Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus

The Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus is a private theatre beside the Alster in Hamburg’s Winterhude quarter. It stands on the site of a 19th-century riverside inn that once served excursion steamers. The present building, designed by Peter Schweger, opened in 1988 under founder Jürgen Wölffer. The theatre is notable for staging six to nine-week runs of comedies, modern classics and light plays without a summer break. Productions are created with Berlin’s Komödien-Bühnen and often transfer to two or more venues, allowing star casts from film and television to appear regularly. Past performers include Tanja Wedhorn, Saskia Valencia, Nina Bott, Herbert Herrmann and Hugo Egon Balder, while Christian Berg supplies family shows. Inside there is a large 586-seat auditorium and a smaller 103-seat hall. The foyer houses a restaurant that has changed hands several times, most recently becoming an Asian venue. The programme is rounded out by extra events in literature, music and cabaret, alongside occasional political rallies and trade fairs from the building’s earlier life.