An entertaining blend of music and play from Netherlands in Goa

The iconic figures Charlie Chaplin and Mr Bean have brought laughter and joy to millions of lives and successfully left a lasting impression in their hearts through their craft. The world continues to remember and praise these legends for proving that art transcends and language boundaries.

Similarly, Reinier Sijpkens is a world-renowned Dutch artist who constantly strives to bring people together through his art. With his unique comedy skits and performances, he has charmed audiences across different continents and age groups.

THE SILLY SPECTACLE: A performance for adults and children at MOG, Pilerne, as a part of the ‘Homo Ludens: The Art of Play’.

This month, Sijpkens brought his distinct blend of play and music to Goa through the as part of : The Art of Play, an initiative of the Museum of Goa (MOG), Pilerne and LaLa Foundation, Amsterdam.

The initiative explores the profound impact of play on human life through a cross-cultural dialogue between India and the Netherlands.

COLLABORATION WITH MOG

“This collaboration is really possible because of Noreen Van Holstein, the co-founder of LaLa Foundation. She invited us to because she knows my work in Amsterdam,” mentioned Sijpkens when asked about the cross-cultural project.

As part of this initiative, Sijpkens and his wife, Ingeborg Vandaal, wanted to do something for the children of Goa. They chose Chetna School of Children with Disabilities in Curchorem for a special performance.

ART IS FOR ALL: Sijpkens performing for the kids of Chetna School at Curchorem.

“If you go to every continent, country, or village—whether rich or poor, healthy or sick—all children respond the same way to playfulness,” said Sijpkens.

“Children are so pure; their reactions are consistent,” added Vandaal.

Sijpkens also mentioned, “Interestingly, we performed some tricks for taxi drivers while traveling in Goa, and they reacted just like the little children.”

ART, A CROSS-CULTURAL DIALOGUE

Sijpkens' The Silly Spectacle was all about breaking barriers and bringing joy to people. The performance also introduced specific Dutch elements to the Goan audience, including the Polonaise, a famous dance.

“Play is part of our identity. This performance is about sharing joy together and introducing instruments we did not know about previously, along with magic tricks that spark joy and surprise. That's why the element of play is the focus of Homo Ludens: The Art of Play,” said Sijpkens.

CROSS-CULTURAL ENDEAVOR: The purpose of art is to bring communities together and share joy, and laughter.

Sijpkens believes that is a fundamental element in striving for global peace, and to explain this he cites Winston Churchill, “This is what we fight for. This is the reason why we fight the war,” as a response to skipping theatres and music during the Second World War.

GOA AND ITS CHARM

“ is one big surprise. When you're from the Netherlands, you're more or less in a dream, and that's true. My dreams seen ordinary than my experiences here,” said Sijpkens while discussing his and his wife’s Goa trip, which also happens to be their honeymoon.

Emphasising the hospitable nature of Goans, he said, “I find everyone in India and Goa so friendly. Everybody is a host in their own country, and this is especially dominant in Goa's atmosphere. They're also humble and nice.”

Sijpkens said that their trip has been full of and surprises. When asked about places in Goa he’d like to visit he said, “Well, I would like to see maybe an island on a little boat once in Goa. We might go on a little boat trip from beach as we saw a lot of beautiful boats there.”

“Yesterday, we saw a very old man and lady who were were around 90 years old. We saw them and we said to each other that we should come here another 25 years of our marriage. We would love that to happen, and then we will say, well, do you remember we were walking here?” said Sijpkens on a parting note.