In this edition of Brain Bites, curated by the Allard PiersonExternal link, we get a first glimpse of the new exhibition White Plays Black: Blackface on the Dutch Stage, on view from Wednesday 4 December. The exhibition casts a critical spotlight on theatre as a medium, while also focusing on theatre as a stage for Black resistance. From the 1980s onwards, the first productions in the Netherlands were staged by Black creators, who claimed the stage for their own narratives. A contemporary example is The Need for Legacy, an initiative by Black theatre-makers campaigning for better representation of Black creators in the Netherlands.

The Dutch book Zwart op wit (2023) by historian Elisabeth Koning and NRC journalist Wilfred Takken shows how the Dutch blackface tradition has strongly contributed to stereotypical and racist images of Black people. This research, which drew on the Allard Pierson's theatre collection, provided the impetus for further research by the Allard Pierson itself. Curator Frederieke van Wijk worked together with guest curator Noukhey Forster, who is committed to telling the stories of Black people in Western societies.

The decision to capitalise the word ‘Black’ refers to a shared sense of history, identity and community amongst people who identify as Black, both in Africa and within the African diaspora.

Programme

12:15 Walk in 
12:30 Programme's opening by Imogen Mills
12:35 Mini lecture by Frederieke van Wijk
12:45 Q&A with Frederieke and Imogen
13:00 End of programme

The programme is free of charge, but we do ask you to register because of catering. The event is in English and lasts 30 minutes.