Unique Venues means special stories. Stories of amazing and, above all, unforgettable events. This week, we dive into the Unique Venue event case: De Duif. About a music theatre in COVID times: at 1.5 meters.

In short:

• Deep-sea church of Project Wildeman
• Musical theatre at a distance of one and a half meters
• Creative repurposing
• A textbook example of how to experience culture under COVID measures

The performance Deep Sea Church

Project Wildeman is a music theatre group from Amsterdam that experiments with rituals. The grand, all-encompassing stories and ceremonies that connect us to each other and the contemporary world around us have fallen out of favor, creating a void. Project Wildeman fills that void.

To be able to showcase such a project during COVID-19, we had to, as a location the Dove, taking the measures into account. Visitors had to sit far enough apart. Somewhat of a challenge for a performance that revolves around creating a bond between people. Through the right setup, responding to the start of an individual experience, and the right ambiance, we were able to establish the atmosphere the performance required. The audience could experience the space, and the origin and meaning-making function of the building played an integral role in the performance.

The special thing about this event and how everything came together..

Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there were few commercial opportunities. No dinners, conferences, or receptions, for which De Duif is primarily used. During the earlier lockdown, the theater group was able to rehearse and do try-outs at another Stadsherstel location, the Van Houtenkerk in Weesp, in preparation for this premiere at De Duif.

This event was aimed at connecting people. That is fully in line with the culture we have offered in the recent period, in which we specifically created neighborhood-oriented moments of reflection and connection with hybrid and streamed concerts from De Duif.

How this match came about..

We have been utilizing Stadsherstel's event venues, of which De Duif is the most prestigious, for interesting cultural projects for over 30 years. We have always been able to offer a cultural prize thanks to the income from corporate rentals. This allows us to preserve this cultural heritage and ensures that the national monument De Duif remains open to the public in as many different ways as possible, not just for a limited number of people.

Culture will always play an important role in the purpose of De Duif, but we are naturally eager for more opportunities where we can once again plan and execute complex business events.

Want to know more about De Duif and the possibilities? View this urban renewal location.