Festival De Betovering - The Enchantmen)
De Betovering (The Enchantment) is the international arts & theatre festival for a young audience during the Autumn break in The Hague at over 50 locations; at theatres, museums, in the streets and more. Children up to 12 years can plunge into the magic of the performances and workshops this nine-day festival has to offer. Be moved, surprised, laugh and get goose bumps during a theatre or dance production, take part in challenging workshops, and much, much more! All performances and workshops highlighted as ‘No Dutch Required’ are suitable for non-Dutch-speaking children.
The organization managed to realize an adventurous ánd safe programme with coronaproof theatre- and dance performances, films, music, workshops and street theatre. This year of course extra attention is being paid to avoiding crowds at the festival locations, routing, additional hygiene measures plus a smart and safe seating-plan in the theatres, museums and other cultural institutions. Sometimes very inventive: in one of the performances, the audience sits, headphones on and a viewer in hand, in a Ferris wheel!
Safe and according to the guidelines
The guidelines of the RIVM are being followed at the festival locations. The youth-theatre-protocol stipulates that adults sit and stay 1.5 meters apart and that children up to the age of 12 may fill in the space in between. Hygiene and walking routes have been considered in and around the buildings, both for the public and for the cast and crew. Should the corona measures be tightened again, there is an alternative available for almost all program components.
The power of imagination
Suzanne Verboeket, festival director: “The Enchantment is all about the power of imagination. Certainly this very year we want to invite children to use their imagination in response to the limitations and uncertainties of our time. Together with our cultural partners, no effort was spared to create an Enchantment in which the health of the public and employees has priority. With all the inventiveness and flexibility that entails. This will probably be the most special and adventurous Enchantment ever.”
