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Body of Work The island of Terschelling, as an historical landscape, is shaped by sand dunes, dikes, manmade pine-woods, and dwellings. This many-faceted landscape inspires theatre makers for their site-specific performances while the audience travels through it on bicycles from one show to the next. Some companies are commissioned to make site-specific performances on the island while other international companies are engaged to bring existing performances and play them on beautiful spots. Oerol creates an unforgettable experience for its audiences and artists alike. It fosters a temporary society among its participants nurturing artistic exchange and development. Theatre companies co-habitate and co-create at the same time. Their work is shared over communal dinners at the catering tent or by lantern light in the campgrounds. Friendships form that last long after the festival closes. Terschelling's Oerol is principally a site-specific festival with a yearly theme related to the island. Recent themes have been: The festival's theme always takes into consideration the island and her people. It promotes theatrical performances that use its entire landscape; the geographical as well as the social. For the audience, going to see a show becomes a journey physically and spiritually. Terschelling is timeless. Its personal culture has developed with the pace of the ocean. The tempo set by tide is the pulse of their blood. Terschelling is moving into the 21st century at its own pace, trying to identify and confront the influences the outside world on its close society. The Oerol festival has become part of the island's identity. The ten-day gathering in 2002 asks us to look at life on a little island that is slowly being eaten by a larger European Union. If the island is a metaphor for human conditions, where is our own identity in this ever changing world? Can we hold onto our small selves as the world goes global? |
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