Ambitious, eccentric or offbeat – Hamburg’s theatre

Hamburg’s theatres are anything but inhibited. Plays with gay or lesbian themes frequently feature on the programme.

At the Deutsches Schauspielhaus René Pollesch’s ‘Mädchen in Uniform’ [‘Girls in Uniform’] recently received its premiere. In the current season Hamburger Kammerspiele has two productions that hover between comedy and taboo themes: Gustav Peter Wöhler stars in ‘Lissaboner Traviata’ [‘Lisbon Traviata’] and Stefan Jürgens in the football drama ‘Seitenwechsel’ [‘Change of Sides’].

It’s a shriller spectacle at Schmidt’s Tivoli on Reeperbahn. The legendary midnight show at the weekend is regularly moderated by artists like Kay Ray, Emmi and Mr Willnowski and Ades Zabel. The Schmidt theatre is the place for experiencing the cream of the gay/lesbian cabaret and comedy scene, where straight and gay can have a laugh together – and laugh at themselves for preference.

If you are keen on classical music, the Musikhalle gives you a wonderful ambiance for an enjoyable classical evening. John Neumeier’s world-famous ballet company regularly has audiences at the Staatsoper besides themselves with enthusiasm, while Kampnagel offers modern dance theatre of an international standard.

In addition, Hamburg is also known as the capital of Germany for musicals. For eight years now Disney’s LION KING has been enchanting both young and old. As the most spectacular musical of our times, Disney’s TARZAN at the Neue Flora is a much talked about show right now, and the visiting show ‘Ich war noch niemals in New York’ [‘I’ve Never Been in New York’] with music by Udo Jürgens (TUI Operettenhaus on Reeperbahn) is guaranteed to give you an experience you won’t forget in a hurry. The red light district and its many stories form the basis of the cult musical ‘Heisse Ecke’ [‘Hot Corner’] – nowhere else can you find out all there is to know about St. Pauli in just three hours!