After graduating the Theatre Academy in Maastricht, Jibbe Willems has worked as an actor, director and as a consultant in savings and loans, before he writing full time for the theatre. For the last 10 years he has written, translated and adapted plays for various companies. He does not limit himself to one genre, but investigates form and function of language for different audiences. Sometimes big, sometimes small, sometimes young and sometimes a bit older, from plays to librettos, from the big stage of International Theatre Amsterdam to the flying circuses of the summer festivals.
For Willems, each new play is a new search for the depths of a theme, and a new experiment with form and function of language.
His work has been translated and staged in Russia, Brazil, South-Africa, Germany, Spain, Surinam, the Czech Republic, The United States, Mexico, China, Egypt, France and Belgium and has been awarded and nominated on different occasions.
Waar het Vlakke Land gaat Plooien was nominated for the Toneelschrijfprijs 2015 (best play in Dutch), Pretpark and Leo&Lena both won a Silver Cricket (best Dutch youth play), The Truth About Kate won the ARTES Jongtheaterschrijfprijs (a Belgian / Dutch playwright award), Jabber won the Golden Cricket for most impressive Dutch youth play in 2019 and De Poolse Bruid was nominated for the Toneelschrijfprijs 2020, selected for the Theatrefestival, winner of the Authorsprize (Dutch / Belgian) and was presented at the Festival d’Avignon 2022.