Every year the Christian world celebrates a birth. Ugh, says Death. But since every beginning also contains an end, this year he personally invites everyone to a special Christmas version of his award-winning comedy show. After all, he is on a grand image campaign and even Death shouldn’t completely shut himself off from the festival of love. And so, felled Christmas trees and roasted geese will be sung about, and gingerbread will be outed as discriminatory. Alongside the Grim Reaper are his pink intern Exitussi and Mautzi, the right hand of Death, who together with the audience want to "experience" Christmas in a completely different way.
In a black robe and similarly colored humor, the winner of the Kleinkunstfestival der Wühlmäuse 2013 and author of the book "Mein Leben als Tod" (Fischer-Verlag) addresses his spectators, reports on the winter clearance sale in the afterlife, shows pictures from his private photo album, and sings hauntingly beautiful Christmas classics that take on a whole new meaning from his lips. Because someone like him cannot completely leave the dark season to life, even at Christmas. With wit and charm, Death confronts the taboo topic of modern society.
Voices
“A Grim Reaper to die laughing!” (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
“Devilishly good.” (Münchner Merkur)
“Here, the boss still plays personally.” (at the Christmas party of a Berlin funeral home)
“I’m already looking forward to Death for the third time.” (72-year-old fan before the show)
Awards
- Audience Award Leipzig Laugh Festival 2019
- Thuringian Small Arts Prize 2016
- Roller Coaster Culture Prize 2015 for the translation of the program into sign language for the deaf
- Live Culture Highlight 2014 in Munich (Cultural Kitchen)
- Jury Prize 2013 at the Great Small Arts Festival of the Wühlmäuse
- Winner of the Copper Penny at the Leipzig Laugh Festival 2013
- Audience Award 2012 at the Stockstadt Roman Helmet
- Winner 2011 of the RBB fritz Night of Talents (Word category)

Photo: Exitussi

Doors open at 7:30 PM

Our beautiful Advent tradition of musical bridges… 

The Cologne Markus Reinhardt Trio will once again serve as the host for today's program. Thanks to its remarkably wide repertoire, ranging from Gypsy Swing to Eastern European folklore, as well as Soul and Rap, there will be exciting collaborations with guests this year from the Düsseldorf Sinti party community. 
More information to follow. 

Every month, the Cologne cabaret Klüngelpütz delivers a reading of satirical treasures that appeals to both heart and mind. Presented by the core authors Dagmar Schönleber, Katinka Buddenkotte, Christian Bartel, and Marina Barth, there will be a handful of short stories. In parallel, live musicians provide a decent dose of rock´n roll to the exquisite literature. Secure your tickets for Rock'n Read, as we are expecting exciting guests!

Kay Ray (nonsense and singing) and Falk Effenberger (nonsense, singing, piano, and everything else that sounds) are a guarantee for sensational party theater. That’s why they are coming to Cologne to the Senftöpfchen to celebrate their legendary Late Night.

An evening with Kay is not "just going and watching," but "being there and celebrating along." You’re right in the midst of the evening madness. With a beer or two, there’s teasing, philosophizing, and cabaret. Where does that belong? Right? Left? Above or below the belt? Who cares! In any case, it's politically incorrect and promises a gag density of four seconds.
When the two of them make music, the audience is left in awe. With one hand on the glass of red wine, the keyboard creature rushes from black to white with the other hand. It’s hard to describe what results: music at the highest level. So, alongside the comedy spectacle, there’s also a unique concert. The Kay Ray Late Night. The party hit at the Senftöpfchen Theater.

Photo: Andreas Elsner

Entry from 11:00 PM

Songs, Poems, and Magic - "Nichts als Worte"

When Oliver Steller plays his guitar Frieda, sings, raps, conjures, and goofs around, poems come to life and show what they can do! Presented and sung by him, they bring poetry into everyday life, lyrically celebrate the zest for life, and awaken joy in language.
All kinds of poems are performed – counting rhymes, classic ballads, nonsense verses, "real" poems, as well as tongue twisters and verbal gymnastics. At the latest, when Steller strikes up his hits, the hall rocks! And everyone sings along: Grandma and Grandpa, the parents, and all the younger children! Let yourself be inspired! It doesn’t get easier or better than this!
Oliver Steller, born in 1967, rediscovered his love for literature after school. Since then, he has been setting poems to music. Following his music studies in the USA and a decade as a freelance musician, the guitarist and singer made his debut as a reciter in 1994. The FAZ describes Oliver Steller as the "voice of German poetry." His programs have been awarded the German Record Critics' Award.

Press Reviews:
Like tightrope walker Felix Fliegenbeil, Oliver Steller manages to dance back and forth between poems, tongue twisters, and texts without falling. With music, facial expressions, and gestures, he brings every text to life. With his skillful presentation, he takes every child on a musical-literary journey. The children speak, sing, and clap the texts, and some can quickly recite a poem from memory. Westdeutsche Zeitung

When Frieda and Oliver get started together, they are sure to capture everyone's attention. Literature consists of words, "nothing but words," as stated in Oliver Steller's opening song. But words have powerful effects, "they make you sad, they make you laugh." The self-written song, delivered in a rocky style, immediately captivates the children. They clap, laugh, and sing.
"The Sloth" by Paul Maar, which lets a strawberry cake be shoved into its mouth, is a great hit with the children. Surprisingly, they also seem to understand the letter salad from jumbled rhymes right away. With excited interjections, the children watch as milk is poured into a newspaper roll, only to magically reappear in a glass. And the poem about the hole in the memory is repeated so often, by girls, boys, and adults, that during the final recitation together, the auditorium shakes. Rheinische Post

Oliver Steller has reinvented himself with his fifth children's program. This time rap is even included, the songs are modern, so even the adults are enthusiastically bobbing along. The children hang on his every word, even when things get a bit profound in between – for Oliver Steller knows how to masterfully heat up the atmosphere and calm it down again. At the end, all the children sing: "I am I and you are you. When I speak, you listen. When you speak, I am silent, because I want to understand you." Nürnberger Nachrichten

What more can you hope for from an afternoon for and with children? The web of attention, silliness, interaction, roaring, whispering, guessing games, and wordplay is spun first-class by Oliver Steller!
Gießener Zeitung

Doors open at 14:15 Uhr

41 years of Sirenen – 18 women and a piano – powerful voices, witty wordplay, desire meets tones, ranging from jazz, pop, rock to classical. 

The Sirenen were founded in 1983 and belong to the cornerstone of the Cologne cabaret scene. Their trademark for a long time was musical cabaret: They brought seven of their own revues to the stage with up to eight-part singing, dance, and acting. Everything revolved around the great themes of love, desire, and frustration. For this, the Sirenen occasionally took on the role of ancient figures from old myths and legends, and at other times found their stories in the here and now, for example, in the hallway of the employment agency, as in the revue "Unvermittelbar". The Sirenen regularly performed at the Comedia but also in the Gürzenich, in the Old Waiting Room, and at the Cologne Opera.

Meanwhile, the time of the large revues is over. The ensemble has restructured itself with new singers and new ideas after the Corona period. The program now features shorter performances, where the singing and beautiful sound of the 18 voices unfold in very different songs. The repertoire ranges from jazz, soul, pop, and rock to classical. However, the Sirenen would not be the Sirenen if they would "only" sing. The creative vein continues to pulse, which is why the performances are planned as theme evenings, where appropriate songs are woven together with literary snippets, pantomimic, cinematic, or other elements to create a rich experience.

The heart of the Sirenen is the artistic director Lisa Glatz. The soprano has led the ensemble for 30 years, keeps it together, and is largely responsible for its success. In addition to the rehearsal work, she arranges the musical four to eight-part arrangements, organizes, and structures the diverse activities up to the performance. The native of Cologne with Hungarian roots is a freelance singer, choir director, and vocal educator. In her singing studio, the "SingBüdchen" www.singbuedchen.de, she offers singing lessons, workshops for choir singers, and project choirs.

Highly esteemed audience!

Willy Brandt once said: "There are times when nothing is spared!" Nevertheless - stomach in, chest out! I’m doing it again and writing a new – and probably my last – program: Rückzug über die Minen der Ebene

I look forward to seeing you!

Your Thomas Freitag

In his new program, Thomas Freitag sets a radical concluding point. The once bright future dreams of the post-war child Thomas have now become nightmares, and the anger about this does not leave him cold. His enormous acting talent, his experience, and his age stand by him as he takes the audience by the hand on his "Rückzug über die Minen der Ebene." And when he goes kafkaesque and acts like a monkey, it’s only because he wants to confront the seriousness of life with the cheerfulness of art.

The human hubris of being fundamentally superior to animals is uncovered by Schopenhauer's thesis: "Man is the only animal that causes pain to others without any purpose other than that." Accordingly, Thomas Freitag forbids himself any comparison with animal creatures when humans label despicable behavior as "animalistic." "Man is no poor pig," counters Thomas Freitag, when he struggles with digital achievements, when he cannot handle AI, addictive substances, wealth, and honor, and instead, every positive achievement is promptly followed by its misuse. No pig would do such a thing.

After Thomas Freitag revealed much about his personal development in his last solo production "Hinter uns die Zukunft" - analogous to his autobiography - he now settles accounts: Therefore, anyone who wants to experience the great transformation artist again should not miss this program.

Doors open at 19:30

The program as a survival guide not only for visitors to Cologne and newcomers. Even the natives wonder. In the beginning was the word Cologne. And God saw that it was good. A forbidden city with strange rituals and eerie happenings, right?

Discover the secret Cologne code and you will already be one of us. We are not corrupt, we are capable of learning.

And we are not chaotic, but creative.

We are not stubborn either, but assertive, and the rumor that we are mostly wearing makeup is just that - a rumor. Get to know the unadorned side of Cologne and laugh along - a very Italian evening, humorous and not with the typical Cologne humor. "We move people," say the Cologne public transport system, the direction was never mentioned.

"Highly recommended! Modest, merciless, sarcastic" - Kölnische Rundschau

"Stereotype-free zone, stops at nothing and hits the nail on all heads" - aKT Cologne Theater Newspaper

Please arrive 10 minutes before the start.

Christmas Special - Volume 5

Every Sunday a new candle shines, bringing light to this season. Every day the Advent calendar holds a small gift ready, bringing joy to the hearts of young and old.

When the voices of the Belcanto tenor and his mezzo-soprano resound, the audience looks forward to Christmas music from around the world.

Experience this duo live – a delight for the senses

This fusion of nostalgic, demanding classics and atmospheric pop songs creates a festive, contemplative to cheerfully buoyant atmosphere that everyone can enjoy during the Advent season.

Entrance from 11:15

Shanties are folk songs in the true sense of the word – work songs of the wandering people on the large cargo sailing ships of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Preserving these songs for posterity is the goal of our shanty choir, which has been in existence for 40 years now. Members of the Marinekameradschaft von 1891 e.V. founded it on October 1, 1985.
The 26 men, along with their choir director Reinhold Koytek, have now developed a repertoire of over 100 songs. The songs are documented on a cassette and now 3 CDs. The choir has made a name for itself far beyond the region and stands for authentic and spirited performances of sea songs.
Over 50 performances a year continuously excite people of all ages. Appearances on radio and television round off the live concerts.
Shanties and sea songs. Shanties were the work songs of sailors on cargo ships and whaling ships. Everyday life on board was sober, and the work was hard. Only together could the heavy sails be set or the anchors raised. To find a common working rhythm, a shanty was sung.
The lead singer, known as the shantyman, set the rhythm with his lead singing, and the crew responded with the refrain, performing the corresponding tasks at the given tempo; retrieving the ropes, turning the capstan, working the pumps, or scrubbing the deck.
Sea songs, on the other hand, were sung in the limited leisure time on board or on land. They told of homesickness, the joys and experiences in the harbor, the longing for distant places, or critically addressed the conditions on the ship; sometimes humorous and ironic, sometimes full of seriousness.
With the advent of steam shipping, work on the ships also changed. Machines do not sing shanties. However, the fascination with the sea and sailing ships has never let go of people. To this day, there are composers and lyricists who engage with this genre. A number of these hits are thus part of our choir's repertoire. Let yourself be inspired by the "songs of the sea," because one thing is certain; there is no profession that has been sung about as often as that of the sailor.

Doors open at 6:15 PM

Under the direction of Persian-speaking opera singer Camille Bordet, seven musicians place the great female figures of Europe and Iran at the center. Warrior women, mystics, magicians, poets, and composers – they speak of love, a universal love that transcends time and culture. Masterpieces from the European repertoire engage in dialogue with improvisations inspired by traditional Persian music and compositions from musicians with eclectic, cross-cultural backgrounds. Voices, Kamancheh, Viola da Gamba, lute, and percussion invite you on a dreamy, spiritual journey, a dialogue between times and places, from medieval Europe to contemporary Iran.

The Book of Queens is a poetic-musical encounter between the female voices of Persia and Europe. Created at the initiative of the Persian-speaking opera singer Camille Bordet on behalf of the Opéra de Dijon, it highlights and reinterprets the works of famous women from both cultures. Their names are Héloïse, Rabea Balkhi, Roudabeh, Hildegard von Bingen, Louise Labé, Barbara Strozzi, Forough Farrokhzad, or simply "the Beloved." They are heroines, warriors, priestesses, saints, witches, poets, and composers. They may have lived long ago or just yesterday, but through their words, they continue to live on and burn… 

The language they use is universal; it transcends the particularities of their time and permeates societal and religious upheavals. These women scream out their love. From the Persian Empire to medieval Europe, from Iran to 21st century France, love takes many forms: carnal, dreamed, courtly, erotic, or mystical, forbidden love, the kind for which we give our life or for which it is taken from us; the place where transcendence and immanence mix par excellence. Camille Bordet, a Persian-speaking opera singer, has been exploring the connections between the Persian and Western worlds for many years and bringing them into dialogue on stage. By utilizing their uniqueness in service of a common identity, the musicians create a unique language that connects early music, Persian musical themes, and mystical texts from secular and religious traditions.

Camille Bordet – artistic direction, vocals
Mostafa Taleb – composition, arrangements, Kamancheh
Mehdi Emami – vocals, drums
Yunah Proost – cello, Viola da Gamba 
Saïna Zamanian – Tar
Albane Imbs – Archlute, Baroque guitar
Miriam Encinas Laffitte – drums

Every year the same dilemma: Christmas is nice in itself, but unfortunately it's right in the middle of the season. Extremely annoying for Fritz Litzmann (Rainer Pause) and Hermann Schwaderlappen (Norbert Alich). Both enjoy celebrating Christmas – at least at the mulled wine stand and at various Christmas parties. It's just that Carnival is rudely interrupted by Christmas. But Fritz and Hermann make use of the time of packages and interim reviews as they do every year: They unpack! Packages filled with songs, ideas, and prejudices, popular things, evil things, both old and new, and of course answers to questions that no one has asked.

Doors open at 7:30 PM

Every year the same dilemma: Christmas is nice in itself, but unfortunately it's right in the middle of the season. Extremely annoying for Fritz Litzmann (Rainer Pause) and Hermann Schwaderlappen (Norbert Alich). Both enjoy celebrating Christmas – at least at the mulled wine stand and at various Christmas parties. It's just that Carnival is rudely interrupted by Christmas. But Fritz and Hermann make use of the time of packages and interim reviews as they do every year: They unpack! Packages filled with songs, ideas, and prejudices, popular things, evil things, both old and new, and of course answers to questions that no one has asked.

Doors open at 7:30 PM

feat. Engelbert Wrobel's Swing Society
& Shaunette Hildabrand (voc/USA)

Free choice of seating

A MUST FOR JAZZ FANS

Christmas is coming for sure. And together with our guests, we want to get in the mood for the holiday season in different ways. Of course, with music as well. Jazz fans should definitely not miss the first performance of Chris Hopkins' Swinging Christmas.

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED

Chris Hopkins was born in Princeton, New Jersey in 1972. Equally skilled on piano and alto saxophone, he is one of the busiest artists on the international jazz scene – not least as the leader of the ensemble "Echoes of Swing," which has been successful for over 20 years in an unchanged lineup, celebrated internationally for its innovative approach to jazz tradition. He is also celebrated year after year for his very special Christmas program. Chris Hopkins brings all the good gifts one wishes for Christmas, such as a sense of style, lifestyle, and swing.

The German-American from Bochum is a guide who leads us through the joys of Christmas day, bypassing all the subtleties of Christmas aesthetics. How does he do it, the jazz pianist by the grace of God? Like this: He comes with a band that can swing like no other, ever since the angels danced above the stable in Bethlehem. He comes with a singer whose voice can do what few can, ever since the angels sang their hosanna. And he comes with a program that raises the question of which came first: the Swinging Christmas or this very special holiday.

The Lineup
Chris Hopkins (piano), Shaunette Hildabrand (vocals), Engelbert Wrobel (clarinet/saxophone), Rolf Marx (guitar), Henning Gailing (bass), Oliver Mewes (drums)

Admittance from 7:00 pm, free choice of seating

FISCHER & JUNG THE BELLS JINGLE

When expectations are higher than the star on top of the tree, the mulled wine is stronger than family cohesion, and the topic "Who is bringing the potato salad?" devolves into a diplomatic crisis summit – then it’s Christmas. And
it’s high time for "THE BELLS JINGLE", the brand new Christmas comedy program by Fischer and Jung.

Buckle your Christmas hats tight, grab a mulled wine-to-go, and come by. Because a pre-Christmas season without Fischer and Jung is like an Advent calendar without chocolate. Somewhere between sparkling Christmas lights and dark humor, Guido Fischer and Björn Jung will treat you to a comedy fireworks display with joyful contemplation. Silent Night gets louder and Christmas trees are rolling as gags, wordplay, and nonsense come tumbling down.

The well-rehearsed comedy duo Guido Fischer and Björn Jung brings us an evening full of situational comedy, slapstick, and tomfoolery this Christmas.

They bicker like an old married couple – openly, mercilessly, and above all, hilariously.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Fischer & Jung are busy. Long-time Caveman performer Guido Fischer and the well-known Björn Jung from film and TV productions (including Class Reunion, The Invisible, The Mothers Mafia, Danni Lowinski, Linden Street) founded the Fischer & Jung Theater in 2004.

With their comedy shows INSIDE 20, OUTSIDE RANCID, LADIES NIGHT, MEN'S HAVEN, THE 39 STEPS, THE MESSIAH, and MATING TIMES - MIXING IS POSSIBLE, they have been touring through Germany for years. They are guests in many renowned small art and cabaret houses. Their quirky, bizarre, and mostly sold-out shows often become regular events there.

With Fischer & Jung, no evening is like the other. Every “mishap” turns into a celebration, and you never quite know what will happen next.
——————————————————————————————————————

Doors open at 7:30 PM

Understanding the onset of winter with the darkest day of the year, various cultures and religions worldwide also see it as the first glimpse of light: people come closer together, reflect on shared traditions, and create encounters with care and love. In the dark season, numerous light festivals around the world emphasize communal connectedness and human togetherness: Christian Christmas, Jewish Hanukkah, Thai Loy Krathong, Chinese Lantern Festival Tangyuan, Hindu Diwali. We celebrate the light and encounter festival in the Luther Church with musical representatives of the three major religions.

The Sound of ONE
The project The Sound of ONE presents a fascinating connection between music, literature, and spirituality, highlighting the diversity of the cultures of Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Through the interplay of traditional and modern elements, not only is the rich heritage of these regions honored, but an innovative cultural dialogue is also promoted.
The inclusion of various ethnic and religious music styles, such as Zazaki, Kurdish, and Armenian songs, as well as religious music from Alevi, Sephardic, and Yazidi traditions, offers a comprehensive perspective on the musical practices of these communities. The use of traditional instruments in combination with Western classical instruments and jazz creates a unique soundscape that enhances both the cultural identity and the emotional expression of the pieces.
The integration of poets such as Rumi, Ahmadi Khani, and Fuzuli into the project deepens the understanding of the spiritual and mystical dimensions of the music. Their works, often addressing themes such as love, longing, and the quest for the divine, can serve as a significant source of inspiration for the musical arrangements and performances.

Cast
Pauline Buss Viola, Violin / Radek Stawarz Viola, Violin / Veit Steinmann Cello / Yavuz Duman Trumpet, Flugelhorn / Onur Cicin Kanun / Ruven Ruppik Percussion / Thomas Sauerborn Drums / Sidal Çakar Backing Vocals / Zelal Cengizhan Backing Vocals

Further information on the program and advance ticket sales will follow

Tickets available at all known advance booking outlets, via Print@Home + mobile ticket