Last weekend, the theatre performance ‘The City She Loves Me’ premiered at Theatre Zuidplein in Rotterdam. The performance is inspired by Healthy Start’s research on youth participation in Rotterdam.

Because of this Healthy Start research on Youth Participation, researchers from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Irene Fierloos and Susanna Osinga engaged in discussions with theatre maker Floris van Delft about why youth participation can sometimes be so challenging. The result is an interactive production, created in collaboration with talented young people, that explores the complexity of unequal power relations, trust, and participation.

Susanna: “It is very inspiring to see how our research has been translated into a form that is so accessible and engaging. Theatre not only makes the challenges surrounding youth participation tangible but also opens up space for new conversations.”

The City She Loves Me

In the performance ‘The City She Loves Me’, three young people are asked to contribute to a film about their value to the city. Their fresh ideas soon clash with the experiences of the three filmmakers. Who is right? The performance shows how big the gap between young and old can be and how rare genuine conversations are that could close this gap. As problems for the younger generation continues to pile up – from school dropout to housing shortage – there is a growing need for a dialogue that goes beyond assumptions and prejudices.

Susanna: “The performance pinpoints the core issue. The problems that also emerge in our research are portrayed here in such a recognizable and almost painful.”

Tour dates

‘The City She Loves Me’ will tour through the country from February 14 to April 25 2025. The performance is in Dutch and suitable for audiences aged 14 and up. Click here for more information and tickets.

Read more about our research on youth participation.