Theatre Frascati
Amsterdam, The NetherlandsFounded about 1960
The Theatre Frascati is located on the Nes, one of the oldest streets in Amsterdam's inner city. This part of the town was already renowned as an entertainment centre centuries ago, with music cafés, French vaudeville, English variety theatre, Dutch artists and comedians, dance and banqueting halls, and restaurants.
Around 1810, an Italian coffee house called Frascati was opened in Nes Nr. 59. In 1824, the coffee house built an extension with a large ballroom-style hall with space for up to 1500 guests. The era of the Nes as an entertainment and cultural centre ended around 1900 and the tradition was only revived in the 1960s when the Theatre Frascati opened.
Today, the Theatre Frascati offers around 180 different productions a year with 750 performances.
The programme primarily focuses on works from the Netherlands and Flanders, with all the pieces sharing a commitment to take up a central position in social discourse and encouraging the actors to seek direct contact or confrontation from the stage with their audience.
The Theatre Frascati does not only see its role as a drama venue, but is also involved in a variety of other production projects, including the organisation of two festivals a year. Many of the festival shows are performed in the Theatre Frascati, but also use other Foundation venues, such as the Theatre de Brakke Grond, as well as various city locations. The Theatre Frascati has recently joined forces with the Gasthuis Theater to show works-in-progress.
