Experience with Stroomversneller: Firma Frictie - Could it be a little quieter?

In 2022, Stella van den Sigtenhorst and Lusanne Arts, as the company Frictie, created the theater production “Kan het wat stiller” (Can It Be a Little Quieter?). At the heart of this production was a struggle with the concept of emptiness—a struggle that was, at the same time, an overwhelming need for peace and quiet. The production was created with support from, among others, De Stroomversneller.

“We’re incredibly happy with the support we’ve received from Stroomversneller with the opportunities we’ve been given to raise the profile of our Gelderland-based company. The collaboration with the Hoogte 80 festival and the Posttheater, in particular, has contributed to that. It definitely leaves us wanting more! As a young artist, it’s incredibly nice that the Stroomversneller is Stroomversneller accessible and that the interaction is so personal.”’

"Our dramaturg, Maarten Bos, suggested that we go on a silent retreat for a few days as part of our research. This was so inspiring that Stella subsequently wrote some material, and together with Lusanne, our dramaturg, and our director, Luit Bakker, we developed our theatrical silent retreat in the rehearsal space. We take the audience along on this retreat. Will it be peaceful and serene? Or uncomfortable and terrifying? In the performance, we show both sides."

© Moon Saris

Process

"For us, this was the first time we’d gone through a writing process led by Stella prior to the performance, and the first time we’d collaborated with a dramaturg. Thanks to Stella’s writing process, we had a lot of material to work with before we started with the whole team, and that was really great! Collaborating with the dramaturg allowed us to add more depth to the theme and, by extension, to the performance."

Contribution Stroomversneller

"The performance has evolved from an outdoor festival production into a 50-minute show for a small venue, featuring a full lighting design and a deeper sense of focus. Because the performance was extended for the theater setting, it was able to take its content and acting to the next level. Working with our large team has made us realize that a director who focuses on form suits us very well. Since we often start from the text, this is a great complement. The collaboration with the dramaturg, who challenges us and oversees the content, also worked very well for us."

"We’ve also expanded our network and our audience reach, so when it comes to creating our next show, we’ll have even closer ties with venues and funding organizations. We’ve performed the show more than 28 times over the past year and reached 2,000 audience members. We’re incredibly proud of that!"

About Stroomversneller

Stroomversneller a grant program that supports new initiatives in their artistic development by giving them room to experiment. The goal is to help these initiatives gain momentum in an accessible way, without too many restrictions or obligations.

Click here for more information about Stroomversneller.