René van der Pluijm 1960 - 2024

René had already been battling his illness for months when he attended the opening of Brandhaarden 2024, the international festival into which he poured his heart and soul for many years, at the end of January. Seated next to his partner, he enjoyed the excited atmosphere of a festival opening, which he understood so well, with a twinkle in his eyes. It was as if theatre temporarily lifted him beyond his physical limits, as if it gave him the strength to shine, even in his weakest moments.

With his love for the profession and unparalleled dedication to his work, René considered Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA) more than just a cultural institution. For him, it was a place of (international) coming together, innovation and artistic ambition. His programming reflected his commitment to theatre that not only entertained, but also challenged and questioned.

René started as Head of Programming at Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam in 2009 under the management of Melle Daamen. Before that, he had been programmer of De Stadsschouwburg Groningen (2000-2009). Born in Rotterdam, he had started his career as an employee at the Rotterdam Schouwburg and the Luxor Theatre. As head of Planning and Publicity, he was associated with Het Zuidelijk Toneel and Toneelgroep Amsterdam from 1988 onwards.

René lived for the theatre. He combined professional expertise with business talent. He was known for his quick arithmetic and was meticulous about lists and oversight. He kept track of everything; whether it was the number of performances of each show, the amount of building and breaking days in a calendar year, or the itinerary for a trip abroad right down to which metro he had to take locally to visit a performance. In a meeting with colleagues, he could sometimes ask a completely different question than expected, shaping the thinking around him. René never asked just any old question; there was always a reason behind it, even if you didn't immediately realize it.-|-René was well informed about developments in both the Dutch and international theatre field. He followed both the makers of name and fame and the up-and-coming younger generation. He brought 300 el x 50 el x 30 el of the then very young company FC Bergman to Amsterdam; a performance with an entire forest on stage that was not initially made to travel. It was challenging projects like this that gave him his greatest satisfaction. René had a sixth sense for theatre success. He was always curious to know how audiences had reacted and creators had experienced the evening.

This summer, René would have turned 64. We had hoped that in the last years of his working life he would have been able to pass on his enormous professional knowledge and legacy to a successor, and that from his well-earned retirement he would have been able to watch a new generation take his work forward. It was not to be: this farewell comes too soon. But his legacy lives on in the hearts of those he touched and in the unforgettable theatre experiences he helped make happen.

Until the very end, René wanted to be surrounded by theatre. In his room in the hospice, he had posters hung up of performances that were close to his heart. René's last edition of Brandhaarden had, among other things, a performance based on the work of K.P. Cavafy who was pre-eminently a poet of epitaphs. Cavafy wrote: 'So often have I set my eyes on beauty/ That my gaze is full of it.' Dear, dear René, from now on we will have to watch theatre without you. But your gaze we will carry with us.

Management and employees Internationaal Theater Amsterdam