Bosfest 2026 presents

Maanlicht in Etten-Leur

Joost Oomen

What remains of romance in this country? And how can one express deeply felt love when condemned to the plain, penny-whistle language that is Dutch?

In this short course (don’t worry: you’ll hardly have to do anything yourself), Joost Oomen shows that countless Dutch-language poets, and translators into Dutch, have in fact managed to bend the language into something glowing and passionate.

Expect maidens in attic rooms writing longingly to their exiled knights, syphilis-ridden poets in drafty Parisian garrets lamenting their affairs, and of course the most beautiful love poetry by Oomen himself.

The text continues below the image.

Een man in een wit kostuum in een groen veld met een bord waarop ‘applaus!’ staat.

Een man in een wit kostuum in een groen veld met een oude blauwe telefoon in zijn hand.

About the creator

Joost Oomen (1990) is a poet, writer, theatre maker, and drummer. He has been poet in residence at the University of Groningen and city poet of Groningen. In 2011, he received the Hendrik de Vries stipend for new literature.

In 2018, he took part in CELA, a European programme through which his work was translated into Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. His novels, travel writing, and poetry collections are published by Querido.

He performs widely, from Pisa to Ter Apel and from Viseu to Vlieland. His appearances range from churches to chicken coops, and he regularly performs at festivals such as Lowlands, Oerol, Into the Great Wide Open, ILFU, Explore the North, Wintertuin, Crossing Border, and De Parade.

In 2021, De Volkskrant named him literary talent of the year. He also came third in the quiz De Slimste Mens. On television, he has appeared with Humberto Tan, Eva Jinek, Frits Spits, Wilfried de Jong, and Özcan Akyol. He writes columns for Dagblad van het Noorden and Leeuwarder Courant.

Alongside his writing, Oomen has organised literary projects such as Office Poetry, Poets in the Prince’s Garden, Explore the North, and Het Personage. His work has appeared in De Revisor, DW B, De Volkskrant, Het Financieel Dagblad, and Kluger Hans. He also co-founded the Instagram channel @poëzieiseendaad, which led to the anthology Voor alle dagen.

In his spare time, he is part of the literary DJ collective Team KTW.

“Oomen has a gift for finding lines that, when propelled rhythmically through a microphone, make you laugh and melt at the same time.”
— de Volkskrant ★★★★

“Oomen continuously scatters beautiful imagery. Sometimes it’s witty, sometimes tender, and sometimes something in between. How do you make sense of ‘an open container of Nesquik left out in the rain’? Your mind doesn’t quite understand it, yet you feel it. It’s as if a little window suddenly opens.”

— Het Parool ★★★★

Unfortunately there is no event between the selected dates.

Ticket costs

Tickets

€ 10,00

Extra information

Bosfest Festival Heart Admission Ticket
This performance is part of Bosfest 2026. To attend the show, you also need a valid admission ticket for the Bosfest Festival Heart. Buy your admission ticket here.

Performance times
The listed performance times include the walk to the performance location and back to the festival heart.

Language
This performance is in Dutch

Schedule overview
View the Bosfest 2026 schedule here.

Wheelchair access
Bosfest performances take place in the forest. We do our best to provide wheelchair-accessible spots, but the natural surroundings can sometimes present challenges. If you require a wheelchair space, please email us at publiek@bostheater.nl with the date and time you would like to attend Bosfest.

Details performance

Bosfest
Dogs on leash allowed
Wheelchair Accessible