Theater in der Basilika

The theatre stands in a converted 19th-century machine factory in Hamburg’s Altona district. The three-aisled hall, once known as the Basilika-Halle, still shows its original brick arches and iron columns. The building sits on Borselstraße, a quiet side street lined with red-brick warehouses. Inside, the auditorium seats 250 people on simple wooden benches. The stage occupies the former central aisle, while the side aisles once held workshops.

It specialised in adaptations of films and novels alongside classic plays and comedies. Under Gunnar Dreßler’s direction the programme grew to include works such as Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei and Best of Loriot. Youth theatre from Hamburg regularly appeared on the same bill. The mix aimed to make serious drama accessible without losing artistic ambition.

Visitors found a plain, functional space where the raw architecture framed every performance. The brick walls kept the room cool in summer and warm in winter. After shows, audiences spilled into the adjoining foyer, a former engine-testing bay. The building’s industrial past remained visible in every corner.