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What's on in Bloemendaal this autumn? At Caprera, the open-air theatre in the dunes near Bloemendaal, September brings four evenings with real name recognition: Micha Wertheim, Aaf Brandt Corstius with Lies Visschedijk, Trijntje Oosterhuis with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, and two shows from Chef'Special. These are the evenings worth considering, the kind that leave you not wanting to head back into town afterwards.
Micha Wertheim, Wednesday 16 September
Wertheim is known for his sharp, absurdist humour, and "Voor iedereen" ("For Everyone") is his newest show. If you haven't seen him in an open-air theatre before: the setting does almost as much work as the material.
Aaf Brandt Corstius & Lies Visschedijk, Thursday 17 September
"Over de liefde" ("On Love") is exactly what the title promises: two sharp, witty voices spending an evening picking apart why we're all so bad at something we spend so much time on. Less stand-up, more a conversation you happen to be sitting in on.
Trijntje Oosterhuis & Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Friday 18 September
An evening dedicated to Stevie Wonder, with one of the few Dutch voices who can genuinely do that repertoire justice. If there's one night this autumn worth booking a table for and not wanting to leave, it's this one.
Chef'Special, Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September
Two evenings, semi-acoustic, in a setting that sounds nothing like a festival field. Saturday even has an early and a late show, useful if you'd rather be back on your terrace at a reasonable hour.
After that
A few creative workshops follow later in the year at Caprera, though they're already sold out at the time of writing. The programme gets updated throughout the year, so for current dates and any new additions, the best place to check is Caprera's programme page itself (Dutch only).
Make a night of it
Most of these shows start around half past eight, just in time to eat first without rushing. Our picks for the best restaurants in Bloemendaal, Haarlem and Overveen are all nearby. And with a room at Blendin Bloemendaal, you won't need to go anywhere afterwards: your terrace is already there, with or without an audience.
