The play about the murder of Mina Koes is set in the nature reserve where things went so horribly wrong for the maid more than 140 years ago. In addition to dozens of volunteers who creatively support the performance, an old pullebok is also central. The boat was hoisted from the Veenesluis at Geeuwenbrug and transported to the nature reserve at Zuidwolde.
“The intention is that the orchestra will play on this”, Jan Rozema of the Mina Koes working group points to the pullebok. “It goes back and forth in the water of the Egge during the performance.”
“Why this boat? Because this boat is still somewhat original,” explains Rozema. “The play is set around 1880, so we wanted to find a bit of a boat from that time,” said the member of the working group. After a considerable search, they arrived at the pullebok that was located at the lock and the working group received permission to use the boat via the province of Drenthe. “And that doesn’t cost us anything. Yes, a pack of filled biscuits”, Rozema laughs as he starts handing out.
After some lifting, the old boat arrives at its destination. Ready to sail the eight musicians on it during the performance in and out of the set. “During the performance we go back to 1881, but we also stay in 2022. You see a young couple walking, and they feel something in nature here. Then a man comes along and that turns out to be Remmelt van der Hulst in his old guise. And then we keep going back between the present and the past,” says Bakker about the performance.
Ticket sales show that the story is alive and well: all performances are now sold out. “We still have a try-out on August 17, there are still a few tickets for that, but not a lot anymore,” says a satisfied Bakker.