Stan's Cafe

The more we learn about the Noorderzon festival the more extraordinary it seems. Apparently it is financed in part by its bar profits and to keep these high the beer is sponsored and bars staffed by volunteers. It seems extraordinary that all these people are working like dogs behind a bar until 1am to make a theatre festival possible, hopefully the attendant social life makes it worthwhile for them. Either way, knowledge of this sacrifice made each trip to the bar an emotional experience. To be paid to perform at an International Festival is a great feeling, to then be served free beer by someone who is sacrificing their spare time to make it all possible is almost too much. A couple of beers in and I found myself welling up at the thought.

Volunteers also staffed our tent and Marjolein and Henriëtte, who tended to take the evening shift on box office were particularly fantastic, hilarious and along with our local performer Larry, great company. We all had a farewell dinner together on Sunday Night and said our farewells, planning / hoping, to meet again, next year or in Amsterdam, or Bochum, or Birmingham – the latest in a litany of friends we have made and left on our travels.

James