René Froger has been known for decades as one of the most seasoned artists in the Netherlands, but even he is sometimes still afraid of failure. He even got a tic from that…
Artists are known for often developing their own little rituals and tics. From fixed sequences behind the scenes to apparently useless actions that they cannot resist: it is part of the job. For some it is superstition, for others pure habit, but it is rarely normal. The same goes for René Froger.
Superstitious
René says he is very superstitious. “That is in my Jordanian DNA. I got it from home, although sometimes it goes too far. In the theater, for example, I have dressing rituals. I always first pull my pants completely closed, including the belt, and then loosen them again because my shirt still has to be put in,” he says in the Story.
He always ends up with his socks off. “Those little things keep me focused. You would think that I would take those rituals less seriously over the years, but they remain intact. They are those little habits like football players who step onto the field with their right foot first. It’s all part of who I am.”
Flexibility
How does his wife Natasja Froger deal with all this craziness? “Natasja has a lot of patience with a man like me. Everyone has their own things, of course, but I am in a profession that requires a lot of flexibility. Sometimes rehearsals run late or meetings last longer and your partner always has to adapt to that.”
He concludes: “I don’t have a standard 9-to-5 job, I am constantly busy with all kinds of things. As a partner you have to be able to deal with that well. Fortunately, she understands all that, the great thing is that she also likes everything I do.”