Oerol: theatre, sand, sea, cows

Terschelling is a Dutch island thirty kilometres from east to west, and the natural stage for the Oerol theatre festival. It has woods and dunes, six villages surrounded by fields, and lots of wind. And in June each year, tens of thousands of visitors pour off the ferry, eager to consume culture in unconventional locations.
On foot or by bike the audience arrive at the dunes for a performance that starts as evening begins to draw in. The drama unfolds against a backdrop of the sun setting beyond the North Sea horizon.

Site-specific theatre
The Oerol Festival, a blend of nature and culture, attracts around 50,000 visitors a year. There are dozens of performances for them to choose from.

Oerol’s speciality is site-specific theatre – with “the island as a stage”, the performances take place in the woods, a village, a barn, a church or even in the water. And thanks to Oerol, in the international theatre world the Netherlands has become a trendsetter in the field.

The festival began in 1981 on a tiny scale. But it rapidly made a name for itself. There are plenty of theatre makers who are more than happy to trade dull, conventional auditoriums for a more exiting location. Oerol draws enthusiastic performers, directors and audience from around the world.
Disadvantages
Theatre on location also has its disadvantages. Sets and technical equipment all have to be brought in specially. And the climate is the most unpredictable factor. “The wind speaks the loudest,” is actually the festival slogan this year.

Some theatre groups set their performances on the beach, while for other pieces the audience walk across the landscape, from one scene to another. And sometimes the actors struggle to be heard above the rolling waves, the cows or the birdsong.

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