The Company

Together with Dimitry, he is responsible for the planning and organisation of Edition XI, with particular attention paid to the arrangements, the table and those details best not left to chance.

Few are better suited to setting the tone for an evening intended to continue well beyond expectation.

Together with Tobias, he is responsible for the planning and organisation of Edition XI, helping shape the evening and ensuring that proceedings unfold with the appropriate degree of purpose.

A physiotherapist by profession, Dimitry also assumes informal responsibility for the physical wellbeing of the company, keeping a watchful eye on posture, mobility and the general structural integrity of those present. Equal parts catalyst and caretaker, he ensures that SUX remains both lively and, where reasonably possible, physically sustainable.

His other enduring pursuit is wine. A knowledgeable and enthusiastic student of the subject, Jesper is the man behind Wijn Proeven met Jespere, an undertaking born of a distinctly French persuasion and a serious appreciation for good bottles. At SUX, this makes him both founder and unofficial authority on what ought to be poured.

His remit begins where most itineraries end. From the next bar to the final round and whatever follows thereafter, Floris has developed a dependable instinct for keeping the company moving long after the sensible hour has passed. At SUX, the late-night programme is therefore less a matter of planning than a matter of placing oneself in capable hands.

His musical contribution to SUX extends beyond selection alone. For Edition X, Dominique composed and produced music specifically for the occasion, giving last year’s gathering its own soundtrack and securing his place as the Society’s resident musical authority.

When conversation eventually gives way to competition, he assumes his second office as quizmaster. Questions are posed, scores are kept and reputations are placed briefly at risk. In matters of music and general knowledge alike, Dominique ensures that the company is rarely left unchallenged.

His preferred instrument is the dry observation, followed closely by the remark that arrives half a second later than expected and considerably sharper than necessary. No formal programme is required. Wouter simply ensures that, throughout the evening, solemnity is never allowed to establish itself for too long.

He also brings a welcome measure of financial discipline to proceedings. While others may concern themselves with ambition, atmosphere and the next round, Wouter retains a dependable interest in whether any of it can be achieved at a more sensible price. In matters of expenditure, enthusiasm is therefore occasionally subjected to review.

He also serves, with admirable regularity, as one of the company’s more dependable drivers. Where others may concern themselves with the destination, Patrick can generally be relied upon to consider whether everyone will arrive there at all.

Outside SUX, Patrick maintains what might best be described as a demanding social portfolio. A newly acquired romantic commitment now commands a respectable share of his calendar, while longstanding obligations to another circle of friends ensure that his time is rarely left entirely unclaimed. The Society observes this allocation of resources with interest and, on occasion, mild concern, but remains confident that matters of tradition will continue to receive appropriate priority.