty, arguing that it cannot be divided into separate categories.
De Theaterpianist: In this mini-musical by Jan Groenteman, a traditionally overlooked figure—the theatre pianist—steps out of the shadows to claim a place in the spotlight, questioning whether a life supporting others can be as valuable as one spent chasing fame.
De Brakke Hond: The duo (Mike Zanting and Ṣayọ Cadmus) reimagines Molière's classic farce De Vliegende Dokter. Their version uses fast-paced role-swapping and chaotic energy to explore themes of social inequality and power dynamics, placing the audience in the middle of the action.
Ashton Brothers: Celebrating 25 years since their start at De Parade, the performance troupe returns with a special anniversary show featuring a rotating lineup of special guests.
Het Agnospelkoor: A returning favorite, this gospel choir performs self-penned songs while a guest 'pastor' (including figures like Erik van Muiswinkel and Raoul Heertje) attempts to convince the audience of the merits of losing over winning.
Echt Gebeurd: The popular podcast comes to the stage, featuring people telling true stories from their own lives, alongside readings from their teenage diaries.