Founded in 2021 by filmmaker and author Lars Henriks and actress-producer Nisan Arikan, the Miskatonic Theater has become one of Germany’s most unusual and passionately run theatre companies - and quite possibly the only one in the world entirely dedicated to horror.What began as an open-air project on the Harburg City Park stage sparked the birth of an entirely new genre: live horror theatre.
“In German film, horror has always been unthinkable. When we realised that theatre and audio drama could give it a home, we were thrilled - and dove in headfirst,” says Lars Henriks, recalling the start of a unique success story.
After early acclaim with horror adaptations of Shakespeare and The King in Yellow, Henriks and Arikan built their own venue in Hamburg-Harburg: the antikyno. Here, they staged plays, screened independent films, and produced audio dramas. It quickly became clear: while independent cinema in Germany might remain a lost cause, Miskatonic’s Lovecraft adaptations, eerie musicals, and dark comedies struck a deep chord. Productions like ‘The Call of Cthulhu’, ‘The Shadow over Innsmouth’, ‘Dagon’, ‘The Festival and The Whisperer in Darkness’ packed the house.
Soon, they moved into larger premises and focused entirely on horror theatre - and thus, the Miskatonic Theater was officially born. But even before opening night, the company’s streak of bizarre misfortune began: a break-in stripped the theatre and recording studio of all technical equipment, nearly preventing the launch. Only the extraordinary support of a devoted fanbase kept the dream alive.
With a permanent ensemble, top-notch technical craft, and an unusually active community (complete with Discord server, memes, and merch), the Miskatonic Theater became a hub for horror, fantasy, and theatre fans from across Germany. Their audio drama podcast ‘Korridore’ became one of ARD Audiothek’s most successful fiction titles - also made entirely in-house.
Then, disaster struck again: on 9 March 2025, the Harburg venue was completely destroyed in a fire. All equipment, sets, props - gone. Even Henriks and Arikan’s apartment was lost, leaving them homeless for three months. And yet, the theatre never went silent. Thanks to an unshakable community, the ensemble’s grit, and creative endurance, Miskatonic found refuge in Hamburg’s Sternschanze district - now permanently at Haus 73, with additional productions at the Hamburger Sprechwerk.
The output remains relentless. Following their exile debut ‘The Music of Erich Zann’, preparations are in full swing for a major horror musical summer. H.P. Lovecraft’s ‘Dreams in the Witch House’ and the ‘Frankenstein: Mary Shelley’s Monster’ musical prove one thing: the flame of horror still burns brightly.
Beyond its stage plays, the Miskatonic Theater hosts interactive Thursday events including the horror game show Dreadnight, the comedy pitch battle Pitch Perfect, the political pen-and-paper show ‘Democrats & Dragons’ (with representatives from all democratic parties - though the CDU has yet to join), and international horror short film slams - all designed to thrill a young, genre-loving audience.
“We’re the only theatre where the audience goes home and makes memes about the show, then posts them on Discord,” says Nisan Arikan. Lars Henriks adds: “Our theatre is a mix of Lovecraft, punk rock, and improv. We’re not subsidised - but we are very much alive.”
Website: miskatonictheater.com
Instagram: @antikyno.miskatonic
Current Productions
Frankenstein: Mary Shelley’s Monster
Dates: 8 Aug - 10 Sep
Venue: Hamburger Sprechwerk, Klaus-Groth-Str. 23, Hamburg
Dreams in the Witch House - The Darkly Witty Lovecraft Musical!
Dates: 15 Aug – 20 Sep
Venue: Haus 73, Schulterblatt 73, Hamburg
Source: Press Release
