Amsterdam Weekend Guide (2-4 May)

Culture Guide (May 2025)

Theatre and stage in the Amsterdam Area

Our editorial guides

Personalization for theatre and stage

Upcoming performances

Upcoming

Wheelchair-friendly theatre and stage in Amsterdam

English-language and surtitled theatre in Amsterdam

Best stages for comedy and spoken word in Amsterdam

Pre-theatre dining in Amsterdam

LGBTQI+ theatre and stage

Unique performing arts venues in Amsterdam

Read our theatre and stage guides

Diverse locaties / Various locations

Amsterdam Fringe Festival 2024

Amsterdam Fringe Festival

Every year in September, Amsterdam Fringe Festival presents a mix mash of theatre, performance and dance from new, emerging and untamed talent for 11 days. The whole city is our playground; from boat to club to theater, from North to South, you will find us for 11 days at about 24 locations throughout Amsterdam. The festival is an ode to theatrical madness, the independent spirit and a plea for artistic freedom. The program promises another intriguing mix of performances.

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

Holland Festival

Holland Festival will return in 2025. A leading international performance arts festival in the Netherlands, the Holland Festival takes place in Amsterdam in June. Since 1947, the festival has been providing Dutch and international theatregoers with a survey of the latest, best and most widely acclaimed productions from around the world. This year, the Holland Festival celebrates its 78th edition.

Alexandra Bachzetsis Private Song credits Nikolas Glakoumakis

Christos Papadopoulos OPUS

Euripides Laskaridis Elenit

Marcela Levi & Lucía Russo grrRoUNd

Julidans

Julidans presents the current state of affairs in contemporary dance. In a broad program, see the work of leading and idiosyncratic choreographers from different cultural and disciplinary backgrounds. They show more than 40 performances at 14 locations throughout the city, with International Theater Amsterdam as the heart of the festival. Julidans is the festival for international contemporary dance that inspires connoisseurs and curious minds alike.

Martin Luther Kingpark

Parade Amsterdam

De Parade Amsterdam

De Parade

In the summer of 2025, the Parade, the traveling theater festival with its colorful tents, terraces and restaurants, will return to the Martin Luther Kingpark and will set up its tents again in the 4 largest cities in the Netherlands: Eindhoven, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam. Please note: the dates and times for 2025 are an indication.

Podium Mozaïek

Full Foyer for the start of a show

Irina Koriazova - In Boxes

Lara Ricote - GRL/LATNX/DEF

Marijn Vissers en Karin Wijnen - Brabanders in Amsterdam

Audience

The Amsterdam Storytelling Festival

When the leaves fall from the trees and the days get dark, it's time for The Amsterdam Storytelling Festival. Storytellers and musicians from all over the world come together at Podium Mozaïek.

Diverse Locaties / Various locations

Wilhelmina Huiskamerfestival

WHF - foto Co de Kruijf

Dafne-Remi-Sabien

Kirsten van Teijn

Theo Nijland

Lebbis

Merol

Huiskamerfestival Amsterdam

Huiskamerfestival Amsterdam has been a household name in the city for more than 17 years. Started as the Wilhelmina Huiskamerfestival, the festival has expanded in recent years with performances in various city districts. The starting point has always remained the same: organizing a small-scale theater festival where professional artists try out new material. As a visitor you see three performances of 30 minutes each. Young talents play the stars of heaven, but experienced comedians, theater makers and musicians also perform.

Afrovibes 2024

Afrovibes Festival

Afrovibes organizes cultural exchange between the Netherlands, countries on the African continent and the African diaspora in Europe. The 21st edition of Afrovibes Festival is from October 2 to 13, 2024. The festival takes place in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam and this year shows the versatility of makers from North Africa and the (North) African diaspora in the Netherlands. Afrovibes presents an innovative and daring program full of theater, dance, music and spoken word around the theme of Belonging with performances from Morocco, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt and the Netherlands. Please note that the start, and end times listed are indicative only.

Boom Chicago

The Famous Boom Chicago Comedy Show

The Comedy Embassy

Definitely Amsterdam's best stand-up comedy! You can't beat 5 stars on Trip Advisor! and 4.9 stars on Google! They're that funny! First dinner in the city. Then Comedy Embassy at Boom Chicago!

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA)

Dutch Theatre Festival

In 2025, the Dutch Theatre Festival will return with 11 days in 11 theatres across town. The most beautiful performances of the season will be shown again. It is specially selected for you by seven professional juries in the Netherlands and Flanders. Theatre, cabaret, youth theatre, mime, performance, new makers and more, such as NTF, the Talkshow and the Late Night Bar.

NDSM-werf

NDSM Wharf

Over het IJ Festival at the NDSM-wharf

In July 2024, the 32nd edition of the Over het IJ location theater festival will take place at the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam-Noord. This year, the focus is even more than previous editions on the new generation of theater makers, research and experiment and the role of Over het IJ as a national breeding ground for urban location theater. This edition of Over het IJ Festival focuses on the stories of the land - of Amsterdam-Noord and of the city - and who must, or may, tell them.

Major theatre and stage events in Amsterdam

theatre and stage events

https://www.operaballet.nl/toegankelijkheid

Dutch National Opera & Ballet

Located on Amsterdam’s Waterlooplein, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam is home to the Dutch National Opera and the Dutch National Ballet.

Bekijk hoe Koninklijk Theater Carré een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt.

Koninklijk Theater Carré

Royal Theatre Carré

Royal Theater Carré owes its fame to the programming of national, international and often exclusive world-class theatre productions. Its rich history and unique location makes Carré the most beautiful theatre in the Netherlands.

The International Theater Amsterdam (ITA) is located in a unique building with an interesting history, major festivals, many premieres and the companies in-house.

https://www.podiummozaiek.nl/over-ons/praktische-informatie

Bekijk hoe Podium Mozaïek een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt

Podium Mozaïek - Buitenpodium

Podium Mozaïek met terras van Café Mozaïek

Café Mozaïek - restaurant

Café Mozaïek - café

Café Mozaïek - Bar

Podium Mozaïek - zijtribune

Privé diner in studio Podium Mozaïek

Podium Mozaïek - theater voorstelling

Podium Mozaïek - voorstelling

Terras Café Mozaïek

Expositie in Café Mozaïek

Podium Mozaïek - catering

Seizoensgerechten bij Cafe Mozaïek

Deserts bij Café Mozaïek

Podium Mozaïek is a metropolitan theatre with a café-restaurant in Amsterdam West, located in the former Pniëlkerk on Bos en Lommerweg. The Podium Mozaïek program is for young and old and offers theatre, music, comedy, spoken word, storytelling, dance and all possible crossovers in between from home and abroad. There are meetings and exchanges between young and old, residents of West and beyond. Podium Mozaïek stimulates metropolitan offerings by supporting makers and utilizing its network.

https://www.meervaart.nl/theater/uw-bezoek/toegankelijkheid

Vele voorzieningen kunnen bij ons op aanvraag. Per voorstelling kan hiernaar gekeken worden.

Theater de Meervaart - Blauwe Zaal

Theater de Meervaart - Rode Zaal

Theater de Meervaart - Hoofdingang

Theater de Meervaart

Meervaart Theatre

With a top-notch theatre and excellent conference facilities, Amsterdam's multi-purpose Meervaart is the perfect example of how to mix business and pleasure. This modern venue seats up to 1,100 guests and hosts around 280 cultural performances per year.

Bekijk hoe Boom Chicago een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt.

For 30+ years, Amsterdam’s English-language comedy institution has amazed locals, visitors and critics alike! Boom Chicago combines quick improvisation comedy, razor-sharp writing, and songs made up on the spot. People can’t believe how funny the show is. Enjoy our full bar service (with friendly prices), before, during and after the show.

Bekijk hoe Tobacco Theater een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt.

TOBACCO Theater

The TOBACCO Theater and dares to undertake culturally and commercially! This inspiring and industrial location is located in the most famous theater street in Amsterdam, the Nes. A historic place where since 2010 culture and commerce meet and strengthen each other. TOBACCO Theater deliberately has no fixed programming. They want to offer a free stage to spontaneous and unique initiatives. As a result, they can often add shows to our program last minute, right in front of the competition. On the Nes 75 there is therefore plenty of room to express and experience chained, loose and unfulfillable creativity, especially in the short term. They are quite proud of it!

Bekijk hoe TapasTheater een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt

Scala | Foodbar and Theatre

Scala offers a unique night out: combine dining with 20-minute shows. There are performances across a range of different genres, from stand-up to music and from theatre to musical theatre; they all play in their own room. You choose how many shows you want to go to, and what time you want to see them. All performances play three times in one evening and start at 7:00 PM. The last performance starts at 9:30 PM. Discover the performances of Scala!

Badhuistheater

Badhuistheater - foto Mike Manicardi

Just like the former bathhouses, the theater serves as a meeting place for local residents, creative people and other people with a story.

Bekijk hoe De Kleine Komedie een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt.

https://www.dekleinekomedie.nl/pQJLIB/rolstoeltoegankelijkheid

De Kleine Komedie

De Kleine Komedie has existed for more than two hundred years and is one of the oldest theaters in Amsterdam. There is a versatile program including cabaret, music programs and music theatre.

Bekijk hoe Theater de Krakeling een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt

Krakeling

Theatre De Krakeling

In Theater De Krakeling, the most beautiful, funniest and exciting stories come to life on stage. Through music, games, multimedia and dance you step into a different world during the performances. This is a world where anything is possible, and where you are never too young or too old.

https://delamar.nl/je-bezoek/delamar-centrum/veelgestelde-vragen/

De Mary Dresselhuys zaal

De Wim Sonneveld zaal

De royal foyer

De glazen foyer

De portretgallerij

Het Grand Café

DeLaMar

DeLaMar has a theater history that appeals to the imagination. Big names such as Wim Kan, Wim Sonneveld and Freek de Jonge performed in the former Nieuwe de la Mar Theater on Leidseplein. Whether you like musicals, cabaret or music. You are very welcome at DeLaMar.

Toomler

Toomler has been the home base for many Dutch comedians. For many it is a springboard to theatre shows throughout Holland. Many international comedic talent come to perform here as well.

https://schouwburgamstelveen.nl/nl/theater/je-bezoek/vaak-gestelde-vragen/

Schouwburg Amstelveen

This renowned mid-size theatre in Amstelveen features three halls (two stages, one cinema) with a total of 1,078 seats as well as a theatre cafe.

https://bostheater.nl/plan-je-bezoek/support/#faq--toegankelijkheid

Bostheater - Theatervoorstelling

Amsterdamse Bostheater

Nestled in the Amsterdamse Bos, this open-air venue has delighted theatre and music fans every summer since 1985. The fun traditionally begins in June and continues through to September!

Bekijk hoe het Amsterdams Marionetten Theater een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt

https://www.marionettentheater.nl/zaalverhuur/

Amsterdam Marionette Theatre

The Amsterdam Marionette Theatre is an intimate and festive theatre – a former blacksmith's – right in the centre of Amsterdam. It presents traditional European marionette theatre set to classical music. Wooden actors, in their silk and velvet costumes, perform operas and poetic musical theatre by composers like Mozart and Offenbach.

Bekijk hoe het Bijlmer Parktheater een bezoek voor mensen met een beperking of handicap toegankelijk maakt.

https://www.bijlmerparktheater.nl/pQKYcJ/je-bezoek/je-bezoek

Bijlmer Parktheater

A unique theater offering a diverse and inclusive range of performances for all ages. As a professional city theater in Amsterdam Southeast, Bijlmer Parktheater excels in the field of intercultural programming, culture & arts education, and talent development.

Explore Amsterdam's favourite theatres

favourite theatres

Highlights on interest

This weekend in Amsterdam

This weekend

Experience Amsterdam’s vibrant theatre scene—from immersive shows in warehouses to open-air Shakespeare in the forest. Discover comedy on houseboats, opera in p