Saartje Van Camp
(The Netherlands) makes Dutch-language pop music with lyrics and melodies that seem to come from a world all their own. A world in between everything. Between the obvious and the strange. Between what is and what could have been. Between Flanders where she is from and the Netherlands where she lives. A concussion, an everyday conversation in a shop, standing still in a traffic jam, the silent protest of women dressed in white on a square in Minsk, everything can be a song in Saartje Van Camp's world. Saartje is a cellist and singer and has worked with Spinvis for years. Now she is coming out with her own work. Her album In De Naam Van will be released on 24 January 2025. During Writers Unlimited Festival 2025, she and Judith Rijsenbrij will play a few songs from it in the festival event Van Dis Ongefilterd on Sunday morning 26 January.
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Playing with Fire: jubilee show 30 years Writers Unlimited
With: Abdelkader Benali, Babs Gons, Claudia Karapanou Flamenco Trio, Eli Wing, Joost Oomen, Koninklijk Conservatorium Dans, Rosabelle Illes, Saartje Van Camp, Shirma Rouse, Spinvis, XILLAN, Zaïre Krieger
Be warmed by the fire of writers, dancers and musical artists! Writers Unlimited presents Playing with Fire in Amare Den Haag, a show full of literature, music and dance in which words, rhythm, melody and movement meet.
For thirty years, Writers Unlimited has offered a stage to passionate and groundbreaking writers, poets, thinkers, musicians and other performers from the Netherlands and abroad during the International Literature Festival The Hague in January.
In honour of this anniversary, enjoy a unique line-up of artists and writers this wintery Sunday afternoon in the beautiful Danstheater auditorium of Amare Den Haag (a five-minute walk from The Hague Central Station).
Writers Unlimited asked well-known artists and authors to perform work in which fire in all its (concrete and abstract) guises - as the germ of artistry and source of inspiration, as a terrifying phenomenon or scorching love, as a symbol of revolution and struggle - takes centre stage.
And so, during Playing with Fire you will hear, see and experience existing and new material by a host of artists such as Spinvis (Erik de Jong) and cellist and singer Saartje Van Camp, and a performance by forty-five young dancers from the Royal Conservatoire Dance in Festina Lente by choreographer Tessa Cooke.
Writer and theatre-maker Joost Oomen will recite on the committed Spanish poet Federico García Lorca, pn being an artist in turbulent times and on 'duende' - a term from flamenco, one of the most passionate, fiery dance forms there is, of which you will see a beautiful sample by the Claudia Karapanou Flamenco Trio (i.c.w. Flamenco Biënnale Nederland). The trio is formed by Claudia Karapanou (dance), Lucas Arango (guitar) and Erminia Fernandez Cordoba (vocals).
Dutch pop artist and Queen of Soul Shirma Rouse performs warming songs from her repertoire and alternative R&B singer-songwriter XILLAN, singing and playing the piano, tells something about the fire under his yet-to-be-published novel. Poet Laureate of The Netherlands Babs Gons, spoken word artist Zaïre Krieger and Aruban artist, poet and performer Rosabelle Illes recite texts written especially for this show about what playing with fire means to them.
The programme will be closed by Pulse conducted by Eli Wing, a percussion formation that will not leave anyone sitting still. Pulse members are Mees Siderius (surdos and other percussion instruments), Remco Menting (cowbell and other percussion instruments), Ruben de Ruiter (conga's) and Mark Ooman (shakers). Writer Abdelkader Benali will guide you through the show and introduce the artists.
Festival motto: On Fire
The 30th festival edition's motto is On Fire. "Fire represents love, desire and passion, but also burning issues such as war, migration and climate," says Judith Uyterlinde, director of Writers Unlimited. "Fire is the source of inspiration for talks and readings on issues including freedom of expression, war and remembrance, gender and eroticism, and a host of other issues that ignite writers, poets and audiences."Festival tip: for the full festival experience, join us for the grand festival events Friday Night Unlimited (24 January) and Saturday Night Unlimited (25 January)! Both nights you choose your own route along some 20 performances, readings and conversations on five stages in Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag. English and Dutch spoken.
From 23 to 26 January 2025, Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague is to be found in theatres, libraries and schools throughout the city: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Amare and Paard to Theater Dakota, Theater De Vaillant, the Nieuw Waldeck, Schilderswijk and Ypenburg libraries and De Haagse Hogeschool. With over 120 writers, poets and spoken-word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical talks, films and music.
Playing with Fire is curated for Writers Unlimited Festival 2025 by Jet Steinz and is realised in cooperation with Amare, with contributions from the City of The Hague and the Dutch Foundation for Literature. -
Van Dis Ongefilterd (Van Dis Unfiltered)
With: Adriaan van Dis, Bart Jeroen Kiers, Judith Rijsenbrij, Saartje Van Camp, Simon Dikker Hupkes
For once, Adriaan van Dis records his podcast Van Dis Ongefilterd not in his publisher's garden house but, for a live audience, on Sunday morning in the foyer of Theater aan het Spui. With musical interludes by cello player and singer Saartje Van Camp as a treat, presenting her new album In De Naam Van. She will be accompanied by Judith Rijsenbrij on keyboard.
While enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, you are welcome free of charge. Reservations are required due to the theatre foyer's visitor capacity. Currently all seats are booked. Making a reservation is no longer possible.
Festival tip: Adriaan van Dis is Saturday afternoon 25 January at Theater aan het Spui, together with writer and poet Sholeh Rezazadeh and young musician and presenter Firoza Mulahella, as a guest in De Situatie Leesclub & VPRO Club Lees x Writers Unlimited Festival. Will you join us there? Note: Dutch spoken.
Entertaining, funny, instructive: the great thing about Van Dis Ongefilterd is that the podcasts are about books, poetry and the East Indies, but mostly about many more sensible and nonsensical topics. Not only does Van Dis rightly stress the importance of reading and books, he also answers listeners' questions. Adriaan makes Van Dis Ongefilterd with Simon Dikker Hupkes and Bart Jeroen Kiers. Simon is an editor and host. Besides Van Dis Ongefilterd, he also hosts the Wie is...? podcast. Bart Jeroen is a producer and manager e-commerce at publishing house Atlas Contact.
Adriaan van Dis is probably the author who has performed most often in the Writers Unlimited festival. Between 1997 and this 30th edition in 2025, he was there 15 times. From the beginning, Writers Unlimited has paid much attention to the close ties with Indonesia, Suriname, the Antilles and South Africa. In his books, essays and TV documentaries, he has a keen eye for the legacy of colonialism and for the post-colonial debate.
Adriaan van Dis grew up in a family with a past in the Dutch East Indies. He draws on these experiences in several of his works such as My Father's War (1995), Repatriated (2002) and recently in Naar zachtheid en een warm omhelzen (2023). Van Dis became well known via his literary television programme Here is... Adriaan van Dis (1983-1992). In addition to novels he has written novellas, travelogues, essays and plays. He presented TV documentary series and his podcast Van Dis Ongefilterd. He received the Constantijn Huygens Award for his entire body of work. Recent publication is the essay De kolonie mept terug: over witte arrogantie en voortschrijdend inzicht: een denkoefening en leesreis (2024).
Saartje van Camp makes Dutch-language pop music with lyrics and melodies that seem to come from a world all their own. A world in between everything. Between the obvious and the strange. Between what is and what could have been. Between Flanders where she is from and the Netherlands where she lives. A concussion, an everyday conversation in a shop, standing still in a traffic jam, the silent protest of women dressed in white on a square in Minsk, everything can be a song in Saartje Van Camp's world. Saartje is a cellist and singer and has worked with Spinvis for years. Now she is coming out with her own work: her album In De Naam Van. Saartje and Spinvis also perform during Writers Unlimited's anniversary show Playing with Fire, Sunday afternoon 26 January 2025, at Amare Danstheater.
Judith Rijsenbrij is a keyboard player, singer and composer. She makes music under the name puntjudith, producing pop music and composing for theatre and film. Her short film Lawines, directed by Vincent Tilanus, premiered at the Dutch Film Festival in 2022 and played at ADE and Fashion Clash, among others. In 2024, she will compose music and sound design for Tom Jaspers' show Zenith, which will play in the Netherlands in 2025. Her debut album met puntjudith will also be released in 2025.
Festival tip 2: for the full festival experience, join us also for the grand festival events Friday Night Unlimited (24 January) and Saturday Night Unlimited (25 January)! Both nights you choose your own route along some 20 performances, readings and conversations on five stages in Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag. English and Dutch spoken.Festivaltip 3: as Writers Unlimited presents its literature festival for 30 years, we celebrate this anniversary with Playing with Fire, a show full of music, dance and literature at Amare (Danstheater) on Sunday afternoon, 26 January. You will see and hear Spinvis, Shirma Rouse, XILLAN, Babs Gons, Joost Oomen, Zaïre Krieger, Claudia Karapanou Flamenco Trio, Royal Conservatoire Dance and percussion group Pulse led by Eli Wing, among others. Book now! Tickets are 11 euros (under 29s or students), or 16 - 35 euros (depending on seat chosen). Note: Dutch spoken.
From 23 to 26 January 2025, Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague is to be found in theatres, libraries and schools throughout the city: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Amare and Paard to Theater Dakota, Theater De Vaillant, the Laakkwartier, Nieuw Waldeck, Schilderswijk and Ypenburg libraries, the Institute of Social Studies, and De Haagse Hogeschool. With over 120 writers, poets and spoken-word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical talks, films and music. -
Language sparks - inspiring duos with poetry, music, dance and images
Writers Unlimited likes to make new connections between artists from different disciplines who then create something new together. In this unique, one-off programme Taalvonken, poetry, music and dance enter into dialogue with each other. Three duos present new work they created especially for this festival night at the request of Writers Unlimited. Note: Dutch spoken.
Witness how sparks fly between language and music, and between spoken word and dance. Singer-song poet on guitar Mirte Hartland interacts with poet Benzokarim.Poet and spoken word artist Rosabelle Illes enters into a dialogue with a new song by cellist, singer and theatre-maker Saartje Van Camp, taken from her new album In De Naam Van, to be released on 24 January.
Poet and spoken-word artist ZaÏre Krieger and dancer Shaquille George find each other in the movements of dance.
Taalvonken is curated for Writers Unlimited Festival 2025 by Ilonka Reintjens.
