Munich celebrates: Laughing and shooting society moves to Haidhausen!

Munich celebrates: Laughing and shooting society moves to Haidhausen!

An important day for the Munich cabaret scene: On November 18, 2025, the well-known laughing and shooting company from Schwabing will be moving to the newly established *Fat Cat* in the Gasteig in Haidhausen. The move is praised as a “wonderful preservation of an important Munich cabaret monument” by Frank Smilgies and Sebastian Rüger, the duo behind *Ulan & Bator*. Around 200 participants, including prominent artists such as Claus von Wagner, Max Uthoff and Julia von Miller, accompanied the society in this important step.

The laughing and shooting society, which has been based in the idyllic Schwabinger Haus at Ursulastrasse 9 since 1956, has opened a new chapter with this move. To attract the guests of honor and the numerous fans, the parade began with festive brass sounds, and many participants used the subway and S-Bahn to get to the new location. Former mayor Christian Ude is optimistic about the future of the company, which was facing bankruptcy three years ago.

A pageant with celebrities

In the middle of the parade, the current mayor Dieter Reiter also remembered the long tradition of cabaret in Munich and gave a greeting. The mood was appropriately festive, and many uninvolved passengers on the subway happily joined in the cheering, as cabaret artist Josef Hader noted. Hader, who traveled from Vienna, played a special role by taking down the newly hoisted sign of the laughing and shooting society.

• Alte Spielstätte: Ursulastraße 9, Schwabing
• Neue Spielstätte: Fat Cat, Gasteig, Haidhausen
• Erste Vorstellungen: Januar 2026

The new location, previously known as the *Kulturbunker*, has already attracted numerous interested parties. At the opening ceremony, which was celebrated with sparkling wine, several hundred people were present when the participants arrived in front of the Gasteig.

The importance of cabaret in Munich

The cabaret has a long and eventful history, dating back to 19th century Paris. At that time the first cabaret, the *cabaret artistique*, opened. Over time, a lively cabaret scene developed in Germany. The Laughing and Shooting Society has also been a core part of cultural life in Munich since it was founded in 1956 by Sammy Drechsel and Dieter Hildebrandt.

The current situation shows that cabaret art is still important in Germany today and responds to social issues. After the long period in which cabaret had to suffer from censorship, the scene has changed significantly and gained in importance in the last few decades.

The laughing and shooting society is now relying on the new venue, which may only serve as an interim use, as managing director Till Hofmann noted. But the anticipation for the first performance in January 2026 is already noticeable and brings new hope for the future.

So it remains to be hoped that the Fat Cat will bring many happy and thoughtful hours to the laughing and shooting society - a place where both laughter and critical questioning are allowed.