Mezrab developments!

[Sahand Sahebdivani]

Hi everyone,

The biggest way in which I differ from my father is his love of silence. It's rare he will speak his mind. I am the opposite. Let me talk about the things I am excited about! Maybe that's why I am a storyteller: I think of something and I immediately find a captive audience to share with. So you can imagine how difficult it is to keep under wraps some of the projects we have been cooking behind the scenes, but spring is here and it's time to hatch some projects! (or at least to tell you they will hatch soon!)

- There's been some rumours about Mezrab opening a new space. I can tell you they are absolutely true! After moving the Mezrab around a few times we are opening a new location again! We are calling it... the Other Mezrab. This means you are not losing your beloved Mezrab, you're gaining another one! We have already moved many of our workshops there, and soon we will invite you for shows: storytelling, music and more! Of course, I will mention them here in the mail, you can also already start following the insta page of the Other Mezrab on: @theothermezrab

- Mezrab is writing its first book! We have asked some of our regular dear storytelling contributors to write a story on the topic of home. Many of the contributors are now in the editing phase of the work. So expect to have a beautiful publication with personal stories soon, which you can read when you miss the warm embrace of the storytelling nights.

- Finally, but maybe the biggest piece of news: Mezrab's story will be adapted for a Netflix limited series! After offering a stage for stories for twenty years and in doing so becoming the most exciting hub for stories, we realized the story of the Mezrab itself is as exciting as the best stories told here. When I contacted the streaming service over a year ago to see if they would be interested in streaming some of the stories that appear on our carpet, I genuinely didn't believe this would be the outcome. But it makes total sense: The Mezrab story has it all, the humble beginnings in which a Persian activist family set it up after fleeing for their lives, a few near bankruptcies (with scenes of tears at the Dutch tax office), racist neighbors who tried to close us down, amazing neighbors who saved our asses, a giant Austrian stepping in to fix everything, internal politics and backstabbing (good lord, storytelling can be so much more vicious than it appears to be on stage). It will even include some of the stories of you as visitors, all the drama you carry into the Mezrab, or leave at our doorsteps! We will share production pictures on our insta feed soon!

Of course, none of this would even begin to happen if it wasn't for your generous participation in the events we have been curating for you. So dive in to the events of the upcoming days:

- Tonight we have our monthly Mythos night! Join us for the power of folk tales and myths! Tonight's host is Danni!

- Thursday you can come to the Mezrab for the highest level of Fusion World Music goodness. The master musicians of Afro-Anatolian Tales have made a musical journey with Burak Savas, and they want to share it with you. Listen to them here, and buy your tickets!

- Saturday night of course sees the return of our Comedy Night. Look at the line up Michael created and grab them last spots!

- On Sunday we bring you a night which we only do a few times a year: The New Harvest. There's people who do 10 minute stories in the Mezrab, and those who have invested in the long format of an hour or more. To provide for a space to play, try something longer and involve some theatrics beyond just standing and talking, we have this night, in which only three tellers perform. You really should support them with your presence (and a small symbolic door price)

Finally I would love for you to know that you can also support amazing shows by going this Thursday (what a choice with our regular programme!) to the show of Mezrab Storytelling School co-founder Raphael Rodan and the amazing Armenian singer Mary Aygetsy. They perform with their heartbreakingly beautiful musical show in Theater Bellevue.

Well, see you in the Mez, outside of the Mez, in the Other Mez, in your podcast channel, on your TV, or on your bookstand soon!

Sahand & Team

www.mezrab.nl

PS, I don't think I am allowed to say yet who will play the plucky little Iranian boy with stars in his eyes, opening the tiny venue in the Jordaan, but don't be surprised if his name rhymes with Shlami Malek.