De Blauw

"More police on the streets!" is heard from every side, but is this really what we want? And what are the consequences of that?

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How does a police officer actually determine what's 'suspicious' and what isn't? How do you, as a society, make sure everyone gets equal treatment? What's needed for the police to be there for everyone?

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The police regularly come under fire for unclear complaint procedures, ethnic profiling, humiliating treatment, or officers who rarely appear in court. At the same time, we sometimes seem to forget that the police, too, are made up of people.

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After a short training period, officers are confronted with the most wide-ranging cases. Under great pressure, they make split-second decisions with sometimes traumatic consequences, not only for citizens but also for themselves.

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With De blauw, Arber Aliaj, Armin Mola, Lara Staal, and Matthias Velle create a musical site-specific performance that dissects how the police force operates today. Joram Kunde Boumkwo is responsible for the sound design. Based on interviews with police officers, youth workers, and young people, De blauw is at once a layered and multi-voiced portrait of a society in crisis.

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A converted police van forms the set, ready to be unfolded in streets, on squares and playgrounds, and at 'nuisance locations'.

In collaboration with the learning designers at Oetang, we're developing an educational package (included in the price) that allows a teacher or supervisor to explore the performance in greater depth. Starting from a 'close reading' of specific scenes, students gain insight into the police apparatus and the dynamics at play in society. We constructively search for what could be done differently, and learn how to put that into words as well.