Theater Madame Lothár, Travesty theatre in Bremen, Germany

Theater Madame Lothár is a small theatre on Kolpingstraße in Bremen that focuses on travesty performances blending theatrical comedy with entertainment. The venue holds about 100 seats in a tight layout where audiences sit close to the stage.

Lothar Gräbs founded the theatre in 1992 with Matthias Schnaars, who handled the gastronomic and business side, in the vaulted cellar of a house at Kolpingstraße 9 built in 1820 and raised in 1888. The building belongs to the Schnoor monument group listed in 1973. Financial difficulties led to insolvency proceedings and closure in May 2008; Thomas Vehorn reopened the converted cellar as Teatro Magico in March 2009.

The name Madame Lothár was both the stage persona of founder Lothar Gräbs and the theatre's title. The house ensemble, the ML-Sisters, carried the programme of costumes, comedy and parody after Gräbs reduced his stage work from the mid-1990s. Guests such as Heidi Kabel, Brigitte Mira and Lys Assia appeared on the small stage.

The theatre sits directly on Kolpingstraße, making it easy to find and reach by foot from the city center. Since the venue holds only about 100 people, arriving early helps you secure a comfortable seat.

Lothar Gräbs lost one leg in the mid-1990s and the second in summer 2002, after which he ran his shows from a wheelchair, still guiding guests through the programme as Madame Lothár. He marked his 75th birthday in January 2008 with a stage show, months before the theatre closed.