Storm Boender
Storm Boender is a 2023 graduate of the Theatre Department in Fontys University, the Netherlands. He is a writer, performer and teacher for all ages and levels. This prinicipline of inclusion and desire to invite people in comes through every facet of his practice.
Storm and I first met in January 2023 as part of the ‘Learning Community,’ a network of arts organisations in the Netherlands helping young makers navigate the big scary working field. Ever since then I have had an interest in the stories he wants to tell.
As I’m prodominantly coming from a dance background I was curious as to why theatre? What do you think it can tell an audience?
From a young age he was impressed by how performers transformed when they were on stage, the voice, the physiqie, the presence. The space immediately creates a magical atmosphere with an almost tangible collective focus towards the stage.
‘‘I think that the concentration you have for each other is very special. Becuase then you’re like really focused and can open yourself up.’’
Through theatre specifically he has the ability to engage an audience in philosophical ideology and disect society as a whole through the dialogue of theatre.
‘‘I’m not only working with my body but also my mind, theatre can help you think and feel.’’
Storm is eager to tell his personal story through his work, which focuses on his family travelling from Indonesia, which was colonised by the Dutch, to now living in the Netherlands. He diescts the influence that this history had and still has today on the people, the place and bringing up the questions that often can’t or don’t want to be asked. He wishes to teach this knowledge to an audience while sharing how this expereince feels.
As a whole he wants to give a stage to people who’s stories aren’t often heard. In a world that he finds is becoming increasingly complex he sees people are continuously searching and how this personal search is a universal experience.
‘‘You are always busy with your own struggles but everybody is searching and looking for the meaning and truth. So I want to tell the stories of the peope who are searching in a complex world.’’
You’re at a pivotal moment now in your story as you fully immerse yourself in the working field after being in an arts education, how do you currently relate to the big working world?
‘‘It feels like there’s a hierarchy there and that people can feel very far away from you. You need to be constantly active , talk and put yourself on the mainstage even if you feel like you don’t belong there. I know I have a story to tell and a purpose.’’
I caught him at a special moment as he is only three weeks into working in the field and his confidence and comfort in that space is beginning to grow. We discussed how networking as a whole can be a daunting prospect but Storm emphasised that if you are interested in other peoples work, conversations can come from a place of curiosity instead of a place of needing something.
‘‘If you feel from curiosity then it’s a little bit maybe better then you are really hard saying - no I have to talk to you because I want it - I think that’s not the way.’’
Alongside this curiousity also comes a necessity for self assurance in order to be able to keep yourself going as a maker.
‘‘It's really important to have self love, you are a human being and you have insecurities, weak spots. You can accept every part of you and then find out that it's not that weird, that everybody has these things. It's important to have in the working field as it can be hard.’’
How do you start a creative process?
Google
Writing
Performing
Walking, movement
Guitar, Singing
It all starts in the history and concrete facts for Storm, having as much of a definite structure to start from as possible whether it’s the history of Indonesia or how he himself compares to sand dunes as he’s done in previous works.
There is such a clear focus on flow, in movement, music, and dancing he can find a mental flow and energy that brings the work together. Through this flow he finds you can get your idea out and make sense of it.
‘‘The movement of the body is helping the flow of the mind. I walk, make music with my guitar, sing songs, putting on music and just like dancing around. I always write everything on paper, I put it on the ground and I really have to be in the materials and the things that I make.’’
In terms of makers and collaborators there is only one that truly excited him …. Ilay den Boer. He marvelled at his style and complexiity. He is still on the quest to find more makers that make work for and like him.
‘‘He made a play of three hours about how people can immigrate in the Netherlands, like refugees and that system, It was really complex in the head but also the body, you really feel the complexity in your whole body. So that was really wonderful.’’
Storm true to his word, sparked with curiosity reached out to Ilay den Boer and had a long, fruitful conversation about his work and process.
‘‘I really got how to do research with your work. I’m now creating in de Nieuwe Vorst which is more like a research. I want to make more like a play where I can talk to the audience and get way more input and have new input to make a new play in the future.’’
When you’re in your 80s,90s,100s, what are three words you would like to be able to describe your career as? Or Notes for a future Memoir?
IMPACT
WELCOMING
RECOGNISE
‘‘I want to make impact on the right place, I don’t want to make impact on the standard theatre audience - white old people, that’s fine, they had their time. I want to make impact on the people who aren’t used to going to the theatre , not getting the chance to get in touch with art. It’s an art in itself to make an impact on the right place and the right people.’’
‘‘I hope that everyone feels welcome to come, everybody feels like huh he’s talking about me or about my neighbour.’’
‘‘That you recognise yourself in art is one of the most powerful things we have. I one time went to a play which was about the former colonials of the Netherlands in Indonesia and they were literally telling my story. That was so weird and amazing to know some very small details in your life that you didn’t even notice and he’s telling that. That was just an amzing experience.’’
Storm Boender is currently on residency in the Theatre de Nieuwe Vorst through Makershuis Tilburg.
Storm can be found on instagram @stormboender