With the creation of the art form Talte Tanker, poet Mazen Ismail has distinguished himself as an innovative and authentic voice on the Danish cultural scene. Now, through poems and love anecdotes, he takes the audience into the strange world of dating culture – where we swipe with confidence, but doubt in silence. Where the longing for love is naive, where situationships are a thing and ghosting is a way out in a digitalized dating jungle.
EVERYTHING YOU DON'T SAY ON A FIRST DATE premieres on October 6th at Bygningen in Vejle and can then be experienced in over 14 cities across the country.
Watch the trailer for the show here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j14yyeX43w4&t=6s.
An honest look at modern love.
Based on Mazen Ismail's own life, observations and friends' stories, EVERYTHING YOU DON'T SAY ON A FIRST DATE is not just a show, but an investigation into how we navigate a digitalized dating culture and maintain human presence in a time of fleeting relationships. It is a performance for anyone who has tried dating, has been afraid of being rejected, or who is seeking a deeper understanding of how we connect with each other in 2026. After all, we all just want to be loved. A unique voice in Danish cultural life Mazen Ismail writes poems and performs with them. He is an award-winning performer and storyteller, known for his uncompromising authenticity and for creating the genre of Spoken Thoughts – an art form that unites poetry, performance and music. In 2019, Mazen Ismail received the Danish Arts Foundation's Honorary Award.
