Successful theater

Komödie Graz: “Every laugh is hard-earned”

Stefan Moser (left) and Urs Harnik have been managing Komödie Graz since 2019

(Bild: Martin Schneider)

In October 2019, Urs Harnik and Stefan Moser took over the former "Kleine Komödie" in Graz and turned it into "Komödie Graz". Their venue in Münzgrabenstraße has been running at full capacity ever since. Their recipe for success: "Theater for the audience".

You don't celebrate successes like this every day: Komödie Graz's new production had not even premiered when its directors Stefan Moser and Urs Harnik already had to add extra performances because the demand for tickets was so high. "We currently have an occupancy rate of 100 percent," says the duo, who are also on stage themselves in the French comedy "Separation for Cowards".

"Simply making theater for the audience"
What is the Graz Boulevardbühne's recipe for success? "We simply make theater for the audience," says Urs Harnik. "There's often a certain arrogance towards entertainment in the cultural sector, but - especially in challenging times like these - it's exactly what audiences often need and want to see." A good comedy as a counterbalance to everyday life. What sounds superficial is hard work: "Every laugh that comes easily is usually hard work with our director Robert Persché," says Stefan Moser.

The successful duo can currently be seen in "Trennung für Feiglinge" - completely sold out!

(Bild: Peter Manninger)

But the effort pays off: "I think it's great to see how we can transform people with our craft, with our work: They come to the theater irritated and stressed and leave laughing and in a good mood," says Harnik.

Guest performances by star actors as another drawcard
However, Komödie Graz not only celebrates success with its own productions, but also with guest performances by cabaret artists and acting stars. "When we started our first season in October 2019, we had three such evenings in the program - as a little encore for the audience, so to speak," recalls Moser. This season's program includes almost 70 guest performances - from a concert by Ulrich Tukur and his band to a reading with Eva Mattes or Michael Maertens and a Christmas gala with Chris Lohner

"There wasn't really an organizer who brought these stars to Graz before. And with a good 200 seats, we also have the right size theater for it. The audience often experiences the stars with projects close to their hearts and can get very close to them," explains Harnik. This closeness to the audience in every respect is what makes Komödie Graz so successful.