The members of Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre had no idea they were about to be awarded the so-called “Nobel Prize for theatre” – the International Ibsen Award – when they sat down for a Zoom meeting in March with Norway's Ministry of Culture.

In this episode, the company's artistic director, Bruce Gladwin, tells Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland about that happy phone call, what the prize money will mean for the 35 year old company, and how he and a core ensemble of actors who are neuro-diverse or have intellectual disabilities, create work in regional Victoria that then tours the world. 

"[The prize] means we can go into the studio and start playing with ideas without the pressure of having to justify what we’re doing to potential funding partners,” says Gladwin, who will pick up the award in Oslo on September 18.

The members of Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre had no idea they were about to be awarded the so-called “Nobel Prize for theatre” – the International Ibsen Award – when they sat down for a Zoom meeting in March with Norway's Ministry of Culture. In this episode, the company's artistic director, Bruce Gladwin, tells Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland about that happy phone call, what the prize money will mean for the 35 year old company, and how he and a core ensemble of actors who are neuro-diverse or have intellectual disabilities, create work in regional Victoria that then tours the world.  "[The prize] means we can go into the studio and start playing with ideas without the pressure of having to justify what we’re doing to potential funding partners,” says Gladwin, who will pick up the award in Oslo on September 18.

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

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