Revolution Is a Dinner Party is a hand puppet show that combines singing and spoken word. It reinterprets Mao Zedong's statement "Revolution is not a dinner party" as an invitation to think about food, vermin and interconnectedness. The piece depicts a conversation in the afterlife between a sparrow and a rat. Inspired by Mao's "Smash Sparrows" campaign and the French "Great Hanoi Rat Massacre", they discuss class struggle and historical injustice. Their dialogue reveals how people, sparrows and rats become intertwined in political violence and colonial measures around hygiene and urban management. The performance takes place in a hand-painted puppet theatre in which intestines, flowers, mouths, sewers and sexual organs intertwine. This visual world highlights the porous, elusive nature of bodies and underlines the central theme of the performance: intimacy and intertwining between different species. The performance was conceived and produced by performance artist Kexin Hao, who started 2025 as Waag's newest 3Package Deal artist in residence. Kexin Hao is originally from Beijing and now lives in the Netherlands. She creates immersive, interdisciplinary experiences in which audiences can participate through movement, storytelling and play. Her work explores themes of history, society and heritage - often through participatory performances drawn from pop culture archetypes such as workout routines, video games and eating rituals. Programme 19:30 - 19:45 Welcome & introduction 19:45 - 21:15 Performance Revolution Is a Dinner Party 21:15 - 21:30 Drinks & after-dinner chat Accessibility If you are tight on cash but would like to participate in this event, please contact sanna [@] waag [dot] org. The Waag building is not accessible to visitors with mobility impairments. View our accessibility information here. Waag Open Every first Thursday night of the month, Waag opens its doors! Come along to discuss and do. Because not only do we discuss social issues and the future - you always learn something practical besides. Something you've always wanted to try out, like the 3D printer in the FabLab, or something you never expected, like figuring out how DNA works in our biotech lab. Waag Open takes place in the making spaces on the first and second floors of the historic Waag building on Nieuwmarkt.
Location: Futurelab Nieuwmarkt 4 | 1012CR Amsterdam
Cost: 12.50 (5 euros with City Pass)
