In January 2025, the Dutch Central Archive for Special Jurisdiction released 450.000 documents containing the actions of Dutch citizens who collaborated with nazi Germany. After 80 years of silence, this re-entry into the public eye has sparked (inter)national debate, and provokes an entire generation of young Dutch people to decide if they want to know who they are related to.
In A Court of Paper, Cecilia and Matthew dive into the archives and their family histories, containing stories of the collaboration, resistance and oppression, in an attempt to understand the past and make its lessons tangible in the present. This performance includes multimedia elements, live translation from Dutch and German into English, and active audience participation.
"Welcoming, inclusive, creative and life-affirming. I have learnt a lot myself in so many ways that will seep into all parts of my life. My self-confidence has massively increased"
Human Jam participant
