ABC Theatre

ABC Theatre is one of the three stages operated by Prague City Theatres, situated right in the centre of Prague, close to Wenceslas Square. The building housing it began life as part of a luxurious multifunctional complex built around the former U Nováků department store, designed by the noted Czech architect Osvald Polívka. The theatre occupies the basement level of this complex, which took its present shape after an extension carried out between 1927 and 1929, when shops, offices, a ground-floor café and the theatre space itself were added.

What does the auditorium look like?

ABC is the largest of the three venues that make up Prague City Theatres, alongside Rokoko and Komedie. It has a proscenium stage and an elegant auditorium arranged across stalls, boxes and a balcony, seating almost 500 people in total — 482 seats in the main hall. A separate small hall with 60 seats is also part of the building, used mainly for literary matinees and educational programmes.

What is the theatre's history?

The venue opened in its present form for the 1929/30 season, and the first company to perform there was the Liberated Theatre (Osvobozené divadlo) of Jiří Voskovec and Jan Werich, a duo who became central figures of Czech cabaret and satirical theatre. The name "ABC" was only adopted in 1958, when the stage was merged into the municipal Prague theatres system. Since 2018 it has operated as one of the three houses of Prague City Theatres.

What kind of repertoire is staged here?

ABC leans toward a more serious repertoire than its sister venues. It regularly invites strong personalities of modern European stage direction to work on contemporary drama as well as bold new interpretations of classic plays. Its programme combines Czech and international dramatic works with adaptations of classic literature, while the small stage is reserved chiefly for literary matinees and educational events.

Where exactly is it located?

The theatre sits in the very heart of Prague, within easy walking distance of Wenceslas Square, making it a convenient stop for visitors combining a stroll through the New Town with an evening at the theatre.

Frequently asked questions

How many seats does the ABC Theatre's main hall have? The main hall seats 482 people across the stalls, boxes and balcony, plus a small additional hall with 60 seats.

When was the theatre building constructed? The complex housing the theatre was extended between 1927 and 1929 as part of the U Nováků department store, designed by Osvald Polívka.

Where does the name ABC Theatre come from? The stage took the name ABC in 1958, when it was merged into the municipal Prague theatres system.

Which company first performed at the theatre? The Liberated Theatre of Jiří Voskovec and Jan Werich opened the 1929/30 season there.

Which theatre group does ABC belong to? ABC Theatre is one of three stages run by Prague City Theatres, alongside Rokoko Theatre and Komedie Theatre.