​Jaren 1970:

    •    1971 – Het leven van Galilei – actor (Toneelgroep Theater), premiere 12 March 1971 .

    •    1971 – Haute couture – actor (Toneelgroep Theater), premiere 25 September 1971 .

    •    1975 – Vadertje en moedertje – actor (De Noorder Compagnie), premiere 30 November 1975 .

    •    1976 – Een vriend van de waarheid – actor (De Noorder Compagnie), premiere 8 January 1976 .

    •    1976 – Graduated at the 'Toneelschool Arnhem'.

    •    1977 – Witkacy – actor (Stichting Theaterunie), premiere 5 maart 1977 .

    •    1978 – De getuigen of Ons stukje zekerheid – actor (Stichting Theaterunie), premiere 7 March 1978 .

    •    1978 - Het balkon - actor (Ro theater) - 

    •    1979 – De knecht van twee meesters – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 17 February 1979 .

    •    1979 – Koning Lear – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 27 October 1979 .

 

Jaren 1980:

    •    1980 – 1989 

          – De misantroop - Moliére - director - Het Wagenings gezelschap

          – Romeo en Julia - Shakespeare - director - Het Wagenings gezelschap

          – De ziekte die jeugd heet - Bruckner - director - Het Wagenings gezelschap

          – Zomergasten - Gorki - director - Het Wagenings gezelschap

          – Richard de 3e - Shakespeare - director - Shakespeare - Het Wagenings gezelschap 

    •    1980 – Wasteland – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 2 February 1980 .

    •    1980 – De meiden – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 23 April 1980 .

    •    1980 – Een midzomernachtsdroom – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 4 October 1980 .

    •    1980 – Pinocchio – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 6 December 1980 .

    •    1981 – Tartuffe – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 7 March 1981 .

    •    1981 – Käthchen uit Heilbronn – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 23 October 1981 .

    •    1982 – Alice – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 26 March 1982 .

    •    1982 – De koopman van Venetië – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 2 October 1982 .

    •    1983 – “1984-1” – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 1 January 1983 .

    •    1983-1985  – member of the artistic management at het Ro theater

    •    1983 – Een marmeren graf – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 25 February 1983  .

    •    1983 – Proper Operation – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 23 April 1983 .

    •    1983 – Onder ogen van het westen – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 10 December 1983 .

    •    1984 – Jacques de fatalist en zijn meester – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 22 February 1984 .- filmregistratie 

    •    1984 – Memoires van een Benjamin – actor (Accolade Producties), premiere 25 October 1984 .

    •    1985 – De opera van Smyrna – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 9 March 1985 .

    •    1985 – Merlijn of ’t barre land – actor (Ro Theater), premiere 31 August 1985 .

    •    1985 – Kinderen van een mindere god – actor (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 13 November 1985 .

    •    1986 – De eenling – acteur (La Terrazza), premiere 13 March 1986 .

    •    1986 – Glazen speelgoed – acteur (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 13 November 1986 .

    •    1987 – Benjamin in het leger – acteur (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 15 April 1987  .

    •    1985-1988 – Founding of the Rotterdams centrum voor theater (for the previous RCA) 

    •    1988 – Jeanne d’Arc – actor (John van de Rest Productions), premiere 16 November 1988 .

    •    1989 – Head Theater at John van de Rest productions

    •    1989 – Huwelijkspel – actor (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 31 October 1989 .

    •    1990 – Tartuffe – director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 25 May 1990  .

    •    1991 – Amadeus – actor (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 1 January 1991 .

    •    1991 – De wijze kater – actor (John van de Rest Producties), premiere 7 December 1991 .

 

Jaren 1990:

    •    1992 – De anderen – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 4 May 1993  .

    •    1993 – Arnold, het leven van een travestiet – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 8 May 1993  .

    •    1993 – Jacques de fatalist en zijn meester – director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 11 September 1993 .

    •    1993 – Tommie – actor (Impresariaat Jacques Senf), premiere 2 December 1993 .

    •    1994 – Dag vreemde man – actor (Impresariaat Jacques Senf), premiere 30 November 1994 .

    •    1994 – Over geweld, macht / spel, liefde (of sex), vrijheid én… – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 20 August 1994  .

    •    1996 – Over man / vrouw, fantasie, echt / niet echt, dus theater in… – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 17 August 1996  .

    •    1997 – Arnold, het leven van een travestiet (renewed version) – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 1 March 1997  .

    •    1997 – Over operazangers armoe noodzaak ’n castraat èn eten in de… – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 15 August 1997  .

    •    1998 – Een winterse avond rondom een Kerstgedachte – director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 20 December 1998 .

    •    1998 – Faust (deel I en II) – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 14 August 1998  .

    •    1999 – Over Tim, het leven van een dresser – adaptation and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 6 March 1999  .

 

 

Jaren 2000:

    •    2001 - 2005  member of the Council of Culture from 2001–2005 (an important Advisory board in the Dutch cultural sector)

    •    2001 – Over… de rode roos van Rotterdam – co-director en co-author (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 12 May 2001  .

    •    2001 – Lazarus – actor (Bonheur Theaterbedrijf Rotterdam), premiere 15 June 2001  .

    •    2001 – King Lear – adaptation, director, translation en dramaturgy (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 26 September 2001  .

    •    2002 – Tribunaal – director (Cosmic Illusion), premiere 23 October 2002  .

    •    2002 – Until The Day – director (Cosmic Illusion), premiere 24 October 2002 .

    •    2004 – Stadsportretten – director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater), premiere 27 August 2004  .

    •    2005 – Struisvogels op de Coolsingel – actor (Bonheur Theaterbedrijf Rotterdam), premiere 12 May 2005  .

    •    2006 – Op zoek naar Rimbaud – author, actor (Stichting Zielslocker), premiere 25 November 2006  .

  •    2006 - Booijmans monologen - concept en director, (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) premiere June 2006

    •    2006 - Seks in de stad - concept & director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) 

    •    2007 - De verwarring der geslachten - theaterfestival met 12 voorstellingen - concept and director

               •  Dooi by Shirley Gast

               •  Hoezo liefde by Hans Sahar

               •  De hoofddoek by Anne Vegter

               •  Jules/juul/julia by Shirley Gast

               •   Knippen en scheren by Charles Dyer

               •   Ondersteboven naar La tête en bas by Noëlle Châtelet Editions Seuil

               •  Op leven en dood, based on the movie 'the 24th day' van Tony Piccirillo

               •  Rillingen over de rug by Imad El Kaka

               •  Verkeerde gevatheid by Herman Meijer

               •  Vleeschdrager by Erik-Ward Geerlings

               •  Het wachtwoord by Maria Heiden

               •  Over een intieme zintuiglijke reis langs liefdesgedichten

    •    2007 - Het uur waarop we niets van elkaar wisten  -Handke - concept and director

    •    2008 - Over dolende zielen in een nichtentent - concept and director

    •    2009 - Engelen in de stad - concept and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater)

    •    2010 - Festival “Vreemdeling" - concept and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater)

​

Jaren 2010 en later:

    •    2011 - Sneeuw - concept and director (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) written by Shirley Gast

    •    2012 - Eenzaam in de stad,, concept & director

    •    2013 - Alcohol & drugs in de stad, concept & director

    •    2013 - Bloedverwanten, based on the debut novel by Han Nefkens, director

    •    2013 - Een Jacqueline, over geweld in de stad - concept and director , (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) filmregistration

    •    2012-2015  - Naar vriendschap zulk een mateloos verlangen - concept, director and actor (Rcth)  filmregistration

    •    2014 - Wie is er nou gek? concept and director , (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater),  filmregistration

    •    2013-2015 - Gay in de stad concept and director , (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater)

    •    2014 – Artistic leader at Theater Maatwerk

    •    2015 – Theaterfestival 75 jaar oorlog in de stad - initiatief and concept

    •    2015 – To Be or not – director and scenario (Theater Maatwerk), premiere 10 oktober 2015  trailer

    •    2016 - Con Amore - concept & director, (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) filmregistration

    •    2017 - Taal in de stad - concept & director

    •    2017 - Ontheemd - concept & director, (Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater) filmregistration

         2017 - documentary film 'Het andere zijn', by Carel van Hees & Stephan van Warmenhoven view the documentary

    •    2017 – merging Rcth and Theater Maatwerk intoTheater Babel Rotterdam

    •    2018 - Het gedroomde café - concept & director , (Theater Babel ~Rotterdam) filmregistration

    •    2018 – Piazza della vita – director and author (Theater Babel Rotterdam), premiere 13 oktober 2018  . filmregistration

    •    2019 – Van J. naar Jessica – actor and director, also author, premiere 23 november 2019  . filmregistration

    •    2020 – Ik via de ander – director (Theater Babel Rotterdam), premiere 21 november 2020 . filmregistratie

    •   2021 - filmdocumentary "Altijd alles anders" - by Christiaan van Schermbeek (MooisTV)

     •  2022 – Romeo’s & Julia’s – director and concept (Theater Babel Rotterdam), premiere 6 november 2022  filmregistration

    •    2022 – Romeo's & Julia's - mini series - by MooisTV - Christiaan van Schermbeek and Douwe Wilhelm van der Werf

         Trailer.  /. Part I.  /  Part II. /. PArt III /  Part IV. / Part V. / Part VI. 

    •    2023 – De Henkes monologen – director and author (Theater Babel Rotterdam), premiere 2 maart 2023  .

    •    2024 – Over dromen & luchtkastelen – director, author en actor, premiere 25 februari 2024  filmregistration

 

C.V. Films

• De mantel der liefde (1978): Played the part of Henkie.  view this movie here

• Pastorale 1943 (1978): Played the part of Van Waveren.  view the trailer here or see the entire movie on : eyefilm

• Een pak slaag (1979): Played the part of John.  

• de Zwarte ruiter (1983): Played the part of Douanier.  view part I here  /. view part II here

• Oud Roze (2013): Human doc with footage from the performance Mateloos.  view the documentary here

• documentaire film 'Het andere zijn', (2017) by Carel van Hees & Stephan van Warmenhoven view the documentary

• Altijd alles Anders (2021)  documentary about Paul (by Christiaan van Schermbeek - Moois TV) 

​

•  2022 Romeo’s & Julia's  serial based on Paul's theater production with the same name

Christiaan van Schermbeek and Douwe Wilhelm van der Werf

 Trailer.  /. Deel I.  /  Deel II. /. Deel III /  Deel IV. / Deel V. / Deel VI. 

​

C.V. Televisieseries en films

• Oorlogswinter (1975): Played the main character : Michiel van Beusekom in this 13-episode tv-series.  view the series

• Uit de wereld van Guy de Maupassant (1977): the part of Bookworm in the episode “De vlieg”.  (Emmy Award) view the movie

• 'Wie oren heeft (1977-1978) a 6 episode tv show for children about the Bibel (2 seasons)

• Heilige Jeanne (1978): Played the part of 'Hofpage' in this tv-movie.  

• Dubbelleven (1978): Played the part of Kees in the episode “Jaap Dolder, nooit van gehoord”.  

• De nieuwe Mendoza (1980): Played the part of 'Mijnheer Zierau' in this tv-movie.  

• Simon Winner (1989): Played the titel part of 'Simon Winner' in this 6-episode tv-series.  

• Laat maar zitten (1989): Played the part of 'Krukas' in 18 episodes of this tv-series.  click here to view an episode

• Tien voor taal (1994): Participated as himself in the episode “Theatersterren” (Theater Stars).  

​

​

Over Paul Röttger

 

    •    The first years (1970s):

Paul Röttger graduated from the Arnhem Drama School in 1976.

Immediately afterward, he appeared in various film and television productions—his most well-known role was Michiel van Beusekom in the youth series Winter in Wartime (Oorlogswinter, 1975). All 13 episodes can be viewed here online.

 

He then chose to focus on theatre, taking on early roles with companies such as Toneelgroep Theater (in The Life of Galileo, 1971, directed by Hans Croiset) and De Noorder Compagnie (1975–1976).

 

    •    Ro Theater (1977–1987):

From the late 1970s, Röttger was affiliated with the Ro Theater in Rotterdam as an actor for around ten years.

There, he performed in productions such as Tartuffe, Pinocchio, The Opera of Smyrna, and Merlin or the Wasteland, working with directors including Franz Marijnen, Karst Woudstra, Jos Thie, and Antoine Uitdehaag. In addition, he was part of the Ro Theater’s artistic leadership for three years.

 

    •    Vrije circuit en John van de Rest (late 1980s):

In the late 1980s, Röttger moved to the independent theatre circuit.

He performed in touring productions such as Benjamin in the Army, Joan of Arc, Amadeus, and The Wise Tomcat. At the same time, he served as Head of Theatre at John van de Rest Theaterproductions and played the role of “Krukas” in the TV comedy series Laat maar zitten (1988–1990).

 

    •    Latere rollen (2000s):

Even after 2000, Röttger continued to appear on stage as an actor.

He performed in Lazarus (2001) and Ostriches on the Coolsingel (2005), both directed by Peter Sonneveld at the Rotterdam-based Bonheur Theater Company. In 2005, he appeared in Waiting for Godot (by Samuel Beckett) with the National Theatre, alongside Peter Tuinman, Karel de Rooij, and Peter de Jong (directed by Jos Thie).

Röttger occasionally returned to the stage in his own productions, such as Such a Boundless Longing for Friendship(2012)—a performance about elderly gay men, in which he both directed and acted.

 

Theater director and projects

 

    •    Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater (1988–2016):

Since its inception, he was actively involved as head teacher in acting and directing, director, and managing director. Under his leadership, the RCTH developed into an intercultural theatre centre with its own training programs and at least one major production each year.

 

Starting in 1992, he initiated annual projects in which professionals, amateurs, and students worked together. Many productions explored social themes. Examples include City Portraits (2004, about the people of Rotterdam—for which Röttger received the Erasmus Medal), Angels in the City (circa 2008, about HIV/AIDS), and the Stranger festival (2010, featuring ten new plays around the theme of “the stranger”).

In 2011, Snow, a modern fairytale by Shirley Gast, was written especially for the company.

 

    •    Inclusive theaterprojects (2012–2014):

With the Rotterdams Centrum voor theater, Röttger gave a new impuls to inclusive theatre.

In co-production with Humanitas, he directed Such a Boundless Longing for Friendship (premiere 2012), based on life stories of elderly gay men. A year later, he initiated Who’s Really Crazy (or I is Another) (2013/14), in collaboration with care institutions Pameijer and Bavo-Europoort. This innovative production shared the stories of people with psychiatric backgrounds, with clients themselves present—projected on screen and partly singing or dancing along during the performance.

Who’s Really Crazy won “De Duim” in 2014, the award for best healthcare idea from Zorgbelang Zuid-Holland.

 

    •    Other directing opportunities:

In addition to his work with RCTH, Röttger occasionally directed for other theatre companies.

For example, in 2002 he directed two productions for Cosmic Illusion: Tribunal and Until The Day (both premiered in October 2002 under his direction). Earlier, during the early years of RCTH, he also directed classical repertoire with a twist, such as Jacques the Fatalist and His Master (1993) and King Lear (2001) within the Rotterdams centrum voor theater..

 

    •    Theater Babel Rotterdam (2015–2024):

As of January 2015, Röttger became the artistic director of Theater Maatwerk, a company for actors with disabilities.

This collaboration led to a merger: from 2017 onwards, the Rotterdams centrum voor theater and Maatwerk continued together as Theater Babel Rotterdam, an innovative inclusive theatre company. Röttger stayed on as artistic director and director, creating various productions in which actors with and without disabilities shared the stage.

 

Among the first productions under the new name were To Be or Not (2017), Con Amore (2017), Dis-placed (Ont-heemd, 2017), The Dream Café (Het gedroomde café, 2018), and Sex in Rotterdam (2018). In 2018, Röttger celebrated his 30th anniversary as a theatre director with the site-specific performance Piazza della vita (“square of life”).

 

He went on to direct From J to Jessica and also acted in this production the part of Jessica's father (2019, a portrait of a trans woman within the Babel ensemble), Me Through the Other (Ik via de ander, 2020), Romeos & Julias (2022), and The Henkes Monologues (De Henkes monologen, 2023). His final production was On Dreams & Castles in the Air (Over dromen & luchtkastelen), which premiered in February 2024 as his farewell performance.

 

Writing and adapting

 

    •    Dramaturg and adaptations:

Röttger was responsible for text adaptation or translation in several productions.

In the early years of RCTH, he created adaptations of works such as The Others (premiere 1993) and Arnold, the Life of a Transvestite. He also brought dramaturgical coherence to complex themed evenings, including the series On Violence, Power/Game, Love (or Sex), Freedom… (1994) and On Man/Woman, Fantasy, Real/Not Real… (1996), for which he (re)wrote or translated the texts.

 

In addition, he created his own contemporary translation/adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear for RCTH, which premiered on 26 September 2001. In 2022, he adapted the classic Romeo and Juliet into the inclusive production Romeos & Julias at Theater Babel.

 

    •    Author en scenario maker:

Röttger also wrote or co-wrote original theatre scripts and screenplays, often for community and inclusive productions.

He was co-author of the two-part Faust (Parts I & II) at RCTH in 1998, and of About Tim, the Life of a Dresser (1999)—both productions in which classical narratives or life stories were fused into new scripts.

 

In 2001, together with fellow creators, he developed the large-scale montage production About… the Red Rose of Rotterdam, for which he co-wrote the script based on stories from various cultures.

Later, for example, Röttger wrote In Search of Rimbaud (premiere 2006), commissioned by Stichting Zielslocker—a production inspired by the poet Arthur Rimbaud.

 

    •    Recent productions:

Within Theater Babel Rotterdam, Röttger continued to develop new texts.

Often in collaboration with Erik-Ward Geerlings, he co-wrote the scripts for inclusive Babel productions such as To Be or Not – Part 1 (2015), Piazza della vita (2018), From J to Jessica (2019), Romeos & Julias (2022), The Henkes Monologues (2023), and On Dreams & Castles in the Air (2024).

 

These pieces were often developed in close collaboration with actors and dramaturgs, with Röttger guiding the concepts and the montage of stories into cohesive scripts.

 

Overige professionele activiteiten

​

    •    Teaching and talent development :

Since the founding of the Rotterdams centrum voor theater in 1988, Paul Röttger was active in this acting and directing school as a theatre teacher. He taught young and old actors and creators within the training programs. Many of his theaterprojects in these years also had an educational focus, designed to support the development of participants—both with and without prior theatre experience.

 

Paul was closely involved in the development of national curriculum frameworks for vocational programs in acting and directing, in collaboration with organizations such as Kunstgebouw. In addition to his long-standing role as head teacher, his areas of specialization included (elementary) acting, voice/breath, and movement. He also served as a exam coach and external examiner for national directing exams.

​

    •    Director en artistic leader:

As founding director of RCTH (1988–2016), he developed the centre into a thriving intercultural institution. In 2015, he also took on the artistic leadership of Theater Maatwerk, aiming to strengthen inclusive theatre practices. This collaboration resulted in the merger Theater Babel Rotterdam (from 2017 onward), which Röttger led as managing director (director of the board) until the autumn of 2023. After he stayed on as artistic leader until his departure in April 2024.

 

At the heart of his vision was the encounter with “the other”: creating theatre structurally with actors both with and without disabilities, focusing on socially relevant themes.

 

    •    Farewell:

In April 2024, Paul Röttger said farewell to Theater Babel and to his active career,

with his final production On Dreams & Castles in the Air. He now lives in France with his two partners.

 

    •    Awards​​

Paul Röttger received multiple awards in recognition of his contributions to culture and inclusivity in theatre.

In 2004, following the performance City Portraits, he was awarded the Erasmus Medal by the City of Rotterdam. This municipal honorary distinction acknowledged his commitment to cultural and social cohesion in the city.

 

In 2009, Röttger received an encouragement certificate on behalf of the Rotterdam Centre for Theatre (RCTH) as part of the Jos Brink Prize, presented by Minister Ronald Plasterk. The certificate was awarded for addressing homosexuality in schools in Rotterdam through the educational theatre project Sex in the City.

 

In 2014, he also won the South Holland healthcare innovation prize De Duim for the inclusive production Who’s Really Crazy, or I is Another. Despite his many achievements, Röttger has repeatedly stated that he does not wish to receive a royal honour.