Ash Bolt
Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre has received international acclaim for its work, becoming the first Australian company to win the International Ibsen Award.
The almost $400,000 award, known as the “Nobel Prize for theatre”, was awarded to the theatre group by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture on Monday, March 21.
The award recognises the theatre group, which is well known for its neuro-diverse ensemble of actors, for bringing “new artistic dimensions to the world of drama or theatre”.
International Ibsen Award Committee chair Ingrid Lorentzen said Back to Back Theatre was an “outstanding and unique theatre company that asks questions of their audience, of society and of each other through groundbreaking productions”.
“Back to Back’s work is exciting, unsettling and thought-provoking. It inspires us to be better artists and better people,” she said.
“Back to Back gives voice to social and political issues, and their work is a relentlessly collective practice, where several creators, ideas and perspectives are always present and create a space for inclusion and opportunities.
“This is part of what makes their work so memorable and so important. Back to Back’s work has inspired and moved each of us in the committee, and we look forward to presenting this well-earned award to this theatre company.”
Back to Back ensemble member Scott Price said it was amazing to receive the international award.
“It is an honour to receive this major award for our achievements in theatre,” he said.
“It means a lot. It means recognition of our art. It is a privilege and an honour.
“It was probably the proudest day in my career.”
Back to Back artistic director and co-chief executive Bruce Gladwin added the award was also recognition of everyone the theatre group had worked with over the years.
“Many amazing artists have collaborated with the Back to Back Ensemble over the last 30 years,” he said.
“The presentation of the International Ibsen Award honours not only the ensemble’s talent and unique insight as social commentators but the richness and depth of Australian contemporary theatre.”
The company will officially accept the award at a ceremony at Oslo’s National Theatre on September 18.
Plans are also underway for Back to Back to perform a season of the award-winning production Ganesh Versus the Third Reich and its most recent major work, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes, in Oslo around that time.
