Wim Van Parijs

 

Wim Van Parijs has been working in cultural centre Westrand in Dilbeek for 29 years, mainly as theatre programmer in recent years. Before that, he also worked in Westrand as a children’s and youth theatre programmer. Wim once chaired the Signaalprijs (Flemish youth theatre prize) and was a member of the Hans Snoek jury.

I am on the jury because….

I am in the jury because I like to get my ideas clear through dialogue and debate. That makes a jury a challenging place for me to deepen my viewing experience. It also allows me to sharpen my choices as a theatre programmer.

A performance of interest to me is….

Yes what is that word? What interest should be aroused? Does the theatre have dormant interests? Fortunately, there’s the Van Dale which explains that it simply means ‘interesting’, but then again that doesn’t match my gut feeling. Surely it must also be important in some way, something of interest? So I note what is important to me: a performance of interest can be; a performance that is exceptionally well made, where all the elements or characters make sense, reinforce each other, give meaning, in short, a performance that excels. A performance can also be interesting precisely because it thoroughly questions the medium, by deliberately making the same characters incorrect and exploring new forms. Or a performance that is relevant in another way, e.g. because it manages to convince a (different) audience, brings in a different cultural background,…

In any case, what is important is that it convinces me, takes me away, touches me emotionally, challenges me intellectually, in short that it changes me.