The employees of Theater De Liefde are approaching the cultural season in good spirits. The new program is firmly under construction despite the uncertain future. Houses are being built in the Begijnhof chapel where the theater is housed. “We are known as a stubborn little theater, so we’re just going to start full.”
Simone Lensink of the foundation board of the theater has understood from the municipality that no construction will take place this year. The building permit has yet to be granted. But she is well aware that the theater is only an anti-squat tenant of the Begijnhof chapel in the center.
The housing plans of project developer Frans Ludwig therefore do not come out of the blue. The municipality has postponed the building application until after the summer recess, but Theater De Liefde will not object for the time being. “As a tenant, we have no rights,” says Lensink.
Search new location
“The most important thing is that we like to stay here. This location fits us like a glove.” The foundation board has a ‘short line’ with culture alderman Diana van Loenen and talks to other small cultural institutions that are also struggling with the location problem. “Circus Hakim also has to make way for housing and the De Pletterij Center for Debate and Culture wants to move to a different location,” says Lensink. “So locations have to be shifted anyway.”
In any case, the uncertain future does not prevent the theater from creating new programming. For example, Simone says that the agenda of Theater De Liefde is already bulging with performances. A number of big names such as Lenny Kuhr, Jeroen Zijlstra and Yorick van Norden feature on it, but there is mainly room for new talent.
Exactly the reason that the cabaret theater started two years ago, under the inspiring leadership of comedian and singer Mylou Frencken, sand artist Gerrie Hondius and journalist Simone Lensink, among others.
Dubious night
Every first Wednesday of the month there is Open Podium for up-and-coming artists. The Dubious Evening takes place on the last Wednesday of the month and is the stage in the Begijnhof chapel for the female comedy collective.
The non-profit theater and run by volunteers has managed to conquer a special place in the city in a short time. It made the national news when Theo Maassen did a full room was allowed to perform, despite the then applicable one and a half meter distance rule in connection with corona.
Without subsidy
All in all, it remains to be seen for the theater whether they can complete the year in the Begijnhof chapel. “It’s a very complicated puzzle here in Haarlem. But we do know that the municipality is happy with Theater De Liefde. We offer ‘free’ culture without a subsidy. I don’t expect them to just have a building for us next year, but They’re going to help us where they can.”
With that positive attitude, the cabaret program will start on Saturday. As Mylou Frencken and Gerdie Hondius also want to emphasize in their already sold-out opening performance: “After all, we all have to face the future, whatever it may bring.”