Kakek, Opa & Ik by Studio Figur (Netherlands)

Kakek, Opa & Ik 
Target Audience: for 7+ ages
Duration: 50 minutes
References to the Independence war.

Synopsis
A magical-realistic family performance (ages 7+) full of puppetry, live music, and hidden histories.

"Why do I feel so angry?"
Sometimes it feels like a storm is dwelling in Novi's chest. Nobody knows why. Least of all herself.

One day, when the storm rages again, Novi flees to the attic. An old, dusty place full of boxes, yellowed photos, and the smell of long ago. But then something strange happens: two mysterious figures appear—fighting, roaring, and when they see Novi, fleeing. They each disappear into a different photo album. And Novi? She jumps in after them.

In Kakek, Opa & Ik, a curious child delves into the colonial history of the Netherlands and Indonesia. Literally. Through photo albums, letters, and old melodies, she travels back in time, to a hidden past. What begins as a playful exploration slowly transforms into a magical journey through family history, where Novi discovers that the anger she feels is older than herself. That emotions can travel, from heart to heart, from generation to generation. And that understanding sometimes begins with looking, listening—and feeling.

DIRECTOR: Noufri Bachdim
ACTORS: Afra Ernst, Jorrit de Vries, Sharifa Smith, Alexander Brouwer
PUPPET MAKER: Pluck Venema
COMPOSITION: Sebastiaan Bax 
SONGS: Faradays
SCENOGRAPHY: Pluck Venema, Annelies Michelle Shakison
LIGHTING DESIGN: Yannick Verweij
CHOREOGRAPHY: Afra Ernst
TECHNICIAN: Marco Steenks
PRODUCTION: Rochelle van Maanen

Supported by: Erasmus Huis Jakarta

Artist’s Profile
Studio Figur, founded by artistic directors Noufri Bachdim and Pluck Venema, makes poetic and sensory puppet theatre. With physical play, puppet/object theatre, live film and music, new stories are told in which current issues are central. In their performances, films and installations, both children and adults are taken to another reality, in which the imagination of young and old is set in motion in a playful and inspiring way.  We believe that major issues can best be made tangible by reducing them to a human scale. We do this by creating visual and empathetic theatre that touches the audience in a multi-sensory and language-poor way. In this way, we hope to achieve that those who experience the issues in their own lives will find recognition and strength and that the outsider will develop understanding. In addition, we feel the need to actively contribute to the visibility and artistic growth of the discipline of puppet/object theatre in the Netherlands.

studiofigur.com
IG: @studiofigur