While walking the streets of Antwerp with my parents, who visited us last week, I was just about to show them the building, which looks like a bacon. (Yes, it's on the Hofstraat and it looks like bacon, because it used to be a butcher's hall. So far our guide book says.) My dad suddenly calls my name and disappears in a tiny door going underground, just like Alice. I followed him and for my big surprise I appeared in an old, small puppet theatre.
The curly puppeteer explained how lucky we are, because De poesje is normally closed. They play only on weekends and than for closed groups who book a performance. He showed us the marionette with big nose, who's name is "The Nose" and he is one of the main characters. I asked if there is still one of the old original puppets. And than he showed us a puppet from (approx.) 1860.
As I already speak some dutch, I was wondering why is the theatre called "kitten" (de poes - a cat, het poesje - little cat) I found out, that "poesje" or "poesjenel" is how they used to call the marionettes in the Antwerp's dialect. (Thank you, wikipedia...)
If you will visit Antwerp, check it out, stop by, there are more "poesje" theatres, but this one was so magic and tiny. Maybe the magic curly puppeteer will be there again and he'll show you the old heavy puppets. Maybe he will also show you how they can hit each other with a wooden stick! And maybe it'll be closed. Than have a look at least at the bacon building. And try again later.
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