International Literature Festival The Hague

Winternachten 2020

Wed 15 January - Sun 19 January 2020

Winternachten International Literature Festival The Hague celebrates its 25th anniversary with a festive edition! From 15 to 19 January 2020 Winternachten welcomes you in theatres, libraries and schools throughout The Hague: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, the Institute of Social Studies Zuiderstrandtheater and PAARD to Theater Dakota, the libraries Schilderswijk, Ypenburg and Nieuw Waldeck. WithÂ more thanÂ one hundred writers, poets and spoken word artists from home and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical discussions, films and music.

Retrospect

Wednesday 15 January 2020

20:15 - 22:00

Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 1

Opening Night

Celebrating 25 years of Winternachten festival: a preview and kick-off of the jubilee edition with poetry, prose and dance - English spoken

A fantastic line-up of fifteen Dutch and international authors provided a preview of the festival with their new poetry and prose, mixed with dance performances by Shailesh Bahoran. This festive …

Thursday 16 January 2020

12:30 - 13:30

Speakers' Corner Haagse Hogeschool

Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer in De Haagse Hogeschool

SOLD OUT! Interview about his poetry and his masterly novel Grand Hotel Europa - Dutch spoken

Writer, poet and classical scholar Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer is without a doubt one of the best-read contemporary Dutch authors. Besides his recent, award-winning novels La Superba and Grand Hotel …

16:00 - 18:00

Institute of Social Studies

International Storytelling Symposium

Decolonising the Mind: What happened to you? - English spoken

This program at the Institute of Social Studies has become a much-loved classic at Winternachten Festival. Visitors, writers, students and teachers tell each other stories. This time around, the …

19:30 - 22:00

Paard Grote zaal

WWZ x Writers Unlimited 2020 (featuring a.o. Sticks)

Performers, poetry, punchlines, music, exhibits, beer & bites

Performers, poetry, punchlines, music, exhibits, beer & bites in a feel-good setting during this special Winternachten edition of Woorden Worden Zinnen at PAARD in the Grote Zaal. For this special …

20:00 - 22:00

Bibliotheek Ypenburg

A Free Mind, Caribbean Style!

SOLD OUT! Music, poetry and dance from the Caribbean - Dutch spoken

In the Ypenburg Public Library, we take you on a journey through music, dance and poetry from the Caribbean. A program to whirl you away, plus food for contemplation. The Curacaoan poets and thinkers …

20:15 - 22:00

Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 1

Free the Word Night - Oxfam Novib PEN Award

Festive programme with Free the Word! speech and awarding of the Oxfam Novib PEN Award - English spoken

The evening programme will be opened by poet Asha Karami. Her performance will be followed by the introduction of the Free the Word!-speech by PEN International Chair Jennifer Clement. The speech, …

20:15 - 21:45

Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 2

Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer is Europe

SOLD OUT! The author on the couch in a fascinating roleplay with psychiatrist Damiaan Denys - In Dutch

What is left of grande dame Europa? Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer takes to the couch in the role of this ailing part of the planet. Together with psychiatrist Damiaan Denys, he discusses the status of …

Friday 17 January 2020

20:00 - 01:00

Theater aan het Spui & Filmhuis Den Haag

Friday Night Unlimited

Literature, film and music on six stages - English and Dutch spoken

Get inspired by interviews about books, discussions on the festival theme A Free Mind , readings of newly written essays or poetry, film screenings and music! During Friday Night Unlimited you can …

20:15 - 22:00

Bibliotheek Nieuw Waldeck

Indonesian Roots in Poetry and Music: Ellen Deckwitz and Robin Block

SOLD OUT. A literary-musical evening in the Nieuw Waldeck Library - In Dutch

Tip: Ellen Deckwitz also appears with Robin Block and Adriaan van Dis at Saturday Night Unlimited in Theater aan het Spui. She will perform at the festive Opening Night - A Free Mind on Wednesday, …

Saturday 18 January 2020

10:30 - 11:30

Wijkwinkel bij Betje

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Theesessie met Cynthia Mc Leod

Writer in search of stories from the neighbourhood - Dutch spoken

All interested are welcome to a conversation with writer Cynthia Mc Leod from Suriname, known from her novel Hoe duur was de suiker? The coffee and tea are ready! The conversation will in Dutch. …

12:00 - 13:00

Spark Den Haag

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Theesessie met Walter Palm

Writer in search of stories from the neighbourhood - Dutch spoken

Tijdens het Winternachten Verhalen festival gaan we vanuit Theater en Filmhuis Dakota samen met schrijvers en dichters op zoek naar verhalen van mensen uit de wijk. In deze theesessie ontmoet u de …

13:30 - 14:30

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival -Theesessie met Vamba Sherif

Writer in search of stories from the neighbourhood - Dutch spoken

14:00 - 15:15

Bibliotheek Schilderswijk

Stories and poetry from Surinam and Aruba with Cynthia McLeod and Rosabelle Illes

SOLD OUT! Writers read from their work and answer questions from the audience - Dutch spoken

Tip: Cynthia McLeod and Rosabelle Illes will both also appear at the festive Opening Night - A Free Mind on Wednesday, 15 January in Theater aan het Spui; at the Winternachten edition of Woorden …

14:00 - 15:30

Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 2

NRC Live Reading Club

Ellen Deckwitz and Clarice Gargard discuss 'Oeroeg' by Hella Haasse - In Dutch

The NRC Live Reading Club is a festival tradition. The panel featured two NRC columnists, the poet Ellen Deckwitz and the journalist Clarice Gargard, who discussed Hella Haasse's Oeroeg (1948) with …

20:00 - 01:00

Theater aan het Spui & Filmhuis Den Haag

Saturday Night Unlimited

LIterature, film and music on six stages - In Dutch and English

Get inspired by interviews about books, discussions about the ties of the Netherlands with Indonesia, Surinam, the Antilles and South Africa, readings of newly written essays or poetry, film …

20:15 - 22:15

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

The Bright Side of Life

About the show: "Home is not where you come from, but where things are good for you." Followed by a conversation with writer Vamba Sherif and Bright O. Richards - in Dutch

This show by and featuring Bright Richards is a funny and confronting musical play (with live music) about an actor who must flee his home country, where he was famous and beloved. In the Netherlands…

Sunday 19 January 2020

10:00 - 12:00

Theater aan het Spui - foyer

VPRO OVT Live

SOLD OUT! Live Radio Broadcast on the Topicality of History - Dutch spoken

Every Sunday morning, the topicality of history is the focus of one of the most popular radio programs in the Netherlands. On Sunday morning, 19 January 2020, OVT will be broadcast live from Writers …

12:30 - 14:00

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Storytelling Workshop

SOLD OUT. Storytelling Workshop with Annemarie de Bruijn - programme in Dutch

In this workshop you learn to turn a true-life anecdote or a strong opinion into a story. Actress Annemarie de Bruijn and writer Vamba Sherif get you ready within two hours to present your story to …

13:00 - 14:00

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Princess Arabella

SOLD OUT. Children's Event with Mylo Freeman, writer and illustrator of the Princess Arabella series. In Dutch.

Tip. Mylo Freeman will also appear on Friday, 17 January at Friday Night Unlimited , a varied festival night with 24 events in six rooms at the Theater aan het Spui and the The Hague Filmhuis. And …

14:00 - 15:00

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Open Podium 'That Can't Be Normal'

People from the neighbourhood present their stories on the theme of "That can't be normal!" - In Dutch.

Listen to stories and presentations, which will alternate with songs by Lien Cornelissen, at the Theater en Filmhuis Dakota café. What is, in fact, normal? Everone has different ideas, according the …

14:30 - 16:00

Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 1

Schrijversfeest (Writers' Fest)

Including the award ceremony of the City of The Hague's literary prizes, and performances in honour of the winners. In Dutch.

The Schrijversfeest (Writers' Fest) is a festive program with readings and musical performances accompanying the awarding of the four literary prizes of the City of The Hague by Robert van Asten, …

14:30 - 16:15

Zuiderstrandtheater

Winternachten New Year's Concert

SOLD OUT. Wende, Fresku, Ellen ten Damme, Ramsey Nasr, Antjie Krog and many others in a musical and poetical journey around the world. Dutch spoken.

Music, poetry and spoken word come together in this one-of-a-kind concert with appearances by Wende, Ellen ten Damme, Fresku, and poets Ramsey Nasr, Antjie Krog en Asmaa Azaizeh. They sing to, …

15:00 - 16:30

Theater en Filmhuis Dakota

Dakota's Winternachten Verhalenfestival: Talkshow

Writers Cynthia McLeod, Mylo Freeman, Vamba Sherif, Walter Palm and storytellers from the neighbourhood put on an exciting show. In Dutch.

A talk show about the most wonderful differences in culture, habits, language and literature, addressing the theme of "What is normal". With stories from the neighbourhood as well as discussions and …