20:00 Fernando Troya - We play so hard it hurts
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We play so hard it hurts is a solo directed and performed by Fernando Troya. Delving into the subterranean realms of cruising culture and the quest for intimacy amidst darkness, the production emerges as a testament to the transformative power of resilience. It synthesizes autobiographical traces with the timeless allegory of Peter Pan to excavate and celebrate the complexities of queer identity. Through a relentless commitment to authenticity, Troya playfully exhibits his adventure.  
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“I have traveled to Neverland and have met many Lost Boys. Lost men pretending to be Lost Boys”

The piece navigates spaces between performance, dance, and theater. And uses 10 mattresses as a living stage design. Engaging in a dialogue with space, constructing and deconstructing new evocative architectures, enhancing the metaphorical imagery of the show. An allegory to where many of us remain trapped in a world of perpetually frustrated discovery, where play becomes a lifestyle.  

Winner of the International Bursary Award, Amsterdam Fringe Festival 2024

21:30 Queer Shorts

From playing so hard it hurts to laughing so hard it hurts! After all, what’s a better way to strengthen the community and to fight bigotry than sharing stories and having a good laugh together. Featuring storytellers and comedians Joseph Kearney (host), Ali Cotterill, Henry McMillan and Soula Notos.

‍Joseph Kearney is a storyteller and our Coming Out Night’s host, originally from Ireland he has made The Netherlands his home and when not walking his dog or eating delicious meals with his boyfriend he is co-running queer story nights at Mezrab and theatre Bellevue. His theatre company Backlash media, co-founded with Brandon Oelofse, has been making queer shows for three years most notably People are Awful, Play with Your Dick and a short film called Weglopers. His story night Brave Space happens every other month at Bellevue and the lgbtq night at Mezrab is a quarterly event. This September he will bring a queer history tour to Amsterdam as part of the fringe festival and he is also teaching and lecturing about queer culture online for Leqture.
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Ali Cotterill is a filmmaker, video editor and storyteller. They have performed at Queer Memoir and Take Two Storytelling in Brooklyn and Mezrab and Theater Bellevue in Amsterdam. Ali's stories are often about the joys of early Internet queerdom, their former life as a drag king, and their epically nerdy childhood.

Henry McMillan hails from Los Angeles, California where he was an up and coming actor for many years before moving to the Netherlands about eight years ago. Although storytelling is his creative outlet, he is a full time yoga teacher in Amsterdam where he lives with his Dutch husband. Henry's stories find humor in the sometimes painful, sometimes scandalous experiences of his life.

Soula Notos is a Dutch-Greek comedian based in Utrecht and a member of the Comedyhuis since it was founded. With over 15 years on stage, she brings lots of energy and good vibes. Many audiences in Europe have encountered this bubbly hugger with her interactive and physical style. She has performed at the Utrecht International Comedy Festival, the International Luxembourg Comedy Festival, the Utrecht Queer Culture Festival and the Women in Comedy Festival in Manchester. Besides being a comedian, she works as an actress, theater maker, storyteller, teacher, and host.
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“I’m so excited to return to Nijmegen and work on this amazing new night with Meneer Otis. The line up is phenomenal and this will be a magical night for comedy, dance, story and community.” - Joseph Kearney

Feeling artsy yourself afterwards? Join us as we continue our night and head out to do some serious dancing at De Plak.

Famous is De Plak for their cheeseball ("kaasgehakt"), served with delicious hand-cut fries and lots of vegetables. Notorious is De Plak for its parties in the basement. And extraordinary is De Plak because of its impact on Nijmegen Culture and history, including being a pioneer when it comes to Queer culture. So come out and get in that basement!