De Vries RenĂŠ van Dijk Esther van Overeem
Writing for Performance Theatre & Education
A summary
De Vries is a research into the artistic and theatrical possibilities of Facebook. How does Facebook work and what methods are needed to ensure that a Facebook experience can offer an added value for participants of a Transmedial Project or as an independent experience.
Is Facebook, the place where you consciously form an identity, not the perfect place to think about the why of that identity? - Karel de Vries For this project we have created the fictional character of Karel de Vries, a half Frisian man in his twenties for whom the recent death of his father had a large impact on his life. He starts to look at the relationship he had with his father and how he resembles him. His Father was a proud Frisian and exhibited many characteristics that are viewed as typically Frisian, some of these characteristics Karel shares. He starts to wonder about this and wants to look into the role cultural background plays in the forming of his identity. Karel takes his soul searching to Facebook.
Could it be that easy? That your profile picture is your identity? Puts a lot of pressure on putting up a good one. I mean if it has to represent me... - Karel de Vries Karel sets up a Facebook account and people are invited to become his friends and from there to join a Facebook group to help him look for the Frisian identity. They are not invited by Karel himself but rather by the makers of the project. It is also clear in the invitation that Karel is a fictional character and that they are participating in an interactive experience. The Facebook platform can be used to show videos, photos, text and link to other websites. It also facilitates a sharing environment viewable only by the group members. The uniqueness of Facebook is of course the sharing. A Facebook profile is even build up as a timeline, showing other people your life, memories and experiences. Karel 22