Luxor applauds
When you walk into the Oude Luxor Theater, you can hardly miss it: a gigantic mural on the first floor titled“Luxor Applauds.” In this mural, Luxor honors artists who are leaving the theater. All the artists depicted on the wall share a special bond with Luxor; over the years, they’ve truly become part of Team Luxor. The design and paintings were created by artists Shon Price and Jerry Ronda, and the accompanying poems were written by Derek Otte.
Waardenberg and de Jong
Martin van Waardenberg and Wilfried de Jong began their careers as comedians in the late 1980s with acrobatic sketches full of slapstick. They’re a bit crude and blunt, but the characters in their sketches always have their hearts in the right place. Between 1985 and 1996, the duo produced six theater shows.
During the tenth-anniversary celebration of the Nieuwe Luxor Theater and the farewell to former director Rob Wiegman, the duo made a significant contribution. Rob Wiegman had expressed that it would be his dream for the two men to create something together one more time after their final performance in the 1990s. For the director’s farewell, they created a closing scene for the anniversary evening.
Without consulting the director, they came on stage dressed as construction workers from their famous “Picobello BV” sketch, pushing a concrete mixer. The duo had been given “the assignment” to encase a certain Robert Wiegman in concrete. The director was summoned to the stage and, dressed in his finest outfit, was placed in a bucket, where concrete was poured over him from the mixer. After this closing scene, the statue was symbolically “tossed into the Rijnhaven” from a crane.
The duo returned to Luxor twice more for special performances; in 2017, at Luxor’s request, Waardenberg and De Jong created a show with the ladies of Toren C to celebrate Luxor’s 100th anniversary. In 2020, the duo made a one-time comeback with no fewer than 52 sold-out nights at the Nieuwe Luxor Theater!
Youp van 't Hek
Youp van ’t Hek was born in 1954 as Joep van ’t Hek. Joep listened endlessly to cabaret legends like Wim Kan and Toon Hermans and was eager to take the stage himself. In 1973, he changed his name to “Youp” and founded the cabaret group Nar. His breakthrough came in 1983 with an appearance on the “Alles is Anders” show, after which his performances—and later his New Year’s Eve comedy specials—became increasingly popular. In 2024, Youp brought his impressive career to a close with the show *De laatste ronde*.
Youp has a special connection to Luxor. In one of his columns for the VARA Gids, Youp describes the Oude Luxor Theater as follows:
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have fond memories of this magical place where you can give 1,000 Rotterdammers a wonderful evening all at once. Behind the stage, there’s been a sewer smell for years because of some unsolvable problem with the drainage system; in the wings, you break your neck four times a night because it’s too small and cramped; and after the show, you have to climb four steep flights of stairs to reach your far-too-small dressing room. But it’s so damn cozy there!
Whenever Youp had finished another long run at the Luxor, and Rotterdam was once again his home for a short while, he would always host a get-together for his crew and all the Luxor staff after the final performance. At the end of every run, the Luxor received a gift for the artists’ lobby. Each and every one is a museum piece that is still cherished today.
Bert Visscher
Bert Visscher was born in Groningen. With his many characters and chaotic performances, Bert has been a fixture in the cabaret world for no less than 45 years. While still in high school, he founded the cabaret group Filter with four friends; they participated in the Cameretten Festival in 1981. They didn’t make it to the finals, but Bert did win the personality award. The group performed until 1983.
Bert didn’t sit still for long; in 1984, he performed his first solo show, *Desnoods geblinddoekt op één been* (*If Necessary, Blindfolded on One Leg*). This marked the beginning of a long career as a cabaret artist. Many major shows followed, including *Fijne Nuances*, *Voor ons hoeft het niet*, and *Stoffe Jongens*. The shows are often very chaotic; Bert races across the stage, talks fast, and has a great fondness for eccentric costumes and bizarre characters. You might know Bert from the legendary flower-arranging course—wearing a helmet, of course.
Bert has performed a total of 146 times at the Oude and Nieuwe Luxor Theater. In recent years, he’s mainly performed at the Nieuwe Luxor, but it all started for Bert at the Oude Luxor Theater. In the ’90s, he often went out after shows with a regular group that included Waardenberg, De Jong, and Brigitte Kaandorp. After the Teatro Fantastisco festival went bankrupt, this group organized an alternative festival where you could see all kinds of performances in small circus tents.
In keeping with tradition, Bert always leaves something behind in the artists’ lounge after his final performance of a series at Luxor. Our artists’ lounge is decorated with many photos of the crew with Bert, and he even has his own nameplate at his favorite spot at the bar!
