Théâtre Marni

Théâtre Marni is a theatre and concert venue in the Brussels municipality of Ixelles, on rue de Vergnies, with a past that most visitors arriving for an evening show would never guess.

How did this building start out?

It opened as a cinema. The first screening took place on 18 November 1948 under the direction of Joseph Weckx. The hall held close to 1,800 seats and for decades served as a popular second-run cinema near Place Eugène Flagey, screening the era's biggest titles, including "The Third Man" (1950), "From Here to Eternity," "The Ten Commandments," "El Cid," and "The Longest Day."

Why did the cinema stop operating?

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, small neighbourhood cinemas across Europe began losing audiences to television and larger multiplex venues. To keep the hall alive, its programme shifted toward live performance mixed with film screenings. It was during this period that Johnny Hallyday and Joe Dassin performed there. One especially notable moment was a concert by Duke Ellington, given shortly before his death — one of his last performances. The cinema closed for good in 1974.

What happened to the building after the cinema closed?

The building didn't sit empty. Until 1982, it was used as a rehearsal space by the Symphony Orchestra and choirs of RTBF, the Belgian public broadcaster. Only after that period did the venue undergo its next transformation.

When did today's theatre come into being?

The conversion into a theatre took place in 1997, and operations formally began under the name Théâtre Marni on 4 December 1998. The entrance was moved to rue de Vergnies — a spot that had previously served as one of the cinema's emergency exits. It's one of the few visible traces left of the building's original purpose.

What can visitors see at Théâtre Marni today?

The venue's programme blends several performing arts disciplines: contemporary theatre, dance, circus de création, and live music. It's particularly well known among jazz audiences — Marni has long served as an active platform for jazz concerts in Brussels, alongside its theatre and dance productions.

Where exactly is Théâtre Marni located?

The theatre sits in Ixelles, one of the municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, at 25 rue de Vergnies. Its location close to Place Flagey makes it easy to combine a visit to the theatre with exploring this well-known part of Ixelles.

Frequently asked questions

Was Théâtre Marni originally a cinema? Yes. The building opened in 1948 as a cinema seating close to 1,800 people, and only became a theatre in 1997–1998.

Who performed there while it still combined cinema and concerts? Artists included Johnny Hallyday, Joe Dassin, and Duke Ellington, who gave one of his final concerts on this stage.

What can you see at Théâtre Marni today? Theatre productions, contemporary dance, circus de création, and concerts, with a particular focus on jazz.

Where is the theatre's entrance? On rue de Vergnies, at what used to be one of the cinema's emergency exits.