What a cozy, well-filled and atmospheric evening this was!
To begin with the words William also spoke that evening:
“Is this your table tennis club?!”
The stage is back in perfect condition, the curtains hang perfectly straight, and the hall is beautifully decorated. A huge thank you to the maintenance crew, the party committee, and the organizers. And a special thanks to Van der Linden Nursery for the gorgeous, colorful flower baskets!
From 7:30 PM, the party room slowly fills with enthusiastic, well-dressed, and occasionally nervous, partygoers. Everyone receives a voting form for the talent show, a drink in hand, and is introduced to the photo booth.
William and Frenklin will open the evening with a welcome speech in Dutch and German, and then Chantal Janzen will present the talent show!
Oh, unfortunately... she is unable to attend... well, then it will be our one and only... Han van de Poel!
The ball opened spectacularly with "The Supremes." Just as good as 30 years ago (or so I've heard). They played some classics that even the younger generation, which I consider myself a member of, could still sing and swing along to.
What beautiful, enviable ladies performed! You could see they were beaming and having so much fun. A huge thank you to Carlo, Henrie, and Jörgen; this image will remain in my memory forever.
Then it's Luciano Pavarotti's turn. Wow. What a tearjerker this was. His outbursts were spot on, and you could see Walter's passion. He truly has hidden talents besides being a good beer pourer.
After a short break in which the glasses are filled with a (cold) drink and the tables are provided with nuts again, the one and only King can enter the stage.
It's like watching a real professional Elvis impersonator. He whips the audience into a frenzy, and we feel like we're transported back in time.
There's one more performance before we move on to the voting round. TweedeHans Klok takes the stage. With a mix of silly and serious tricks, they transport the audience to a magical world. Best described as Tommy Cooper meets Hans Klok.
Then it's time for the main act of the evening. Maurice Schalks makes it a real party. He gets the crowd dancing and mingles with the audience. The very first song creates a long polonaise full of bouncing, slightly sweaty revelers. He also needs a moment to catch his breath, and in the meantime, we can call the only championship team of the season onto the stage: Stiphout 3! They delivered a fantastic performance and leave the stage with big smiles and a beer package under their arms. Then it's Renée's turn, who has been a member of our club for 40 years. William reminisces with the audience, and she receives a loud round of applause and a bouquet of flowers.
Unsuspectingly, Roger suddenly appears on stage to unknowingly receive the club pin from the chairman.
The tension is rising and it's finally time for the redeeming word from our very own Chantal van de Poel... who won that Talent Show...?
Is it the Supremes, is it Pavarotti, The King, or maybe that TweedeHans Klok…
A draw! The Supremes and TweedeHans Klok walk away with the coveted trophy, which everyone can admire in the trophy cabinet.
The alcohol is flowing (in moderation!), the room is packed, and I see nothing but smiling faces. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this evening possible and the hours they put into it.
