Theaters (theatres) – All our local tips

Guy Stevens’ Funny Laundry brings English speaking stand-up comedians from around the world to Switzerland. Every fortnight, selected comedians take the stage at Mascotte. It’s a great way to start the night with a chuckle and in contrast to other performances in Zurich, this evening is all in English.You find a review about the venue itself by Roman Rey (see this article about Mascotte), so I won’t go into details about it. But the room is perfect for stand-up acts, intimate enough for atmosphere but also big enough to mingle before and afterwards for a drink and a chat at the bar.

The audience is very international and there are always two acts per night. Check the website to see who’s on as the programme changes every time and, of course, to make sure there is an act on that specific Saturday. There is no reserved seating, so first come, first seated.

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Funny Laundry at Mascotte | Art & culture, Theaters | Ticket (Cash only) CHF 30.00
Theaterstrasse 10 | Kreis 1 City
Sat every fortnight: door 19:00, show 20:00

The Maier’s is a little Mekka for cultural events a bit offside the centre of Zürich. Month after month,they have a packed program with many kinds of things: comedy, cabaret, plays, bands, solo artists, dance performances, choirs and so on. You can find pretty special/interesting stuff too, like improv theatres or singalong-performances (whatever that exactly is).

But I have to admit, I haven’t been to the theatre-room in the back of the place a lot. Except when there were Slam Poetry-championships, which really rocked. Anyway, what I wanted to say: There is also a Bar, where you can hang out before or after a performance or just because, as I do from time to time, because I like the atmosphere.

If you want to have lunch, maybe this is the wrong place for it,  but they have tapas to satisfy your little hunger. Check it out!

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Maier’s Theater | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters
Albisriederstrasse 16 | Kreis 3 Wiedikon | +41438186565
Open when there’s an event, from 18:00

The Rote Fabrik is one of the bigger cultural centres in Zurich. As the name implicates, the building-complex once was a factory.

Music is a big thing here, there are over 100 concerts, partys and festivals every year. Now, if you know me (respectively my texts on this site) you’ll expect that there’s mainly rock music. Wrong. Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soul, R’n'B, Worldbeat, Folk and Jazz are equally as important. The people in charge characterize their program as “music from aficionados for aficionados”, speak: stuff that’s good but not necessarily mainstream.

But there’s not only the music, there’s a theatre, there are a lot of readings, sometimes panel discussions, a Bar to have a drink and Restaurant where you can eat really well. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: The Rote Fabrik is located right at the lake… which is nice.

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Rote Fabrik | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Snacks, Theaters, Restaurants (International)
Seestrasse 395 | Kreis 2 Enge | +41444855858
Restaurant Tue – Thu & Sun 11:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 01:00