Storytelling is as old as humanity itself - older even than theatre. And even now, in a world where information moves at lightning speed, stories remain essential. They add depth, interpretation, and connection, something the present moment needs more than ever. Get tickets to Storytelling in April!

Come together and listen to stories in Amsterdam

This year, April and a little bit of March belong to the storytellers. To a forgetful stork making its way to earth. To a woman who may or may not be Britney Spears. To love songs, lullabies, inherited darkness, and voices that deserve to be heard.

As programmer Mirte Hartland puts it: "Storytelling takes you back to the source of what makes a good story. All a story needs is itself and a good storyteller. And that's universal - stories are told all over the world, on the street, in living rooms, at parties. And everywhere, an exciting story is immediately recognised."

Come, take a seat, and listen. Storytelling in April is a collaboration between Theater Bellevue, Mezrab and the Amsterdam Fringe Festival. All shows are in English.

What's on at Storytelling in April?

Here's an overview of the Storytelling in April programme:

April 2 - The Visitor // A Stork Show

On April 2, Phoebe Perry brings The Visitor // A Stork Show to the stage. Meet Edie: a rogue stork, late for mating season, pleading with the unborn to join her on one last delivery run. Theaterkrant called Perry "one of the freest spirits you can meet on stage" and the show "an unbridled, queer fable."

April 10 - Divine Madness

On April 10, Başak Layiç returns with her sold-out show Divine Madness. She traces a line of panic, shame and silence back to a grandmother once called mad. What if madness isn't illness, but resistance? Through humour, music and confession, Başak turns inherited darkness into a ritual of transformation. Pay what you can.

April 21 - A Trail of Pomegranate Seeds

"Their performance reminds you of the power of storytelling as an art form."

On April 21, A Trail of Pomegranate Seeds brings together Sahand Sahebdivani, founder of Mezrab and one of the Netherlands' leading storytellers, and his wife, Palestinian writer and journalist Rasha Hilwi, for an evening of personal stories about homeland, love and ancestry. Theaterkrant wrote: "Their performance reminds you of the power of storytelling as an art form."

April 24-25 - Mental Pillness

To close out the month, on April 24-25, drag therapist Indie Nile performs Mental Pillness. 45-year-old Maya believes she is Britney Spears - and who is to say she isn't? Nile lip-syncs his way through an uncomfortable question: do we medicate people because they're ill, or because they make us uneasy? Pay what you can.

Get tickets to Storytelling in April at Theater Bellevue

All shows take place at Klein Bellevue, Leidsekade 90, Amsterdam. Tickets and more information are available on the Theater Bellevue website.