The Origin (1909 - 1959)
The founder Hannes Ophof. How it all started. A family business.
A different era without radio, television and few cars. There were canal boats, gaslight, fairs, revues and acrobats!
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The "modern times" (1960 - 2000)
New prosperity. Rock & Roll.
The theatre emerges in new directions. Around 1960 Wil Spoor a temporary pioneer of "the new theatre" purchases the Bosco and stages his mime production in it. He is one of the first in western Europe to experiment with location theatre. This involves performing ouside of traditional venues, and takes performance to the streets, empty factory buildings etc.
In the following decades, many different companies and artists performed in the Bosco Theatre. After the Bosco passed from Wil Spoor's hands the tent changes ownership three times. It is no longer the exclusive stage of one company or family.
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Bosco Theatre: "A brand new start" (2000 until today)
A new owner for a new century: Flip Jansen.
"Around 1966 I saw the Bosco Theatre for the first time on the ‘Nieuwmarkt’ in old Amsterdam. My girlfriend Marja Lieuwen was performing in the mime group of Wil Spoor and naturally I went to see her. I was enchanted by both her and the charming little circus tent that added so much intimacy and atmosphere to the performance."
"Thirty five years later, now already an owner of a spiegeltent for twenty years, the Bosco Theatre finally finds a home with me. I give the love of my youth some tender care and rebuild the seating. The Bosco once again sails across the waters, not on a canal boat, but in a containership across the world!"
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