Experience with the Firestart Fund and De Stroomversneller: Jasper van der Pijl - Het Onbenoembare

Jasper van der Pijl's theater performance The Unnameable came about with support from Stroomversneller and the Firestart Fund. The Unnameable is a theatrical performance about the fear of the unknown, the search for truth and the impossibility of knowing it. This existential horror-detective, complete with plot twists and cliffhangers, takes you through an ancient mystery. Are you determined to uncover the truth? Or do you dare to trust someone else's truth?

About The Unnameable

In the late 17th century, a mysterious monstrous child is born in the village of Arkham, Massachusetts. In the centuries that follow, all sorts of characters try to unravel the existence of this mysterious creature. From a manipulative witch hunter to an obsessive writer from 1922 - they come face to face with something they want but cannot understand. The weapon against fear always seems to be just out of reach: the truth.

The Unnamable is inspired by The Unnamable - a 1923 short horror story written by Howard Phillips Lovecraft. The characters feature all kinds of people from contemporary society. The conspiracy thinker, the big tech analyst, the scientist: all seek knowledge, the truth. But does it make sense to pursue the truth, if it is at the expense of others? What if the very desire for knowledge becomes a breeding ground for fear? After the performance you are invited to discuss this with the makers.

The Humanist Alliance on the performance

"Fear. Fear of the unknown. For the other. For the inexplicable. Jasper van der Pijl manages to reflect this fear with crystal clarity in his theater piece "The Unnameable. Fear polarizes. Between men and women (or vice versa). Between the rational and the emotional. Between science and "magic. It leads witches to the stake, persecutors of witches to 'righteous' power and the (for now) inexplicable or unnameable to the dock. Jasper van der Pijl and Piet Kooij show the emotion of fear in many colors and faces. The victim's passive fear of death, the subcutaneous fear that compels the perpetrator to action, the human repulsion and fascination for fear. Fear can drive us apart. But isn't the struggle with fear also what binds us together? One thing is certain: 'The Unnameable' tastes like more." - Elif Stepman, Ethics and Communication Specialist at the Humanist Alliance

Firestart Fund

Do you have an idea for a project, but find it difficult to apply for funds? Then the Firestart Fund can help you with an interest-free loan that allows you to use a fundraiser for your project. Click here for more information about the Firestart Fund.

The Stroomversneller

The Stroomversneller is a subsidy scheme that supports new initiatives in their artistic development by giving them room for experimentation. The aim is to allow initiatives to gain momentum in an accessible way, without too many restrictions and obligations. Click here for more information about The Stroomversneller.