Performance Forget to remember

Who do we remember? And who do we forget?

Forget to Remember brings to life underrepresented stories from the colonial and slavery past, told from the perspective of women of colour. In an immersive mix of music, dance and spoken word, this performance takes you on a journey through time and space, where past and present meet in the heart of Utrecht.

This multidisciplinary experience is a collaboration between Sites of Memory, Shishani & Sisterhood and DOX, in partnership with Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Centraal Museum and Afrovibes Festival.

Practical information

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About the show

Forget to Remember amplifies the voices of female role models from history. From Queen Nzinga, who resisted Portuguese domination in the 17th century, to Laksamana Malahayati, the first female admiral from Indonesia. These women were leaders, strategists and warriors. Their stories, often ignored in the writing of history, finally take center stage.

Set inside the Centraal Museum Utrecht, the performance immerses you in a world of rhythm,movement and powerful narratives. Through the eyes of contemporary female and non-binary artists, the legacy of colonial histories is reimagined and linked to our present. The storyline also connects directly with the museum’s ongoing exhibition Willem de Rooij - Valkenburg, creating a unique artistic conversation between live performance and visual art.

With a collective of talented creators – including musician Shishani, choreographer Jomecia Oosterwolde, storyteller Tieka Masfar and DOX dancers, Forget to Remember brings together music, movement and storytelling in an intimate yet powerful way. This collaboration offers space for voices and histories that are too often ignored, inviting the audience to listen, reflect and carry these stories forward.

Afrovibes Festival

This performance is part of the Afrovibes Festival. This annual festival brings dance, theater and music performances by makers from Africa and the African diaspora to the Netherlands and brings them together. They shape current questions that live there and with us and have an idiosyncratic vision of them. This year, the theme is heritage. The makers show how they experience the current zeitgeist and their cultural heritage. They wonder what we can learn from the past about courage, ethics, joint strength. And about the tension between ancient African rituals and modern greed. What do we leave behind for future generations?

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