Mezrab: Community centre in Oostelijk Havengebied, Amsterdam
Contact
- Website Visit site ↗
- Email info@mezrab.nl
- Address Veemkade 576, Oostelijk Havengebied, 1019 BL Amsterdam
- Social
Getting there
Mezrab1019 BL
Good to know
- Step-free access
- Accessible toilet
- Lockers
- Wi-fi
- Free entry for most events
- Walk-ins
Upcoming at Mezrab
- Mezrab Comedy Open Mic Mon 23 Nov
- Pearls on a String Tue 24 Nov
- Club Amsterdam Klezmer - Amsterdam Klezmer Band 30 Years! Thu 26 Nov
- Tell, then show! - our storytelling jam Sun 29 Nov
- Banda Entopica - Traditional Street Band from Greece - Salón Sonoro Thu 3 Dec
- LGBTQ+ Stories Thu 10 Dec
- Cabaret Saalik presents Rābkah - Swana Sounds - Libyan food - Belly Dance Sat 12 Dec
- Book Launch Rasha Hilwi Sun 13 Dec
- Tarab Machine - Electrifying Middle Eastern Jazz & Rock - Magic Carpet Sessions Thu 17 Dec
- Welcome to the Playground Tue 29 Dec
About Mezrab
Mezrab is a storytelling house on the Veemkade in the Oostelijk Havengebied in Amsterdam, and calls itself the House of Stories. You go to sit close to someone telling a story, and to stay for the comedy, world music or open stage that fills the other nights.
Regular storytelling evenings run several times a week. A night usually has two or three stories of around ten minutes in each set, with up to three sets, and other evenings mix storytelling with dance, poetry or visual art. Sahand Sahebdivani and Karl Giesriegl are the creative directors, and a long list of hosts takes turns on stage. Mezrab has played a large part in getting storytelling recognised as an art form in the Netherlands.
The room has a stage, cushions on Persian carpets, chairs and couches, and the doors open about an hour before the start, so you can choose your spot. Comedy nights, MezJam and other music nights keep the rest of the week busy. Once the programme ends the place turns into a café and people stay to talk.
Most evenings are free, with donations welcome, and need no reservation unless the event page says so; where there is a ticket, you can buy it at the door. Lockers cost one euro. The venue is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet, and there is wi-fi. There is no parking on the Veemkade, but the Nieuw Amerika garage is about 200 metres away.
Nearby venues
- Balfolk Amsterdam 1019 BL
- Ramses Shaffy Huis Oost
- Panama Amsterdam
- Einde van de Wereld 1019 SZ
- De KHL 1019 BN
- Pakhuis de Zwijger 1019 HC
- Transit 1021 KB
- Oostenburg Amsterdam
Explore nearby
Common questions
- What happens at a storytelling night at Mezrab?
- Storytellers take the stage in short slots of around ten minutes. There are usually two or three stories per set, and up to three sets in an evening.
- Where do you sit at Mezrab?
- There are cushions on Persian carpets, chairs and couches. The doors open about an hour before the start, so come early if you want a particular spot.
- Is Mezrab only for storytelling?
- No. The programme also has comedy, world music, the MezJam and open stage nights. On some evenings storytelling is combined with dance, poetry or visual art.
- What happens after the show at Mezrab?
- Once the programme ends, the room turns into a café. You can stay on for a drink and a chat.
- Do you need a ticket for Mezrab?
- Most evenings are free and need no reservation, and a donation is welcome. If an event has tickets, it says so on the event page and you can buy them at the door.