Ramsey Nasr

(The Netherlands, 1974) is a poet, writer, actor and director. He made his poetry debut in 2000 with 27 gedichten & Geen lied (27 Poems & No Song). Nasr acts in films and TV series and is a member of the International Theatre Amsterdam ensemble. His stage and screen roles have been awarded multiple times. He also writes theatre pieces, columns, essays and opinon pieces. From 2009 to 2013 he was the Dutch Poet Laureate. In his essay collection De fundamenten (The Fundamentals, 2021), he assesses a corona pandemic-struck nation; Nasr compacter (2021) gathers the best of his poems from a two-decade career. In 2023 he created a series for Dutch TV about objects from his own collections, Dr Nasrs Wunderkammer (Dr. Nasr's Chamber of Wonders).
(WU2024)Archive available for: Ramsey Nasr
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Ode to Remco Campert & The Hague Literary Prizes Ceremony
With: Aad Meinderts, Alma Mathijsen, Anjet Daanje, Benjamin Herman, Blue Moon, Corrie van Binsbergen, Ellen ten Damme, Jan Kuijper, Judith Uyterlinde, Kees 't Hart, Kees van Kooten, Lucky Fonz III, Maartje Meijer, Marjoleine de Vos, Mirjam van Hengel, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer, Rozalie Hirs, Saskia Bruines, Tjibbe Veldkamp, Tomas Lieske
To grandly celebrate the life and work of Remco Campert, an ode to him took place on the final day of the 2024 Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague, preceding the award ceremony of The Hague Literature Prizes. The event was organized by Writers Unlimited and the Literatuurmuseum, in collaboration with the Jan Campert Foundation, de Volkskrant and De Bezige Bij.
Ode to Remco Campert
Campert was honoured with appearances by prominent writers and artists such as Ellen ten Damme, Kees van Kooten, Ramsey Nasr, Alma Mathijsen, Mirjam van Hengel, South African poet Ronelda S. Kamfer, guitarist Corrie van Binsbergen and the Benjamin Herman Quartet formed by Benjamin Herman (saxophone), Thomas Poll (double bass), Timothy Banchet (piano) and Jimmi Hueting (drums). All let themselves be inspired by the person and work of Campert for their musical or verbal contributions.Remco Campert (1929-2022) was born in The Hague. He was a much-loved poet, novelist and columnist. His poetry won awards such as the Reina Prinsen Geerligs Prize, the Poetry Prize of the City of Amsterdam, the Jan Campert Prize, the P.C. Hooft Price and the Gouden Ganzenveer. In 2015 he was honoured with the Dutch Literature Prize.
Besides poetry, Campert wrote several novels, stories and novellas from the 1960s on, such as 2004's Een liefde in Parijs (A Love in Paris), which became revered classics. From 1989 until 1995, together with Jan Mulder and Bart Chabot, he read from his own work in theatres. From 1996 to 2006, together with Mulder, he wrote the joint column CaMu that appeared on the front page of the Volkskrant daily newspaper. His last works were 2019's Aanelkaar (To Each Other), an exchange of letters with Kees van Kooten, and the poetry collection Mijn dood en ik (My death and I, 2019), in which he lucidly looks death in the eye.
The Hague Literature Prizes Award Ceremony
The festival ended with The Hague Literature Prizes, which are awarded annually by the Jan Campert Foundation. The laureats - Anjet Daanje, Tomas Lieske, Rozalie Hirs en Tjibbe Veldkamp - received their prizes from Saskia Bruines, alderwoman of Finance, Culture and Economy of The Hague.Anjet Daanje received the Constantijn Huygens Prize, The Hague's most important award for a body of work. Tomas Lieske was awarded the F. Bordewijk Prize for his novel Niets dat hier hemelt. Rozalie Hirs received the Jan Campert Prize for her collection of poetry ecologica. The biennial Nienke van Hichtum Prize for children's books went to Tjibbe Veldkamp for his De jongen die van de wereld hield.
Each laureate was honoured with a laudatio by a special guest! Thus, writer Kees 't Hart and pianist, singer and composer Maartje Meijer performed for Anjet Daanje. Rozalie Hirs and Tomas Lieske were praised by poet Jan Kuijper and writer Marjoleine de Vos respectively. Singer-songwriter Lucky Fonz III performed for Tjibbe Veldkamp.
Judith Uyterlinde, director of Writers Unlimited, and Aad Meinderts, chair of the Jan Campert Foundation, delivered welcoming words.
Bookstore De Vries van Stockum was present in the foyer with a stand where books by the authors participating in this event and others were available!
Ode to Remco Campert & The Hague Literary Prizes Ceremony was curated by Jet Steinz on behalf of the Jan Campert Foundation and Writers Unlimited. Mirjam van Hengel hosted the event.
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Winternachten New Year's Concert
With: Antjie Krog, Asmaa Azaizeh, Ellen ten Damme, Francis Broekhuijsen, Fresku, Gypsy Academy, Juggling Tango, Noa Eyl, Ramsey Nasr, Thorwald Jørgensen, Timon Krause, Tobit en Jasmijn, Wende
Music, poetry and spoken word come together in this one-of-a-kind concert with appearances by Wende, Ellen ten Damme, Fresku, and poets Ramsey Nasr, Antjie Krog en Asmaa Azaizeh. They sing to, question, taste and release freedom. This sparkling matinee on Sunday afternoon, 19 January 2020, in The Hague's Zuiderstrand Theatre also includes performances by theremin player Thorwald Jørgensen, mentalist Timon Krause, violinist Noa Eyl, the Gypsy Academy, Juggling Tango and acrobatic duo Tobit and Jasmijn. The matinee is hosted by Francis Broekhuijsen.
Singer-songwriter, theatre professional, chansonnière, actress, performer, producer and house artist at the Royal Carré Theatre: Wende does it all. After the successful tour of her show MENS (HUMAN) and her own Kaleidoscope Festival,she has been working on a show in London with the Royal Court Theatre. She also plays the role of Connie Palmen in the film adaptation of the book IM. For the New Year's Concert she will perform songs from her existing repertoire and new works from her collaboration with artists such as Marieke Lucas Rijneveld.
Rapper, cabaret artist and actor Fresku is a multi-talent to be proud of! After his self-titled debut album, he was proclaimed the best hip hop artist of the Netherlands. Since then he has released two further successful albums, Maskerade (Masquerade) and Nooit meer terug (Never to Return). He is currently touring his second theatre show, Voordat het te laat is (Before it's Too Late). His trademarks are humour, sincerity and storytelling - a perfect match for this concert.
Sensitive, daring, funny and without limits: Ellen ten Damme feels at home at pop festivals as well as on theatre stages. The energetic singer, musician, writer and actress has been touring her sense-stimulating show Casablanca this season. Luckily she will also make time for a compelling appearance at the Winternachten New Year's Concert. Accompanied on piano, she interprets songs and chansons of a literary bent with her exceptional voice.
The Winternachten New Year's Concert is an initiative of Writers Unlimited in partnership with the Zuiderstrand Theatre. The concert forms the grand finale of the 25th Winternachten International Literature Festival Den Haag. From 15 to 19 January 2020, more than 100 local and international writers, poets and artists will appear at theatres, libraries and schools throughout The Hague.
This program is made possible with contributions from the City of The Hague, the Dutch Literary Foundation, the VSB Fund, Dioraphte, the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, the 1818 Fund and the Lira Fund.
Entry tickets to the New Year's Concert include coat check, pre-show coffee/tea and a post-show drink.
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Dream Birds
Bernlef is one of Holland's finest poets; Ramsey Nasr has made a name for himself as - among many other things - Poet Laureate, and Like Marsman is an important up-and-coming talent. Their poetry readings are introduced by the lyrics of Trio Droomvogels. A festive conclusion of a Winternight full of literature and poetry. In Dutch.
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Reading with local writers from Antakya
With: Anil Ramdas, Hassan Daoud, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
The four writers who travel on invitation of Winternachten, will perform tonight alongside local writers from the Antakya area: Sinan Seyfettinoglu, Mehmet Ali Solak, Mehmet Tekin, Duran Yasar, Kerim Donmez, Yaser Bereketoglu and Muhsin Boz. The discussion is in English, with Turkish translations. The readings of the foreign authors will be in the original languages, with projections of Turkish translations on screen.
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Reading and panel discussion: literature and society - Antakya
With: Anil Ramdas, Hassan Daoud, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Ramsey Nasr, Hassan Daoud, Ronelda Kamfer and Anil Ramdas read from their literary work, and talk about the expectations they have of the influence of literature on society. As a public figure, does the writer or a poet have a more than average social responsibililty?
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Reading in Ghetto - Istanbul
With: Anil Ramdas, Hassan Daoud, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Because of a bomb attack in Istanbul, the performances of Sunday afternoon were all cancelled. Therefore, an extra performance has been arranged for the writers who travel through Turkey on behalf of Winternachten. The final party of the ITEF festival in 'Ghetto' will open with readings by the Dutch/Surinamese writer Anil Ramdas, the Dutch Poet Laureate Ramsey Nasr, Hassan Daoud from Beirut and poet Ronelda Kamfer from South Africa.
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Reading and discussion - ITEF Istanbul
With: Anil Ramdas, Hassan Daoud, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Four writers and poets read from their work, and discuss it before and with their audience. The language is English, the readings are in the orgininal languages, with simultaneous projection of the Turkish translations. The South-African poet Ronelda Kamfer reads her poems in Afrikaans. Writer and journalist Hassan Daoud from Lebanon will read fragments from his recent novel. The Dutch 'poet laureate' Ramsey Nasr will perform his poetry, and the Dutch/Surinamese journalist and writer Anil Ramdas will read from his essays and articles.
In D&R Etiler, Nispetiye Cad. No:17 - Etiler - Nisantasi, Istanbul. -
Writers Conference - part 2
With: Anil Ramdas, Bejan Matur, Gündüz Vassaf, Hakan Gunday, Hamdi Koç, Hassan Daoud, Melida Tüzünoglu, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Final session of a two day closed writer's meeting with the four writers travelling on invitation of Winternachten, and four Turkish writers: Bejan Matur, Hakan Gunday, Hamdi Koc and Melida Tuzunoglu, on the theme Global writing - global conscience. The sessions are chaired by writer Gündüz Vassaf.
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Writers Conference - part 1
With: Anil Ramdas, Bejan Matur, Gündüz Vassaf, Hakan Gunday, Hamdi Koç, Hassan Daoud, Melida Tüzünoglu, Ramsey Nasr, Ronelda S. Kamfer
Start of a two day closed writer's meeting with the four writers travelling on invitation of Winternachten, and four Turkish writers: Bejan Matur, Hakan Gunday, Hamdi Koc and Melida Tuzunoglu, on the theme Global writing - global conscience. The sessions are chaired by writer Gündüz Vassaf.
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Decisive rules
Whether literature offers solace or confusion, whether it shows the way or disorders, every writer must have been moved in the course of his or her life by a passage, a line, an image or a poem which gave direction to his or her life. Was it a boys' book? A text on a tile? A column? Or rather that highly valued, often quoted passage from world literature? Jonathan Safran Foer, Tash Aw, Ramsey Nasr, Joke van Leeuwen and Petina Gappah read those passages that changed their lives for good, and reveal what happened to them when they read those lines for the first time. The programme starts with a reading from his work by the Iranian author Shahriar Mandanipour.
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Love's Golden Rules
At the end of the evening writers Ramsey Nasr and Marja Pruis will go in search of Love's Golden Rules in the grote zaal. What are the most important and sincerest rules in love? And who has written about it in the most beautiful terms? Writing about love is an art because it's such a great and sweeping emotion. Because it's either over the top, or too sweet. How to prevent that from happening? And are there any writers who show this well? The writers read the most beautiful love lines. Dutch.
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The limits of chaos
Sometimes it seems that art comes into being primarily where order has been removed. But maybe even the most disorganising artist needs footing. With his music cellist Ernst Reijsiger skims along the limits of what his instrument has to offer in terms of possibilities. Ramsey Nasr, poet laureate, in poems like Mi Have een Droom (Me Have a Dream) explores the limits of Dutch as a language, and being an actor and a director he often finds himself in the grey area of text and improvisation.
With Jan Donker as host, these two artists talk about rules and chaos and the assumed freedom during improvisation. How chaotic can and must one be. Which rule will they never break? A programme full of recitation and unsettling music. In Dutch -
Krusa Laman - Teatro Luna Blou Curaçao
With: Boy Dap, Erich Zielinski, Gabeba Baderoon, Jennifer Martis, Jit Narain, Jopi Hart, Mario Kleinmoedig, Nukila Amal, Ramsey Nasr
An evening with prose readings, storytelling, poetry, interviews and music. With Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, Ramsey Nasr from The Netherlands, writer Nukila Amal from Indonesia, poet Jit Narain from Suriname, and from Curaçao performer/musician Boy Dap, writers Jopi Hart and Erich Zielinski and actress Jennifer Martis. Mario Kleinmoedig hosts the evening. Part of the evening is a discussion with the authors on globalization: 'Writing at the Crossroads of Globalization and National Context'.
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Krusa Laman - Villa Maria Curaçao
With: Boy Dap, Gabeba Baderoon, Izaline Calister, Jit Narain, Nukila Amal, Ramsey Nasr, Roland Colastica, Sonia Garmers
An evening with storytelling, music and poetry by Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, Ramsey Nasr from The Netherlands, Jit Narain from Suriname and Nukila Amal from Indonesia. From Curaçao there will be performances of singer/composer Boy Dap, novelists and poets Sonia Garmers and Joseph (Jopi) Hart, novelist Erich Zielinski and the actress and performer Jennifer Martis. The Curaçao/Dutch singer Izaline Calister sings stories put to music from Curaçao and The Netherlands. She will be accompanied by the percussionist Pernell Luciano Saturnino from Curaçao and the Dutch guitarist Edvard Verhoef. Actor and writer Roland Colastica from Curaçao is the MC of this multifacetted literary and musical evening.
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Krusa Laman - Bonaire
With: Annie Francees, Frans Booi, Gabeba Baderoon, Izaline Calister, Jit Narain, Monica Clarinda, Nukila Amal, Ramsey Nasr, Roland Colastica
An evening with storytelling, music and poetry by Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, Ramsey Nasr from The Netherlands, Jit Narain from Suriname and Nukila Amal from Indonesia. Authors Frans booi, Monica Clarinda and Annie Francis from Bonaire will read from their work. The Curaçao/Dutch singer Izaline Calister sings stories put to music from Curaçao and The Netherlands. She will be accompanied by the percussionist Pernell Luciano Saturnino from Curaçao and the Dutch guitarist Edvard Verhoef. Actor and writer Roland Colastica from Curaçao is the MC of this multifacetted literary evening.
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Crusa Lama - Aruba
With: Ernesto Rosenstand, Frank Williams, Gabeba Baderoon, Hubert Booi, Ito Tromp, Izaline Calister, Jit Narain, Nukila Amal, Ramsey Nasr, Roland Colastica
An evening with storytelling, music and poetry by Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, Ramsey Nasr from The Netherlands, Jit Narain from Suriname and Nukila Amal from Indonesia. The Aruban writers and storytellers Ernesto Rosenstand and Hubert Booi will be interviewd by Ito Tromp. Another Aruban writer, Frank Williams, will read from his work. The Curaçao/Dutch singer Izaline Calister sings stories put to music from Curaçao and The Netherlands. She will be accompanied by the percussionist Pernell Luciano Saturnino from Curaçao and the Dutch guitarist Edvard Verhoef. Actor and writer Roland Colastica uit Curaçao is the MC of this multifacetted literary evening.
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Crossing the Seas - Sint Maarten II
With: Clara Reyes, Gabeba Baderoon, Izaline Calister, Joseph Maccow, Lenworth Wilson, Leon Noel, Marisha Carty, Ramsey Nasr, Rhea Courtar
An evening with storytelling, music and poetry by Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa, Ramsey Nasr from The Netherlands, from Sint Maarten the storytellers Jozef Makou and Leon Noel and the group of poets called The Young Poets Society. De Curaçao/Dutch singer Izaline Calister sings stories put to music from Curaçao and The Netherlands. She will be accompanied by the percussionist Pernell Luciano Saturnino from Curaçao and the Dutch guitarist Edvard Verhoef. Clara Reyes is the MC of this multifacetted literary evening.
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Young poets - part 2
'It is our explicit wish to remain anonymous', wrote poet Alfred Schaffer in his last anthology, Schuim (Foam). Nevertheless he and five other poets of the young generation read from their work. In this second part: the former Antwerp 'city poet' Ramsey Nasr, who debuted in 2000 with the collection 27 Poems & No Song. He read some poems from our-lady-zeppelin. WillemThies founded the literary punkrock magazine Zeroxat. Toendra (Tundra) is his first volume of poetry, published in 2006 and awarded with the C. Buddingh'-prijs. In the same year journalist, translator and poet Florence Tonk made her debut with the collection Anders komen de wolven (Otherwise the Wolves will Come). Poet Tsead Bruinja introduced them and talked with them.
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Universitas Indonesia - optreden voor studenten Nederlands
With: Antjie Krog, Ellen Ombre, Frank Martinus Arion, Ramsey Nasr
Als afsluiting van de tournee in Indonesië traden de vier schrijvers op voor studenten van de vakgroep Nederlands van de Universitas Indonesia, in Depok, bij Jakarta. De studenten hadden een programma voorbereid, waarbij ook zij literair werk voordroegen in het Nederlands en Afrikaans. Na hun optredens gingen de schrijvers in op vragen uit de zaal.
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Winternachten Overzee in het Erasmushuis
With: Antjie Krog, Ellen Ombre, Frank Martinus Arion, Ramsey Nasr, Richard Oh
Het laatste openbare optreden in deze tournee was in het Erasmushuis, het culturele centrum van de Nederlandse Ambassade in Jakarta. Hier traden alleen de vier voor Winternachten meereizende schrijvers op. Ze droegen voor uit hun werk en werden geïnterviewd door schrijver en uitgever Richard Oh. De schrijvers lazen hun gedichten en proza-fragmenten in hun eigen taal, terwijl de Indonesische vertaling simultaan werd geprojecteerd. De populaire muziekgroep Krakatau trad voorafgaand aan het programma en na de pauze op.
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Winternachten in Teater Utan Kayu - Jakarta (3)
With: Ellen Ombre, Frank Martinus Arion, Ramsey Nasr
Op de laatste avond van het driedaagse literatuurfestival in Teater Utan Kayu traden Ellen Ombre, Frank Martinus Arion en Ramsey Nasr op met het Royke Kaopaha ensemble, Iswadi Pratama, de Turkse schrijfster Asli Erdogan, de Amerikaanse auteur Robert Olen Butler, Landung Simatupang en de Australische dichteres Jan Cornall.
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Winternachten in Teater Utan Kayu - Jakarta (2)
With: Antjie Krog, Frank Martinus Arion, Ramsey Nasr
Op de tweede avond van het festival in Teater Utan Kayu traden Ramsey Nasr, Frank Martinus Arion en Antjie Krog op met het Royke Kaopaha Ensemble, Radhar Panca Dahana, Budi Darma, Arswendo Atmowiloto, de Turkse schrijfster Asli Erdogan, N. Riantiarno en de Amerikaanse auteur Robert Olen Butler.
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Winternachten Overzee in Bandar Lampung - Sumatra
With: Antjie Krog, Ramsey Nasr
Na Bandung reisde het gezelschap naar Sumatra, naar de stad Bandar Lampung. Ook hier waren er optredens op twee avonden. Op deze avond traden Antjie Krog en Ramsey Nasr op met de Indonesiërs Isbedy Stiawan ZS, Dinar Rahayu, Marhalim Zaini, Shinta Febriany, Masnunah, de Turkse schrijfster Asli Erdogan en de Australische dichteres Lauren Williams.
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Winternachten Overzee in Bandung
With: Antjie Krog, Frank Martinus Arion, Ramsey Nasr
De tournee van Winternachten startte in Bandung, met optredens op twee avonden. Op deze eerste avond traden drie van de vier voor Winternachten meereizende schrijvers op. Andere optredenden waren de Indonesiërs Soni Farid Maulana, Nur Wahida Idris, A.S. Laksana, Kurnia Effendi, de Australische Jan Cornall en de KeTUK Group.