Ruud Smulders, Lisa Ostermann and the duo Yentl en de Boer have each won a Poelifinario, the most important cabaret prize in the Netherlands. NOS reports that the awards were presented at the Cabaretgala in Theater Diligentia in The Hague, where David Linszen also received the Neerlands Hoop prize for a promising theatre maker.
What happened
According to NOS Cultuur, the Poelifinario prizes are awarded in separate categories, with one winner in each. The prizes are presented by the Vereniging van Schouwburg- en Concertgebouwdirecties (VSCD), the Dutch association of theatre and concert hall directors.
Ruud Smulders won in the Entertainment category. NOS notes that this was the first time he had won the prize.
Lisa Ostermann won in the Engagement category, which covers socially engaged cabaret. It was her second Poelifinario. NOS reports that the jury praised her combination of “pure candour and delightfully nonsensical silliness”.
The duo Yentl en de Boer won in the Kleinkunst category, which covers song-based cabaret. Like Ostermann, they have now won the prize twice. NOS quotes the jury as saying: “Their distinctive humour is given free rein in silly songs about bears on the road, promised presents you never received, and the bizarre experience of singing to a man on his deathbed.”
The “bears on the road” reference plays on a Dutch idiom. In Dutch, beren op de weg zien means seeing problems or obstacles that are mostly imaginary. The jury’s description suggests the duo takes the phrase literally in song, which is typical of the wordplay Dutch audiences enjoy in kleinkunst.
Separately from the three Poelifinario categories, the Neerlands Hoop prize went to David Linszen. NOS describes this award as the prize for a promising theatre maker, so it recognises an artist at an earlier stage of their career.
The gala also paid tribute to Paulien Cornelisse, the cabaret performer and writer who died recently. NOS reports that Yentl en de Boer dedicated a song to her before the awards were presented.
Why it matters if you live in Netherlands
Cabaret is one of the most distinctive parts of Dutch cultural life. It is not the same as cabaret in the British or German sense, or as stand-up comedy. Dutch cabaret usually means a full evening-length theatre show by a solo performer or a small group. It mixes comedy, storytelling, social commentary and often songs. Performers typically tour the country’s municipal theatres with a new show over a season, and the genre has a loyal audience among Dutch theatregoers.
For internationals, the Poelifinario winners give a useful starting point if you want to explore the genre. Because the prizes are awarded by the VSCD, the association that represents theatre and concert hall directors, the winners are chosen from within the venue sector itself. The three categories also help newcomers understand the range of the form. Entertainment points to shows built mainly to amuse, Engagement to performers who take on social or personal subjects, and Kleinkunst to shows centred on songs and lyrics.
Language is the main practical point to keep in mind. Dutch cabaret relies heavily on wordplay, idiom and references to Dutch life, as the jury’s comments about Yentl en de Boer show. Most shows are performed in Dutch. If you are learning the language, a cabaret evening can be a demanding but rewarding test. Song-based kleinkunst can be easier to follow than fast spoken comedy, because music and repetition give extra clues to meaning.
The tribute to Paulien Cornelisse may also interest readers who have been learning Dutch. Cornelisse was known as a writer as well as a performer, and the gala’s attention to her shows the regard in which she was held within the Dutch cabaret world.
The NOS report does not include tour dates, ticket information or broadcast details for the gala. If you want to see any of the winners live, the most direct route is to check the programme of your local schouwburg or theatre, since these are the venues the VSCD represents.
What to watch next
The most immediate thing to watch is whether interest in the winners’ current shows rises after the gala. A Poelifinario is the leading recognition in the field, and venue programmes are where any follow-up will become visible to audiences.
David Linszen is worth keeping an eye on as well. The Neerlands Hoop prize is aimed at promising theatre makers, so it marks him as a name to follow in the coming seasons.
For Lisa Ostermann and Yentl en de Boer, a second Poelifinario confirms their place among the established names in Dutch cabaret. For Ruud Smulders, a first win in the Entertainment category is a notable step.
Finally, further tributes to Paulien Cornelisse may follow from within the theatre and literary world. The Cabaretgala was one of the first major occasions in the sector to mark her death.
Source: NOS Cultuur
Sources
- NOS Cultuur: Smulders, Ostermann en Yentl en de Boer winnen cabaretprijs Poelifinario, accessed 14 October 2026
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