My first time ... Zurich House of Literature

I had already discovered the Literaturhaus Zürich countless times in the cultural calendar - excitingly programmed events, a wide range of topics - and yet I had never been there. Until now. Valentine's Day was the day: an evening full of literature and emotions - and fittingly, it was all about sex. To be more precise: bad sex.

Getting to know each other for the first time

Before the date started, however, I first had to find the Literaturhaus Zürich. A quick Google search revealed that I had often walked past it without consciously noticing it. On closer inspection, I realised it was a beautiful building, but understated. No large lettering, an entrance that is slightly set back. The stairwell reminded me of an office building - functional, simple. But as soon as I entered, I was greeted with a friendly smile. The atmosphere? Warm and inviting.

Small talk in the anteroom

We were early and spent a few minutes in the anteroom, from where you can look into the neighbouring library reading room. A glance upwards - and I immediately noticed the impressive wooden stucco on the ceiling. Definitely an eye-catcher.

When the door to the event hall opened, we took our chance and secured seats in the front row. The hall holds around 100 people and was sold out that evening. Looking into the audience, I noticed how colourful the audience was - young, old, everything. And yet that surprised me. Why was that? Isn't it often the case that you have a certain inhibition threshold before the first time - only to wonder afterwards why you hesitated for so long?

Highlight of the evening

Back to Valentine's Day at the Literaturhaus. The atmosphere was relaxed and lively - a perfect way to get in the mood for what was to come. And now for the bad sex: the event was entitled "Worst Sex Scenario: Bad Literature on Valentine's Day" and was presented by Andreas Storm and Cathrin Störmer.

The two actors delivered a cheeky, sharp-tongued and witty comedy extravaganza on the small stage. Their concept: they collect bad text passages from novels as well as specialised and non-fiction books, bundle them thematically and present them as a bizarre stage experience. From Paolo Coelho to Pornogami, everything was included - sometimes unintentionally funny, sometimes simply abstruse. Between fits of laughter, shaking heads and moments of embarrassment, there were always thought-provoking moments - a fantastic format!

Farewell with the prospect of a reunion

After the performance, the guests pounced on the books that had made this humorous evening possible. The conversations lingered for a long time, and as I left the Literaturhaus I had the feeling that this was not a one-off date - we will meet again.

Literaturhaus Zürich, that was a very promising first evening. See you soon!

Short interview with Andreas Storm and Cathrin Störmer from 2018: Listen

The Literaturhaus Zürich has been one of the city's most important literary institutions for over twenty years. Located in the Museumsgesellschaft building on Limmatquai, it offers a varied programme of events including readings, talks and book premieres.

What many people don't know: The museum is not open to the public during the day - the reading room is only open to members of the society. It is only in the evenings that it becomes a public place and a stage for literature in all its facets.