What a (Theatre) Performance in St. Pauli

St. Pauli, or more specifically the Reeperbahn, also known as the most sinful mile in the world, is one of Hamburg’s leading tourist attractions. But locals too have always enjoyed spending time on “sin street” and seeing one of the many brilliant shows or theatre productions there.

So as you see, the Reeperbahn is not just for party people and clubbers. Just a few minutes’ away from the ARCOTEL Onyx you’ll find award-winning productions like The King’s Speech, entertaining classics by Agatha Christie and musical productions with tricks that are fit for a circus.

We would like to briefly introduce the Top 6 most popular playhouses in St. Pauli.
A blog in two acts, featuring

Act I:
St. Pauli Theater
Schmidt Theater
Schmidts TIVOLI

Act II: (Preview)
TUI Operetta House
Fliegende Bauten
Imperial Theater

St. Pauli Theater
The St. Pauli Theater is one of the oldest theatres in Germany. This listed playhouse is situated in the heart of the neighbourhood, right on the Reeperbahn, next door to the famous Davidwache police station. For many years, the theatre only staged guest performances, but since Thomas Collien and Ulrich Waller took over, it has gained a reputation as a theatre with some of the most innovative productions in Hamburg. A quote from the St. Pauli Theater website illustrates the current concept very nicely: "The St. Pauli Theater deliberately does not want to be a state or municipal theatre with a programme that could just as well be shown at the Schauspielhaus or the Thalia. The location, the proximity to the Davidwache and the rough wind of the Reeperbahn demand a certain programmatic focus. Pieces here have to be robust and popular but without being populist. Intelligent entertainment in outstanding quality, with the best actors.... "

Current Highlight: Linie S1- The Hamburg Musical
Programme: Preview for the month

Schmidt Theater
The Schmidt Theater took up its work at precisely 8 minutes past 8 on 8.8.88 when Corny Littmann and Ernie Reinhardt (better known as Lilo Wanders) fulfilled their dream of a playhouse of their own. The former Kaiserhof dance hall on the Reeperbahn thus became the meeting point and a springboard for a host of German and international stars and starlets, including Hildegard Knef, Heidi Kabel, Harald Juhnke and Dirk Bach to name just a few. The Schmidt Theater opened its doors again on 8.8.2005, freshly renovated and with its audience capacity doubled to 420, having lost nothing of its red velvet and plush factor. Today, the theatre delights young and old with unique productions like "Villa Sonnenschein", or the "Schmidt-Wintergala" and its productions for children such as "Es war einmal, 7 Märchen auf einen Streich".

Current Highlight: DIE KÖNIGS VOM KIEZ
Programme: Programme

Schmidts TIVOLI
Just next door, or more accurately almost next door, to the Schmidt Theater is Schmidts TIVOLI. Many people say it has the most beautiful auditorium in Hamburg. From 1925 to 1990 the former beer garden (which until early 1900 did not even have a roof), was home to a Bavarian restaurant with the Tyrolean name ZILLERTAL. In 1991 it was taken over by Corny Littmann and Prof. Norbert Aust (who for 11 years was the Dean of the Hamburg University of Economics and Politics). Renovation work uncovered old murals and frescoes, which today give the theatre a very special charm. The octagonal auditorium has room for 620 theatre-goers and a stage that projects into the room, allowing actors and audience to get close up to one another. The theatre stages both dramas, such as the smash one-man piece CAVEMAN, and musical productions, in particular HEIßE ECKE - the St. Pauli musical. And the HEIßE ECKE, which has already been seen by 1.5 million visitors, is not the only piece at Schmidts TIVOLI to have been completely produced by the theatre itself (idea, text, music, etc.).

Current Highlight: HEIßE ECKE–The St.Pauli Musical
Programme: Programme