Hilvarenbeek brings an old tradition back to life with a huge dragon. Half the village participates in the open-air spectacle ‘Joris sticks the dragon’, which everyone can come and see for free this weekend: “You will hardly find this tradition in Brabant anymore.”
There is something to see for the residents of Hertog Janstraat on Thursday evening. On the lawn in front of their door, about 60 players practice the open-air spectacle ‘Joris makes the dragon’. Members of the guild, children from primary school and members of the theater and dance association: they all participate.
“We want to give cultural life a boost again,” explains director Jacqueline Franken. “After corona, association life here had collapsed a bit. This is how we ensure that people get to know each other again.”
“People got spoiled by TV, movies and big musicals.”
Hilvarenbeek has a rich history with outdoor games. They were performed regularly between the 1950s and the 1980s. Then it bled to death.
Franken: “People got spoiled by TV, movies and big musicals. This is low-threshold theater, actually quite simple.”
The showpiece in the open-air spectacle is the large green dragon, which is operated by seven players. Saint George stabs him. And that honor is reserved for Joost Vennix. Since he has the leading role, he has been the hero of the village: “But my ego is not that big. I can take it”, laughs Joost.
“So incredibly clever that we managed to do this.”
There is also a main role for the king. And as things go in a village, the player of that part was cast in the pub. Bas Kluiters: “I was asked for a beer. “Do you want to be the king?” And I’ve been king ever since. I think because I have such a low voice.”
Kluiters has lived in the village for twenty years: “That’s what I like about Hilvarenbeek. There is always something to do. The inhabitants form a large club that enthusiastically tackles things together. It is so amazing that we managed to do this.”
It is intensive for the director: “There are a few people with experience, but also a lot without. We’ll see where it leads,” laughs Franken. “It is very nice to see the enthusiasm and to feel how it lives in the community.”
She hopes the tradition will continue: “It won’t work every year, because these productions are very complicated. But we will try.”
‘Joris poking fun’ can be seen for free on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon at the Vrijthof in Hilvarenbeek.
