Theater im Bauturm
Independent backyard theatre in the Belgisches Viertel: freshly told classics and original productions with a Cologne twist and social commentary.
The Theater im Bauturm – Freies Schauspiel Köln is an independent theatre in Cologne's Belgisches Viertel, founded in 1983 in the building of the Bauturm architects' collective. Tucked behind the Café im Bauturm on Aachener Straße, it proudly embraces its identity as a backyard theatre.
At a Glance
- Type
- Independent theatre (backyard theatre)
- Location
- Belgisches Viertel, Aachener Straße, across from the Volksbühne (formerly Millowitsch-Theater)
- Founded
- 1983
- Venue
- approx. 130 seats, stage height 2.90 m
- Season
- four to five new productions per season
- Audience
- around 300 events with 22,000–26,000 visitors per year
- Artistic direction
- Laurenz Leky, Bernd Schlenkrich and René Michaelsen (since 2016)
Patrick Süskind's 'The Double Bass' premiered at Theater im Bauturm in 1984 and ran there for over 32 years – with more than 1,000 performances in total.
Programme
The repertoire spans freshly reimagined theatre classics — including Don Quijote, Amphitryon and Moby Dick — alongside original devised works. These frequently blend social critique and humour with both an international perspective and a distinctly Cologne frame of reference. Occasional musical guest performances round out the programme.
Notable Productions
The devised piece "Petermann! Eine kölsche Paranoia" drew widespread attention, weaving the story of Petermann — a chimpanzee who became a carnival star in 1950s Cologne — into a reflection on how we view animals and humans. In 2024, "Hexe – Heldin – Herrenwitz" gained media coverage, with Susanne Pätzold and Nicole Kersten bringing the history of women in Cologne to the stage.
History
The theatre was founded in 1983 by a collective of actors, directors and other creative enthusiasts; its inaugural production, "Pauken und Trompeten", premiered on 7 October 1983. Axel Siefer became the first artistic director in 1986, the same year the City of Cologne began providing annual operating subsidies. His production of "Der Kontrabass" ran for over 1,000 performances through 2016. The Friends and Supporters Association, established in 1987, remains a vital pillar of the theatre to this day.
Festivals and Support
The theatre regularly participates in the Festival der darstellenden Künste, the Sommerblut Festival and Tour Belgique. The supporters' association organises events for its members and, since 2006, has awarded the Bauturm Art Prize every two to three years — each time in a different form, as a visual artist donates an original work created especially for the occasion.
Timeline
- 1983Theater im Bauturm founded; premiere of "Drums and Trumpets" on 7 October
- 1984Premiere of "The Double Bass" (Süskind) on 7 June; over 1,000 performances until 2016
- 1986Axel Siefer becomes first director; City of Cologne grants first operating subsidies
- 1987Foundation of the support association "Friends and Patrons of Theater im Bauturm"
- 1991Thomas Wenzel takes over as director (until 1995)
- 1995Gerhardt Haag takes over as director (until 2016)
- 2006First award of the Bauturm Art Prize by the support association
- 2016New leadership trio: Laurenz Leky, Bernd Schlenkrich, René Michaelsen from August
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Aachener Str. 24-26
50674 Köln
You might also like — related or nearby
Comments
- Loading comments…
Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@theaterimbauturm)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24, rev 262233971)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-27
How this page is made
This page draws on open sources — Wikipedia, Wikidata, official websites and the city’s open data. Every statement is checked against the sources linked here, and pages are refreshed regularly.
Spotted a mistake anyway? Tell us below — we read every submission.