Question: What if a theater became Frankfurt’s “offste” stage? That’s Landungsbrücken Frankfurt. This free theater offers a unique artistic space.
Landungsbrücken Frankfurt is not just a theater. It is a haven for Frankfurt’s performing arts scene. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung calls it the city’s “offste Theater”. This is a nod to Off-Broadway.
Let’s step back to November 2004. Landungsbrücken Frankfurt found its home then. It resides in an old warehouse. This warehouse belonged to the Dr. Carl Milchsack paint factory. The location is in Frankfurt’s Gutleutviertel. It’s near the well-known Tanzhaus West music club. The warehouse was transformed into a venue.
Each year, Landungsbrücken Frankfurt hosts around 100 events. These include its own productions. They also feature collaborations with other theater groups. Expect performances. There is dance, children’s plays, and concerts. You can also enjoy short film festivals. Landungsbrücken Frankfurt offers diverse programs.
The goal of Landungsbrücken Frankfurt is clear. It aims to give artists a platform. This platform is for free theater projects. These artists come from Frankfurt and the Rhein-Main area. The theater supports both graduates and established artists. Even directors and actors from city theaters create here. Tim Egloff, for example, made his directorial debut here in 2008.
Several artists work with Landungsbrücken Frankfurt regularly. They include Marie Schwesinger and Sarah Kortmann. Antigone Akgün and Marlene Zimmer are also involved. So are Kornelius Eich, Hadi Khanjanpour, and Jochen Döring.
The city of Frankfurt supports Landungsbrücken Frankfurt. It has provided concept funding since 2010. Since 2017, it has offered multi-year institutional funding.
Landungsbrücken Frankfurt collaborates with other institutions. These include the Universität der Künste Berlin. They also work with Schauspiel Frankfurt. Stadttheater Bremerhaven is another partner. They cooperate with Kunstfest Weimar too. Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt also joins them.
The theater has welcomed guest readers. Robert Gernhardt and Martin Semmelrogge have appeared. Herbert Fritsch and Jochen Till have also read. Thorsten Nagelschmidt and Fatma Aydemir have visited. Mithu Sanyal, Reyhan Sahin, and Max Czollek are other guests.
Productions from Landungsbrücken Frankfurt have been invited to festivals. In 2008 and 2009, they went to the Kaltstart Theaterfestival in Hamburg. In 2010, two more invitations followed. Productions regularly appear at Sommerwerft-Festival. They also perform at the Dramatische Bühne festival. This takes place in the Grüneburgpark.
One notable production is HASS – La Haine. This is an adaptation of Mathieu Kassovitz’s film. It won the main prize at the Hessischen Theatertage in 2017. In 2018, it was invited to the Divadelni Flora Festival. This festival is in Olmütz.
The Kinder-Musical Ritter Rost is very popular. It plays for three weeks each December. It attracts up to 2,000 viewers per season.
Landungsbrücken Frankfurt remains a vital part of Frankfurt’s cultural landscape. It champions artistic freedom and collaboration. This small warehouse theater makes a big impact. It nurtures talent and offers diverse performances.