Heimathafen Neukölln
Popular theatre in Rixdorf
In the 1920s Rixdorf is a notorious entertainment district just outside Berlin. In addition to cabaret, concerts and film screenings, the Rixdorf ballroom will also host operas and even boxing matches. The house gave the most different formats a common roof. And that is still the case today.
Simple, direct and accessible to everyone: The Heimathafen of Neukölln stands for new folk theatre from Berlin, giving the district of Neukölln a voice. Different styles, genres and cultures are linked with each other.
Theatre, Amusemang, Tacheles and Music
These are the four pillars of the Heimathafen Neukölln.
Theatre: With the motto "We are popular theatre", the Heimathafen started its theatre operations in 2009. It wants to take up and tell local stories.
Amusemang: The legendary Rixdorfer Perlen sing and play Neukölln from the soul, and the regular formats like Sing dela Sing, Fujiama Nightclub and the Radioeins Radio Show are often part of the programme.
Tacheles: The Heimathafen develops and supports local, citizen-initiated, political evenings as well as discussion evenings, slams, the annual Open Mike Poetry Festival and readings.
Music: The Heimathafen concerts are now known for a well selected mixture. Besides local songwriters like Wallis Bird, international stars like Benjamin Clementine, Jamie Cullum or The Streets have performed in the venue.
The Saalbau Neukölln, a venue with a long history
Theatre has been performed at the Ballsaal since ever since the late 19th century, and among the dance halls, variety theatres and dubious betting shops, an entertainment quarter grew up here.
After the first world war, the Ballsaal was converted to a cinema, which closed for the duration of the second world war and was not reopened until 1954 as a concert and dance hall and cinema.
The Ballsaal closed again in 1968 and was not revived until 1990 after reunification. Ever since then it has been a cultural venue and includes the Café Rix. Since 2009 the Heimathafen Neukölln theatre group has played at the Ballsaal with the aim of reviving Neukölln’s old entertainment quarter. Come in and have some fun!
Café Rix is an integral part of the Saalbau Neukölln. As elegantly decorated as the auditorium, with its elegant gilt plaster ceilings and magnificent mirrors, it perfectly matches the it shows. With delicious meals and drinks, it’s a trip back to the good old days.
The youth group at the Heimathafen Neukölln
Active Player NK! is a project where young acting enthusiasts develop new plays about current political topics and everything else that affects young people. Once the play has been developed, the group get ready to perform it, and for each new creation there is a première. The rehearsals begin every September, and are open to anyone from 12 to 24 years of age.
Information for schools
On the third Tuesday of each month, the Heimathafen hosts Neukölln’s biggest poetry slam: nine poets are each given five minutes to perform their own texts. The audience then decide who goes through to the final. From short stories to rap, from tender love poetry to cynical stand-up comedy – anything goes.
