Astaro Theatro: Theater in Oude Zijde, Amsterdam

AstaroTheatro is a small independent theatre at Sint Jansstraat 37 in the old centre of Amsterdam, run as an open space for theatre, music, film, discussion and activism. Go for non-mainstream work seen at close range: the room is small enough that performers and audience share the same space, and breaking the fourth wall is part of the plan. The name comes from Astaroth, a play by the Italian writer Stefano Benni that a group of actors staged in Amsterdam some years ago. The house takes a critical line on purpose and calls itself independent and international, for audiences and performers alike. Under artistic director Roberto Bacchilega it has made work with migrants and refugees, including one production with more than 20 performers in 10 languages built from five months of improvised rehearsals. The programme is workshops and evenings rather than long runs. Mask-making and mask acting, writing workshops built around Palestinian tales, readings and performances all appear on the What's on page, and the house has taken part in BANGS, an autonomous theatre festival held around Amsterdam. Some workshops are free, with donations welcome. There are no regular opening hours, so check the site, then call or email to reserve a place.