International

1. Welcome to the website of Simone de Jong Company!

For any information about our performances or workshops, contact us at simone@hethoofd.nl or peter@vanaf2.nl (agent) or check www.vanaf2.com

Currently we are working on our new performance Het Grooote genieten, that will be on from the end of september 25. About the position of a small child in this big world. Starring Anna Bentivegna, Estela Canal Parejo and Youri Peters. See the first picture in the sliding!

Our performance Jaszak, with Toon Kuijpers from Hermit, had a great tour and review and will be touring in Holland again in 25/26.

Hermit performed in Oslo, Small Art Festival, and Cyprus, Mitsikouri festival this season, and will be in Beijing in june.

Our show Slinger!  (4-8 yrs) had a lovely super successful tour this third season. Maybe one day it will be on again… 😉

Our company: 

Simone de Jong Company (Amsterdam 2015) creates work based on movement, music and imagination. Original, funny, sensitive. Our performances are mostly non-verbal (L.N.P.), since for a young child the spoken word is only one of hundreds of languages (Reggio Emilia). We like to connect with children and challenge them at the same time. Our shows are for everyone from 2-7 years old and everyone who wants to be that big again, for a while. We start from the physical and aim for the philosophical.

Artistic director Simone de Jong is educated in modern mime and music theater. She teaches professionals (a.o. in Egypt, Belfast, München, Arnhem and Amsterdam) and children. She is the author of 2 novels for children. She strongly believes in the interaction between teaching, directing and writing.

Meeting children is the fuel for creating.

Our shows:

Jaszak (Shelter)

Someone

In a suit

He is cold

He folds up

He wants to be something…

He is a mountain

And now a snail

No, a crab!

He is everything

In his bag

Jaszak is a funny, heartwarming performance about a person without a roof, in a changing world. Or is he changing himself?

Inspired by ‘Sheltersuit’, that makes suits for homeless people, Simone de Jong Company brings a physical and musical trip-like performance for young audiences.

Performer: Toon Kuijpers (Hermit)  Live musician: Niels Vermeulen  Director/concept: Simone de Jong

Costume: Sheltersuit Set design: Erik Begemann & Elian Smits   Photography: Kamerich en Budwilowitz

Age group: 2-6 year olds and adults, L.N.P.

Duration: ± 40 minutes & afterplay / première 9 november 2024

‘Man with house of coat provokes priceless reactions from young audience’ Theaterkrant

Jaszak is a co-production with festival 2turvenhoog

Première 9 november 2024 @de Krakeling Amsterdam

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 Hermit

There is a square. Is it a house?

There is sound. What happens inside?

A lid opens. Is there something inside?

What is inside? Who is inside?

Hermit (Kluizelaar) is an visual, original performance about a mini house. The inhabitant is not at home, but we do hear him…  A funny and moving performance about being alone and coming home.

Duration: 35 min. and afterplay                            Age: 2-6 years old and adults, L.N.P.

Director: Simone de Jong                                       Actor: Toon Kuijpers or Koen van der Heijden

‘…a lovely theatrical treasure for all ages *****’ review Theaterkrant

Watch the TRAILER 

 ‘Like much of the best children’s work, Simone de Jong’s words are minimal, but those that are uttered bring at first a deep sense of sadness and later joy to this beautifully crafted onehanded production that succeeds in exploring what it means to be alone, to be settled, and to feel at home.’ Alan in Belfast/ Festival Young at art 

…’for a near-perfect combination of movement and human voice in children’s theatre, there’s no need to look any further than Simone De Jong of the Netherlands’ exquisitely funny show Hermit..’ **** The Scotsman / Edinburgh’s children festival Imaginate

‘…mezz’ora di purezza, trenta minuti da vivere, respirare, capire, assaporare.’ Tommaso Chimenti / Colpi di scena, Forli

In september 2018 Hermit was chosen by theater Krakeling for TFJong, festival for best performances of the season. See here 

Hermit tours around the world and was staged a.o. in Galway (Baboró festival), Imaginate festival Edinburgh, London (Imagine festival), Denmark, Kuckuck festival, Chengdu, Hakawy festival Cairo, Young at art festival Belfast, Fimfa XL Lisboa, Small Art festival Oslo. It was received very well at IPay 2019 in Philly, see here.

Koen van der Heijden

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Slinger! 

Three children living alone

swinging on their bedframe

playing endlessly

doing whatever they feel like

daring everything

Come and see them…

This funny heartwarming performance with acrobatic acting is like a kid’s dream.

Slinger! is inspired by all quirky, willful and tough kids. About friendship, courage, living without parents and physical closeness. Slinger! inspires children to move, rough and tumble, and follow their imagination. Because that’s what makes you strong.

For everybody from 4-8 years old and everybody that wants to be that big again.

‘A beautiful ode to the imagination’ review Theaterkrant

Audience reactions:

Great show! So imaginative and creative use of the stage, the props and the performers. Loved it! (and my sons!)

True grown up theater with children’s magic. Amazing. Impressive. Hilarious. Thanks!

A very nice performance with a lot of imagination and reality. The performers took me along on their journey – fantastic characters! A lot of laughter, thanks!

Watch the TRAILER

Duration: 50 minuten

Director & concept: Simone de Jong

Cast: Josephine van Rheenen or Clara Ottignon, Anna Bentivegna or Kim Zeevalk, Nestor Matytchak

Set design: Erik Begemann Costume design: Elian Smits Music: Hans Hasebos

Light design: Simchah Hoed Business manager: Hilje Thiescheffer

Illustration: Gerard de Bruyne Photography: Moon Saris

Booking agency: vanaf2.nl – peter@vanaf2.nl

rehearsal Slinger

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Past shows:

Timtim

The surrealistic travels of two carpenters

Two carpenters. They build a lot. They rebuild all the time. Their world is never finished, it can always be better, more beautiful, different. 

But Tim cannot stop working and Willie wants to protect the china. Then the fatigue starts. Dream and reality are increasingly intertwined in the wondrous world of Timtim.

Timtim is a visual performance with humor, carpentry energy and a pinch of magic. About two passionate craftsmen, their friendship and their adaptability.

Duration: 40 minuten and afterplay Age group: 2-6 yr olds

Watch the TEASER

All used text in Timtim is very simple and can easily be translated in English.

Actors: Toon Kuijpers en Niels Kuiters      Director: Simone de Jong

Music: Niels Kuiters  Decor: Erik Begemann  Costumes: Elian Smits

Photography: ©Kamerich & Budwilowitz/EYES2  Thanks to: festival 2 Turven Hoog

Agent: www.vanaf2.nl 020-6366860

Premiere 20 april 2019 kleine zaal KAF Almere, festival 2 Turven Hoog

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Sometimes it snows

She is on a journey. Travelling through landscapes, she walks, glides, falls, jumps, turns, creeps and hauls herself forward. Finally, she finds shelter and falls asleep. Then it begins to snow.

Sometimes it snows is a playful and humorous performance about the dream of the traveler and staying flexible in hard times.

**** ‘Magic and wonder’ Scènes, may 2022    Watch the trailer

Director & concept: Simone de Jong       Performer: Zahira Suliman     Decor: Erik Begemann

Scenography: Elian Smits  Painting: Martina Bauer Music: Hans Hasebos Light design: Jacques van Room Technician: Jakob Proyer / Erik Begemann Image: Gerard de Bruyne

Discipline: dance / modern mime Duration: 35 minutes and afterplay Age: 2-7 years old and adults, L.N.P.

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Flamenco Whispercity

See the trailer

Spel & dans: Jessica Achten   Regie/concept: Simone de Jong   Gitaar: Tijn van der Sanden   Geluid: Daniël Koomen Decor: Erik Begemann     Decor/kostuum: Elian Smits    Licht: Arjan Slotboom   Verkoop: Vanaf2.nl

4 maart Den Haag Flamenco Fluisterstad theater Dakota 10.00u

18 april Haarlem, Flamenco Fluisterstad De Schuur Haarlem, international festival 2 Turven Hoog

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Whispercity

a musical fairytale about finding the place where you belong

Watch the TEASER

She is enticed into a silver world full of mysterious sounds, where things lead their own lives. Whispers, pitter-patter, giggling.. She plays, tries out and discovers secrets behind the sounds. Untill she is exactly there, where she should be.

Whispercity is a musical fairytale about finding the place where you belong.

Acting, song & concept: Simone de Jong

Sound: Daniël Koomen Decor: Erik Begemann  Costume: Elian Smits

Light design: Arjan Slotboom Artistic advise: Dirk Groeneveld

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Island

A girl leaves the noisy world and finds herself on a wonderfully silent island. There she finds a lot of little hidden treasures and becomes a real islander…

This sensitive performance is about the small hearable and touchable things, that we often forget about.

Duration: 35 min. and afterplay                            Age: 2-6 years old and adults, L.N.P.

Director: Simone de Jong                                       Actor: Eva Kijlstra

Watch the TRAILER of Island (Eiland)

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Little whale

There is a girl living near the beach. One day she finds a whale. He is all alone on the beach, just like her. She takes care of him, takes him with her, entertains him. They are not alone anymore. They sing about the sea. Whale has got to go back, quickly…

WalvisJong is een muzikale beeldende voorstelling over de wonderlijke verbintenis tussen een kind en een walvis. Ze vinden elkaar in bijna het enige dat mensen én walvissen kunnen: zingen…

This performance is made after the book ‘The storm whale‘ by Benji Davis.

Watch the TRAILER of Little whale (WalvisJong)

Director: Simone de Jong                    Actor: Senna Gourdou             Music: Marieke van de Ven

Prem. Oktober 2017

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