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Tim Robbins is the founder and artistic director
of The Actors´ Gang Theatre in Los Angeles, for this
work in particular, he and the theatre company, is
awarded the Prize of Hope. His many Hollywood productions
have contributed to the financial possibilities of
the theatre company, which focusses on many of the
problems of the world today in a strong artistic and
immediate manner. Like all true and contemporary art,
The Actors’ Gang puts the finger on all the sore spots.
They did it in relation to the invasion of Iraq, when
it was considered bad taste in public debate to question
the justification of the invasion. Tim Robbins did
it with the play “Embedded” (2003), which he wrote
and instructed for The Actors´ Gang. The play depicts
the pretences that led to the invasion of Iraq and
consequently an air of hostility arose against Tim
Robbins and his wife, the actress Susan Sarandon,
in many conservative circles.
Tim Robbins is an outstanding actor, and his ability
to interchange between comedy, as in “Hudsucker Proxy”
(1994) and the dramatic roles, as in “Mystic River
“(2003) is eminent. Solely due to his acting he deserves
to be awarded and indeed he has been. He received
an Oscar for his presentation in “Mystic River” and
for his role in “The Player”(1992), he was awarded
best actor at the festival of films in Cannes. He
has a lot to offer, and is given a lot of the honour
for “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) becoming one
of the most viewed movies. He portrays a banker, who
ends up in prison for murder, presumably due to maljustice.
He also acts in more controversial movies, like “The
secret life of words” (2005), where he impersonates
a blind man in relationship with a woman who has been
mutilated and totured during the war in former Yugoslavia.
Tim Robbins has equally strong made a mark as an instructor
of films. He wrote the script and instructed the movie
“Dead Man Walking”(1995), for which Susan Sarandon
received an Oscar. The movie depicts the relationship
between a nun and a prisoner on death row. It is a
film about death penalty, but rather than taking side
it leaves the audience with the dilemma painfully
present.
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But in spite of the many and large
roles in movies, Tim Robbins’ heart is with the theatre
and the company The Actors´ Gang.
The Actors´ Gang is a story of a group of young
people in their twenties, who started their own theatre
with enthusiasm and talent in 1981. The wanted to
make a difference. Their first play, “ Ubu the King”
in 1982, was exactly that play which was an early
prediction of the development in twentieth century
modern theatre leading to Beckett, “The absurd theatre”
and the many new roads to perceive and understand
reality. An almost prophetic choice for a group of
young artistic rebels who wanted to make a difference.
Since then, The Actors´ Gang has grown considerably
and has become one of the leading ensembles in America,
touring all over USA and around the world. It’s repertoire
expands from classics like “Tartuffe” by Molière played
with masks as in Commedia dell` arte, to contemporary
and social critical productions like “Embedded”.
At the same time Tim Robbins and The Actors´ Gang
have an eye for the children and the young, for the
new eyes, for the next generation of people bringing
stories to life, as he himself did in the 60’ies on
the sidewalks of New York. The theatre spends a considerable
amount of energy on productions with children and
youths, concurrent with the large professional shows.
Tim Robbins og The Actors´ Gang receives the Prize
of Hope for the courage of their art to stand up against
the wind. Consequently he and the theatre, has
taken the part of the weak and forgotten. “We must
take chances, follow our hearts, hold our heads high,
and feel pride when criticized by those that would
censor, because in that criticism we will have called
up the spirits of those that first produced Ibsen
and Willliams and Shaw”.
The Institute of Popular Theatre and Dell’arte congratulates
Tim Robbins and The Actors´ Gang with The Prize of
Hope 2008.
The Prize of Hope as a sculptural piece of art is
created personally for Tim Robbins and The Actors
Gang by the artist Bruce Mars, Dell’Arte. The sculpture
vil mirror the hope and the person. It will at the
same time be included in the collection of motifs
in the “Frieze of Hope” situated at Åsen, the home
of Institute of Popular Theatre, with works of art
from the Prize of Hope presentations from 1989 to
2007, all created by the artist Klaus Tams, The House
of Masks, Chatvin.
The Prize of Hope is now also a celebration in America,
amongst the giant redwoods of California aging more
than 1000 years and measuring more than 100 meters
– come and join us!
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Robbins' Actors' Gang Receives "Prize of Hope".
(Broadwayworld.com). |
