Een scène uit het toneelstuk 'Wat Jonas overkwam' Possibly 1936

Curator: Let's look at this photograph, "Een scène uit het toneelstuk 'Wat Jonas overkwam'," possibly from 1936, attributed to Fotobureau Stevens. What strikes you initially? Editor: There's a strange tension, like everyone is frozen mid-gesture. The contrast between the smooth, almost waxy faces and the backdrop's rough texture also draws the eye. Curator: It’s interesting you notice the tension. Considering its title refers to a play, it highlights performativity and societal expectations around gender. Look at the women on either side; they're framed almost as supporters or even constraints on the men. Editor: The photograph feels very posed, very deliberately arranged. I’m curious about the materiality, the photographic paper itself. It seems like a straightforward print, maybe contact paper. But think of the labour – from the posing, directing to the actual processing in the darkroom – a craft itself. Curator: Exactly, and let's not overlook the socio-political undertones. The photograph potentially captured during a period of immense change and turmoil across Europe—how could such political dimensions influence this scene, in particular, shaping performance and stagecraft? The men's attire and handshake, potentially symbolising solidarity or perhaps even discord, speak to something deeper. Editor: What is intriguing, from a material standpoint, is how ephemeral the theater is by its very nature but made archival and preservable through photographic medium. Photography allows a fleeting moment to be studied, assessed in different historical settings in future times. What does the play then have to tell in the material context of our current times? Curator: By looking at the photograph, we see an invitation to dissect how performance intersects with broader societal dynamics. A captured slice of past dialogue, influencing dialogue of today. Editor: Absolutely. The medium's capacity to outlive performance, altering meanings, and our interaction through history with labor, time, and political landscape – an image like this gives us much to think about!