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It's time for a party! This year, the versatile Rotterdam singer, lyricist and actor Gerard Cox is blowing out no fewer than 85 candles. In honour of his 85th birthday, he will receive a special tribute from a large number of Dutch colleagues on March 6, 2025 in the Oude Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam.
Together with a big band led by Frits Landesbergen, Simone Kleinsma, André van Duin, Van der Laan en Woe, Bastiaan Ragas, Richard Groenendijk, Jenny Arean and Lee Towers sing songs by Gerard. The theatre series around De Oase Bar will also return with Loes Luca and Martin van Waardenberg in the roles of Joke Bruijs and Gerard Cox. This pleasant evening is an initiative of Theater Walhalla and Luxor Theater Rotterdam.
This ode to Gerard Cox is an initiative of Harry-Jan Bus, director of Theater Walhalla. Theater Walhalla organizes this special theater evening in collaboration with the Luxor Theater Rotterdam and several people who care about Gerard.
According to Harry-Jan Bus, Gerard deserves to be honoured: “Gerard has an enormous track record in cabaret, theater, film and television. He is sometimes identified with the - entertaining - grouch he played in the successful TV series Toen was geluk heel gewoon (Back then happiness was very normal), but by Dutch standards he is really an unparalleled good singer. His musicianship, diction and lyrical handling have always been great. The ode also focuses on Gerard as a singer.”
Not everyone knows that Cox wrote an important part of the texts in his repertoire himself. During this special theater evening, both his own work and his timeless translations receive full attention.
Gerard Cox started his career in 1962 as a chansonnier, but quickly switched to cabaret. He first performed together with Frans Halsema in programmes with, among others, Adèle Bloemendaal, and later with Conny Stuart. From 1973 onwards, Cox and Halsema travelled the country together for two seasons with the now legendary programme Wat Je Zegt Ben Je Zelf (What You Say Is You Yourself).
Gerard Cox's big breakthrough as a singer also came in 1973 with the translation of ’t Is weer voorbij die mooie zomer (It is over that beautiful summer). In the 1970s and 1980s, Cox appeared in several films, TV series, plays and made two cabaret programmes. In 1994, the well-known TV series Toen was geluk heel gewoon (Back then happiness was very normal) started, which Cox wrote together with Sjoerd Pleijsier. For no fewer than 226 episodes, until 2009, Gerard Cox and Joke Bruijs play the married couple Jaap and Nel Kooiman in the series.
Cox has no involvement in the content of the festive tribute that is being paid to him on his 85th birthday. He likes to be surprised in old Luxor. He considers it an honour that the party will go ahead even if he cannot attend due to whatever circumstances.
The precise programme is still being worked on under the leadership of director Winfred van Buren. It is certain that hits such as 1948 and ’t Is weer voorbij die mooie zomer will be played.