Janna Baerends

Stadstheater De Bond occupies a building on Molenstraat 25 in Oldenzaal that dates to 1894 and 1895, when it was constructed as a Vereenigingsgebouw, a civic union building with integrated theatre facilities, to a design by architect Elzinga. That origin as a gathering place for the local community rather than a purpose built commercial theatre gives De Bond a particular character: it grew organically into the town's primary cultural centre and has remained so ever since. The auditorium is a flat floor space with just over 300 seats, a format that keeps the atmosphere relatively intimate and allows the hall to flex between different kinds of events. The programming covers a broad range without settling into any single niche. Theatre productions, music theatre, cabaret and family shows make up the core of the annual schedule, and Filmhuis Oldenzaal uses the same auditorium for its film screenings, which effectively makes De Bond a combined theatre and art house cinema. Past concerts have included performers such as Ricky Koole, Leo Blokhuis and Anneke van Giersbergen, pointing to a music programme that leans toward singer songwriter work and intimate live performance rather than loud amplified acts. Alongside the main hall, the Shelter Theatercafé and the foyers serve as additional spaces within the building. For the Twente region, and specifically for Oldenzaal and the surrounding municipalities, De Bond functions as the default address for professional performing arts. Its longevity, spanning well over a century in the same building on the same street, is unusual for a venue of its modest size and reflects how central it has been to the cultural life of this corner of Overijssel.