Actor and director Hans Croiset will receive the Blijvend Applause Prize (Lasting Applause Prize) this year. The 89-year-old theater maker will receive the oeuvre award on November 9 during a festive ceremony in De Kleine Komedie in Amsterdam, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The jury calls it “very justified” that Croiset receives the prize. The actor, director, and writer debuted in 1953 with the Rotterdam Toneel and had a long and versatile career. He was artistic director of Toneelgroep Theater and won the Louis d’Or drama prize twice.
Croiset announced in 2022 that he was stopping acting, but will return to the stage next year. Together with actress Anne Wil Blankers, he will star in the play Love Letters .
The Blijvend Applause Prize is awarded annually to a performing artist with a long and versatile career. The prize consists of a bronze statue and a cash prize of 7,500 euros. Previous winners include Willeke Alberti, Herman Finkers, Paul van Vliet, and Jenny Arean.