Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Back to Back Theatre

Mr PEARSON (Essendon—Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Minister for Government Services, Minister for Creative Industries) (12:24): I rise to pay tribute and offer warmest congratulations to Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre, who this week have achieved an extraordinary pinnacle in international awards as recipient of the 2022 International Ibsen Award. This award is often referred to as the ‘Nobel prize of theatre’.

Based in the Geelong CBD, Back to Back Theatre has a core ensemble of five neurodiverse professional actors who collaborate to create and produce their theatre works. The works created by Back to Back artists are groundbreaking and very often provocative and provide the most powerful of social commentary.

Their performance schedule is incredibly busy, with shows all over the world for around six months each year. The International Ibsen Award is given by the Norwegian government and honours creators who gift new dimensions to international drama and theatre. It brings with it a $300 000 prize, which will no doubt allow Back to Back to create even more stunning works. I am so thrilled to see global recognition for what Victorians have always known: that Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre is a creative powerhouse, leading the way in thought-provoking theatre that sees people of all abilities enjoy opportunities in the arts. And that is why the Victorian government is so proud to support them. The Back to Back team will travel to Norway in September to formally accept the award and perform two of their shows before international audiences. They represent the very best of Victoria—creative, brave, inclusive, diverse—and I, along with the members for Geelong and Lara, could not be more proud. Congratulations to Back to Back Theatre.