Schauspielhaus Zürich

Schauspielhaus Zürich is one of the most prominent and important theatres in the history of German-language drama. It operates on two sites: the historic Pfauen auditorium on Rämistrasse and the converted industrial Schiffbau in the west of the city.

What is Schauspielhaus Zürich?

It is the city's leading drama theatre, performing in German and long woven into Zurich's cultural life. For a visitor it offers a chance to see two very different sides of the city: the bourgeois centre and a former shipbuilding district.

How did the Pfauen theatre begin?

The building opened in 1892 as a variety venue. It was constructed as the Volkstheater am Pfauen, complete with a Bavarian beer garden and a bowling alley. It became a playhouse in 1901, when the director of the opera house rented it. A private cooperative ran it for a time, and in 1926 Ferdinand Rieser, a Zurich wine merchant, bought and renovated it. The 1925–26 works, led by architect Otto Pfleghard, gave the theatre its modern form, including an enlarged stage building and technical upgrades. In 1938 the city founded Neue Schauspiel AG, which leased the building from Rieser.

Why does this theatre matter?

Its role during the Nazi era was decisive. Actors and directors fleeing Germany found work in Zurich, and the house took an explicitly antifascist course. Brecht saw several major works premiered here, and the Swiss writers Max Frisch and Friedrich Dürrenmatt also had plays staged. That made the Pfauen one of the key addresses of twentieth-century European theatre.

What is the Schiffbau?

The second stage is the Schiffbau, a listed industrial hall where ships were built until the 1980s. The theatre has used it since 2000. It holds two stages, the Schiffbau-Halle and the Box. The industrial setting offers a very different experience from the classic Pfauen hall: rawer, more contemporary and open to experiment.

What to know before you go

• The Pfauen is on Rämistrasse in central Zurich; the Schiffbau is in the western part of the city.
• Productions are in German, so some knowledge of the language helps.
• Check the current programme and ticket availability on the theatre's official website.
• The Neumarkt is a separate small theatre and not part of the Schauspielhaus.
• The future of the Pfauen auditorium is disputed: the city council has proposed rebuilding while keeping the façade, while preservation groups oppose demolishing the 1926 hall. Check before travelling what is currently open.

Frequently asked questions

Does Schauspielhaus Zürich have a single venue? No. It works in two places: the historic Pfauen and the Schiffbau.

When did the Pfauen building open? In 1892, initially as a variety venue.

Were ships really built in the Schiffbau? Yes. The hall was used for shipbuilding until the 1980s, and the theatre has operated there since 2000.

Are performances in English? The repertoire is mainly in German, so check the details of each production before buying tickets.

Is it a good stop for history lovers? Yes. The theatre is tied to the anti-Nazi emigré community and to premieres by Brecht, Frisch and Dürrenmatt.