Funny, sad, scary, sweet, unbelievable, comforting stories: that's what Soula's Storytelling Nights are all about. Make yourself at home and listen to stories from all over the word!
Come and listen to experienced storytellers and talented newcomers tell their tales. And if inspiration strikes, audience-members are invited to put their name in a hat. At the end of the night two names will be picked at random and these two lucky birds will get to share their story. True stories about crazy families, horrible dates, myths, folk tales, newly written stories: anything goes as long as the stories are told and not read from paper.
About the ‘No (More) Shame’ edition, September 16
Come and listen to stories about shame: feeling shame, overcoming shame, behaving shamelessly. What do we feel ashamed about? With a wonderful line-up of storytellers, our house band Reversed and of course baklava!
Soula's Storytelling Nights are in English.
Utrecht based Rian Evers is a troubadour, songwriter, composer, singer and musician. For over ten years she has been writing songs, composing music and performing. Now, in collaboration with other musicians she performs under the name of Reversed and is working on their first work a double-debut-EP called Headstrong.
Geoffrey van der Ven beholds the world with a curious eye, bringing sharp, critical, and activist stories to life. His spoken word and theatre work is personal, centering on queer and BIPOC identities, inviting audiences to pause and reflect. Fresh off his tour with his solo show Het is niet nieuw, which explores the queer history of Africa, Geoffrey is now creating a new show, What's the Difference, focused on queer shame and set to hit the stage in 2026.
Renske is a creative producer and program curator for community-based performing arts, especially passionate about social issues and international collaboration. Since 2020 she has developed as a writer and storyteller with Mezrab, bringing personal stories with a pinch of nostalgia, a twist of self-mockery, and a musical note.
Stories were my first and greatest love. I learned to speak as soon as I could, just so that I could demand endless offerings of stories, like a bored little emperor atop his teddy bear throne. Fortunately for my parents’ frazzled nerves, I soon discovered that stories are the building blocks of the world. Not just in books, films and myths: our very lives are tapestries of tales, and I gorged myself on them until I began to burst at the seams. There’s nothing else for it: I have to share the stories inside me… before I explode!
"Soula’s living room was once again a warm, cozy place where people dared to tell personal things to complete strangers. The benches were filled to the last spot. Tea, coffee and baklava. Especially the stories from countries where there is little room to be yourself made an impression on me. Soula’s summary at the end was both moving and hilarious."
"Soula is a great comedienne and hostess who is brilliant at creating a friendly atmosphere. People are invited to think outside the box and experience the magic of the story. The storytelling culture in Utrecht gets a nice boost because of this and these evenings are indispensable."
Soula Notos is een veelzijdig maker en performer uit Utrecht (theater, storytelling, spoken word, stand-up comedy). Met haar solovoorstelling Wie ben je als niemand kijkt? stond ze op verschillende storytellingfestivals (in Oslo, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Praag en London) en ook op Oerol en Festival Boulevard. Op het moment is ze te zien in theaters met de voorstelling Gurbet – or how I became rich. Ze probeert te verbinden, te veranderen, mensen te laten lachen en zichtbaar te maken wat tot dan toe onzichtbaar bleef. Meer info: www.soula.nl.
Soula Notos is a versatile theater maker and performer based in Utrecht (theater, storytelling, spoken word, stand-up comedy). With her solo Who are you when no one is looking? she performed at various storytelling festivals (Oslo, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Prague, London) and also at Oerol and Festival Boulevard. She is currently in theaters with her new solo Gurbet - or how I became rich. She tells stories to connect, to change, to laugh. To remember. More info: www.soula.nl
