ADEMHALEN MARCH 8th THE PREMIERE NICKERIE

March 8th, Nieuw Nickerie. The day of the premiere, international women's day.


The Nickerie performance had a great impact. It was more than I could possibly have foreseen.


Alida Neslo with her cast brought  the script alive,  making the lives and thoughts of women visible. Artistic and culturally enriched it shows women's resilience and the impact is has on women and the society they live in- voices of women who reflect on inequality, domestic violence, suicide, about choices and the courage it takes to live, to breathe.


Watching the play with the public is opening new layers again and again. In the hometown of the birth of this play it fills the air. With my dear friends, my posse, and my family I felt loved and supported for the stories I want to tell, for the work that I do, and the things I want to create for and on earth.


Feeling grateful for the women of Nickerie who trusted me with their stories, and had the courage to live their lives. Quote from the public ' I feel very emotional, it was about time we show the truth of our lives'.

Performing, Radha, Nanda and Nishtha, and the Goddess Kali

With the cast and the initiators ' The Dutch Embassy Paramaribo" 

The Director Alida Neslo with the cast and youth Nickerie (VWO/HAVO)

school performance Nickerie march 9th

Nickerie March 8th, full house!

School performance Nickerie, Discussion about the play, about women rights.

ADEMHALEN PREMIERE MARCH 8TH, 1 DAY TO GO

Note 4, 1 day to go

Road trip to Nickerie!

My posse, Rebi, Iraida, Marieke.

I have some great women who will come with me to Nickerie. Without realizing this , they all represent a part of my life. 
Although everyone knows everyone and each of them  is my close friend, family, this is the first time we cme together with the four of us and it feels surprisingly connected. 

Being with them reminds me of how I created the interaction in the play. It is how women come together, talk together..eat together :).

Jenny  for the lights

Ricardo for the sound

I walk into the theater.
It is a big round grey building from the outside, and the chairs are not the ones you are maybe used to in a theater but I like this place, it has a spirit and  it is beautiful located.
People are walking up and down, light installation, sound , cables, a team is at work. 
Mr Donk, who owns the place, prepared a table with coffee and some water, so thoughtful.
I only want to see the beginning of the rehearsal. And then wait for tomorrow.

With the production leader Ann 

We visited my good friend Tara , the pandita. The production called, asked us if we wanted to eat something special.. the answer to that....(is obvious!) When we drove by she stood in front of the restaurant waiting for us with a big smile and a lot of packages! Enjoy girls.. ........ it is Roti with dahl! Yes, I am ready for the premiere!

ADEMHALEN PREMIERE MARCH 8TH, 5 DAYS TO GO

landscape  Nickerie

NOTE 3, 5 days to go  

All these 16 years I visit Nickerie I keep on taking pictures of the landscape, the cattle, the rice fields. I love the space, the skyline, the fields. So much space, yet so difficult for so many lives to find space.  

Was Invited for the ABC program. Was early , stayed in the car , listening to the music of Raj Mohan. Five minutes before time I walked into the radio station. They already began.  It was okay I guess. 'Don't make it like a theme of Nickerie, that is a too big word for it' I said on a question of  what are the typical Nickerie themes. I think it just looks big because of the scale, but in fact, suicide, domestic violence, women rights, human rights, equality all sound to me universal issues.  A journalist called me, 'I liked that sentence you said', he told me. 

Rehearsals in the afternoon. I think for the whole time I was holding my breath. It is always such a strange experience to hear what you have written.. and see people play it.  I connected so much with what I saw and what I knew was the feeling I wanted to express. I felt still. Alida said. 'girl, relax, it is just work'.  And it really is. Hard work. Her input and the value of her directing this piece is what any playwright would wish for. It is like the rice on the field, first a small seed under water, finally rising... and rising.  

CCS with Kavita, Afiba, Ilhaam and Evita , giving my feedback 

Engagement. Alida  asked me to also give my feedback to the players which I did. And they related to what I told them. 

Spirit. Like the spirit.How great to hear and see them play what is written and not written, and with such dedication.

Cooling down. After these rehearsals a cooling down was what we needed. We went together for coffee/tea and talked. At home I  Made myself another tea, some sweet Chai and called my daughter on the other side of the ocean. Alida first went for a walk before heading home. It is a strong energy, this energy. Women energy.