Back to Back Theatre Named 2026 Portrait Artist at Festival d'Automne à Paris
Back to Back Theatre, a company from Geelong composed of actors with intellectual disabilities or neurodivergent backgrounds, has been honored as the 2026 Portrait artist for the Festival d'Automne à Paris, marking it as the first Australian company to achieve this recognition. The festival takes place from September to January at 60 venues throughout Paris and the Île-de-France area. During its eight-week residency in November and December 2026, Back to Back Theatre will showcase five productions, including Small Metal Objects and Ganesh Versus the Third Reich. Prior to the Paris event, Ganesh Versus the Third Reich is scheduled for performances at the University of Melbourne's Union Theatre from June 17 to 19. Since 2009, the company has completed 86 national and 124 international seasons.
Key facts
- Back to Back Theatre is the first Australian company to be named Portrait artist at Festival d'Automne à Paris.
- The company is led by an ensemble of actors who identify as having an intellectual disability or as neurodivergent.
- The 2026 Portrait will feature five works spanning 2005 to 2027, including open rehearsals of Neanderthal.
- The residency runs for eight weeks in November and December 2026 across four Paris venues.
- Previous Portrait artists include Robert Wilson, William Forsythe, Romeo Castellucci, and Lucinda Childs.
- Back to Back Theatre won the International Ibsen Award in 2022 and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre at the 2024 Venice Biennale.
- Festival Director Francesa Corrona called the selection 'both essential and overdue'.
- Ganesh Versus the Third Reich will also be performed at the University of Melbourne from 17 to 19 June 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Back to Back Theatre
- Bruce Gladwin
- Robert Wilson
- William Forsythe
- Romeo Castellucci
- Unsuk Chin
- Krystian Lupa
- Irvine Arditti
- Quatuor Arditti
- Lucinda Childs
- Francesa Corrona
- Tony Burke
Institutions
- Festival d'Automne à Paris
- Centre Pompidou
- Théâtre de la Ville
- Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe
- Canopée des Halles
- Théâtre de la Cité Internationale
- Ménagerie de Verre
- LaBriqueterie
- University of Melbourne Arts and Culture
- Union Theatre
- International Ibsen Award
- Venice Biennale
- ArtsHub
- ScreenHub
Locations
- Geelong
- Australia
- Paris
- France
- Île-de-France
- Melbourne