De Koude Kermis is a Dutch theatre company founded by Paméla Menzo and Anne van Dorp. Both studied movement theatre at the Theatre School in Amsterdam. The companies name comes from a Dutch expression: “Van een koude kermis thuiskomen”. Translated “to come home from a cold fair” meaning: a rude awakening.
They make devised theatre. In their work they focus on human behaviour. They have a soft spot for peculiar characters and their struggle through life. They seek to expose the extraordinary in de ordinary. Their work is both physical and visual, humour is an important ingredient as well as attention to detail. Through their work they try to show what makes us human in the hopes of making us understand what connects us as humans.
Their piece Florence Foster Jenkins, about the worst opera singer that ever lived. Shows the bizarre route of one women determent to make her dreams of becoming a celebrated opera singer come true. Trying to be bigger then life. Working hard not to lose faith in herself and her abilities. Trying to live life to the fullest. And leave something behind worth remembering.
This performance won first prize at the Amsterdam Fringe Festival and travelled to the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in South-Africa and the Brighton Fringe Festival.