Jos Nargy, who carried off last year’s Piket Art Prize in the Dramatic Arts category, looks upon the past winter months with gratification. “Being nominated was wonderful”, he says. “Truly an honour, a token of recognition.’ But winning was terrific, of course. ‘People love winners.” The prize was a genuine ‘picket post’ (‘piketpaaltje’ in Dutch) in Jos’ career and came exactly at the right moment.
Let language be language
Jos (born and bred in The Hague) wants to further develop as a theatre-maker and poetry as a form of expression is very much part of this. “I want to continue exploring literature, the world of poetry and poets, but not the academic way.” In his view, the theatre offers numerous possibilities to ‘let language be language.’ “The spoken word is also the word that resonates”, he notes. Jos still dreams of ‘our own version’ of the legendary Poetry at the Carré Theatre event (Amsterdam, 28 February 1966), for which the poet Simon Vinkenoog invited 25 colleagues: “Perhaps in three years’ time or so.” Right now, Jos is working on a project about Johnny the Selfkicker (the Dutch poet Johnny van Doorn, 1944-1991) for The Poetry Boys (De Poezieboys, Jos Nargy & Joep Hendrikx, music Bas Prins). His aim is ‘to find our inner selfkicker.’ It is not only the language element that fascinates him, but also, he says: “Van Doorn’s wildness, his desire to provoke, and the dark side of his life.”
Selfkicker
Extremely busy
“I’m extremely busy”, Jos says with a broad grin. “Everything comes at the same time!’ With Kaatje Kooij (2016 winner of the Piket Dramatic Arts Prize) and Tommy Ventevogel he made De Vrije School – De Voorstelling for the Maaspodium in Rotterdam, a production about Rudolf Steiner education, based on personal experience. “It all started as a joke,’ Jos says. He was really surprised that the performance (1 March) was sold out in no time. The premiere of Herinneringen aan mijn broer (Memories of my brother, original text Toon Tellegen) took place a week later, on 8 March. This is an extended version of an earlier production by the collective Thomas, Sacha & Jos. “It is a one-hour auditorium version”, Jos explains. “It has more stories and goes deeper.” It was Jos who adapted Tellegen’s text for the stage.
Foto: Kamerich & Budwilowitz
Jos Danst
Jos plans to work on the production Jos Danst (Jos Dances) and apply for subvention later this year. At the Piket Art Prizes awards ceremony on 26 November 2018 he mentioned the term ‘breathing space’. Now, some four months later, he happily concludes that this is precisely what the prize has given him.
Text: Anna Beerens, Photo: Janneke van Beek
