productions
Every season, hetpaleis presents an extensive programme: a performance for leisure or school groups, in the main or smaller auditorium, or on location, in our theatre bus, or sometimes even at school. There’s something for everyone.
You can look forward to at least four new productions from hetpaleis and a wide range of guest performances. In this way, we bring the best youth theatre from Flanders and the Netherlands to Antwerp.
productions of hetpaleis
hetpaleis creates its own productions for a diverse audience. We collaborate with young creators, renowned artists and leading theatres or companies. Every hetpaleis production goes on tour and is revived in the following season.
Our productions are as diverse as our audience, but the core remains unchanged: ambitious, groundbreaking and aimed at a metropolitan audience.
guest productions
In addition to our own productions, we curate the most leading-edge performances for young audiences every season. These include works by BRONKS, KOPERGIETERY, Theater Artemis, DE MAAN, fABULEUS, Laika, De Nwe Tijd, kabinet k, Post uit Hessdalen, cie barbarie, tout petit, Ballet Dommage, Theater FroeFroe, Zonzo Compagnie, Tutti Fratelli,… as well as productions by individual artists.
All performances take place in our main auditorium, our smaller auditorium, on location or in our touring theatre bus.
main auditorium
With 539 seats, our main auditorium is unique in Western Europe: it is the largest publicly funded venue for creation and performance dedicated exclusively to young audiences. Every week, hundreds of children and young people gather here to enjoy the arts, play, grow and reflect on society and identity.
The main auditorium is also more than just its dimensions and the size of our audience. It houses a wealth of technical capabilities and equipment, supported by a highly skilled technical team, as well as a costume and set workshop. This enables us to create high-quality, multi-layered work that also attracts international attention.
small auditorium
The small auditorium has a flat floor and a retractable seating area with 150 seats. This makes it the ideal venue for performances aimed at younger children, for intimate productions, and for development and experimentation. Artists also use our small auditorium to rehearse, finalise and perform their work.
theatre bus
As a visit to a theatre isn’t a given for every child, we deliberately take a number of projects out onto the streets. Using a bus converted into a theatre, we tour schools, playgrounds and other venues with a show for pre-schoolers. The first bus performance premiered in 2007. For each new series, we ask a different artist or company to create a performance in the bus for children aged 4 and above.