Hear! Hear! Shakespeare

The Hear! Hear!
Shakespeare project is designed to develop a new concept of theatre with the
following emphasis: participation of Dutch and German residents of the border
region and cross-border inclusion in the cultural sector.
The aim is to bring
people from both countries into contact with each other in
cross-border
storytelling workshops, resulting in an exchange of personal experiences. The
stories from the workshops are incorporated into classic Shakespearean theatre
plays. Some of the workshop participants take part in these plays and tell
their own stories. This creates a new, contemporary form of professional
theatre on location, in which people from both sides of the border get to know
each other and share their stories. The plays are performed in a cross-language
mix and are therefore accessible to everyone. The participatory activities are
also carried out using a mix of languages. German and Dutch being the main
languages alongside the dialect spoken in the border region. The project places
a special focus on the inclusion of people with blindness and visual
impairments and on improving barrier-free cultural participation for this
target group. A German/Dutch team of people with blindness and visual
impairments (King’s Council) examines and advises on digital, practical and
socio-cultural accessibility. The team accompanies the process of preparation
and rehearsals, communication and all aspects of visiting a performance. The
concept of inclusion and participation pursued by the project will result in
four new performances on location: three indoor productions under the title ‘Winter
Tales’ and one ‘Summer Tales’ as an open-air production. During the project,
four symposia on inclusion and participation (in the cultural sector) will be
organized for Dutch and German professionals from the cultural and social
sectors throughout the Interreg programm area.