It is late August 2022. Summer is almost over. Here in Chaveignes-Richelieu a lot of rain is expected for next week. We are looking forward to it immensely. Because here too, it is dry. And here too, food prices are starting to rise. A lot is going on at once. These are intense and complicated times. Globally. But we are doing what we can. That on the seemingly simple sentence was the motivation for us to start here in France, to keep going, to do everything we do, because we do what we can. And during the hard work, because believe me, we have never worked so hard, we have so much fun. And we experience gratitude and motivation to keep going again. For five weeks we had a class directing students of the RITCS Brussels drama school here. During their stay we organised a wonderful party with all the partners we found here. This summer, a group of good friends came over to help us in the run-up to two concerts with Daria van den Bercken, Heleen Hulst and Gerard Bouwhuis. My friend and colleague Mark Kraan and I cooked like mad for 30 people per concert. And we have more helpers: handywoman Emma has lived and worked with us for a few months. And now Sofie is here, helping us with the foundation for the vegetable garden. Because the weather is getting more extreme, prices are going up and the political climate is getting more extreme along with it. So. On with the vegetable garden, on to a more self-sufficient existence! Sustainable home renovations will also begin this autumn. We are busily researching the most ideal solutions for our situation and what is possible and allowed in our new homeland.
In December we will start planting trees, work on the next residential course for acting students, and make plans for an artist-in-residency-tiny-house in our forest continue, because… Art is much needed! We need to imagine a way out of these crises. Imagining a position through the crises. Imagining that we can still imagine. Fantasy. Because if nothing wins, the Empress of Fantasia is lost.
Jeroen
