Niederdeutsche Bühne Kiel

The Niederdeutsche Bühne Kiel stands in the city of Kiel, where it has been staging plays in Low German since 1921. Founded by Otto Mensing, the theatre belongs to the Low German Stage Federation and presents six or seven productions each season, plus a Christmas fairy tale in standard German. Its repertoire ranges from classical dramas and comedies to boulevard farces, contemporary plays, musicals and readings. A youth club within the company regularly performs its own Low German pieces. The stage itself is the Theater am Wilhelmplatz. The theatre’s history shows how it has endured setbacks and renewals. After opening in 1921 with works by Gorch Fock and Hermann Boßdorf, it reached seventy-two productions by its tenth anniversary. In 1937 it premiered Paul Wittmaack’s only Low German opera, De Uglei. After the Second World War Karl Wedemeyer reopened the house in August 1945, making it the first public theatre in northern Germany to do so. Despite later financial collapse and relocation, the company returned in 1995 to the Wilhelmplatz, where it has since expanded its premises and steadily increased audiences. Visitors find a modest but lively stage with regular performances in Low German. The auditorium seats a small crowd for plays, musicals and readings, while the foyer often hosts discussions and pre-show talks. The youth club’s productions give younger actors a chance to appear on the same boards as the main ensemble. Outside, the theatre sits on Wilhelmplatz, a short walk from Kiel’s waterfront and shopping streets, linking Low German culture with the everyday life of the city.