OUR JORDAAN, WRITTEN BY DIEDERIK EBBINGE
‘The 5-star musical returns in 2026!’
Come and experience Onze Jordaan, the iconic musical that brings the magic of the Jordaan to life! In April 2026, the RAI Theatre in Amsterdam will be transformed into the atmospheric Café Koster, the legendary pub from the musical Onze Jordaan. Let yourself be carried away by the warmth, humour and famous conviviality of this unique part of Amsterdam.
What can you expect? Step inside the bustling Café Koster, where you will immediately feel at home. The atmosphere is unparalleled: authentic Jordaan music, delicious snacks and drinks available, and of course the cheerful atmosphere that makes the Jordaan so famous. Onze Jordaan not only takes you back to the past of this historic district, but also transports you to the present, full of recognisable and moving moments.
The musical tells the story of the Jordaan, full of love, friendship and, of course, the famous Jordaan conviviality. The cast brings the legendary characters of the Jordaan to life, with songs you won't be able to get out of your head and scenes that literally and figuratively bring the heart of Amsterdam to the stage.
It is 7 May 1945. On Dam Square, the Snotneusje band is playing cheerful music. The Netherlands has been liberated! Greet Bos, who is heavily pregnant, her three-year-old daughter Loes and her husband Jopie Bos are joining in the celebrations when suddenly gunshots ring out. Panic breaks out, people hide behind the Snotneusje, but Jopie is fatally wounded by the Germans' shots.
This tragedy marks the beginning of Greet's frame story. On her 80th birthday, she is being prepared by her carer Soumaya (23) in her retirement flat to celebrate her birthday in the communal coffee room. Greet takes us through her life story, starting on this fateful day in 1945. She talks at length about her life in the Jordaan as a single mother to Loes and Jan. About the mutual solidarity among the local residents, which is strengthened by the Belcanto choir, founded by her husband Jopie. All this against the backdrop of the Jordaan, the poverty and decline of the neighbourhood. She recounts the municipality's plans in the 1980s and 1990s to replace the original buildings with new ones and the exodus of the real Jordaan residents to Purmerend and Almere. She also recounts the arrival of yuppies and students, who may have saved the neighbourhood from new construction and decay, but in doing so also permanently changed its unique character.
A story full of emotion, melancholy, disappointment, bitterness, but above all hope and reconciliation! The piece is accompanied by the typical bel canto musical style, as we know it from Willy Alberti, Johnny Jordaan and Tante Leen, for example. The play is accompanied by the typical bel canto singing style, as we know it from Willy Alberti, Johnny Jordaan and Tante Leen. Songs that are featured, in our own arrangements, include “De Parelvissers”, “Bij Ons In De Jordaan”, “Funiculi, Funicola”, “Pikketanusie”, “Het Slavenkoor”, “Glimlach van een Kind”, “La Donna è Mobile” and “Amsterdams Parfum”.
Be enchanted by the conviviality of the Jordaan, sample the local delicacies and enjoy an evening you will not soon forget. Our Jordaan is more than just a musical – it is an adventure through the soul of Amsterdam. Don't miss it and experience the magic of the Jordaan at the RAI Theatre!
