Zurich English-Speaking Theatre (ZEST) - Your Community for English Theatre in Zurich

A new take on lesser known characters from four Shakespeare classics including Shylock's Daughter (Merchant of Venice), Prince Lear (King Lear), MacDuff (Macbeth) and Friar Falstaff (Henry IV).

Standing over the body of her slain husband, Clytemnestra recounts her painful past, from her forced marriage to Agamemnon, who murdered her first husband and child, to the ultimate betrayal: the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia. While her husband was away at war, Clytemnestra, fueled by grief and a thirst for revenge, ruled the city and began an affair with a man named Aegisthus. The play chronicles her journey of loss and vengeance, culminating in a final, deadly act.

In a not-so-distant future, a father named Salter is confronted with the shocking revelation that he has not one, but several cloned sons. The play is a mind-bending exploration of identity, family, and the ethical implications of human cloning. Through a series of intense two-person scenes, Churchill examines the emotional and psychological toll on Salter and his various "sons," raising profound questions about what it means to be an individual and the nature versus nurture debate.

Get ready to have your voice heard in a ZEST production! For this session, we're embarking on a special project to create the soundscape for our upcoming production of Frankenstein. We'll start learning some of the choral pieces that we will record in October. This is your chance to contribute to the show in a unique way by rehearsing and recording choral arrangements that will become a key part of the play's musical score. Sign-up links will be supplied approximately one week before the event. Join us and let's make some musical magic!

No reading will take place during bank holiday.

Come and explore the fun of improvisation in a welcoming and supportive environment! Whether you're a seasoned performer or a curious beginner, our Improv Workshops are the perfect, low-pressure way to build confidence, think on your feet, and have a lot of laughs. There's no script, no pressure, and no need to prepare anything: just a friendly group ready to play.

Nearly 2,500 years ago, Sophocles wrote Oedipus Rex. His Jocasta hanged herself when she learned her husband Oedipus, was also her long-lost son. In Euripides’ version, Jocasta doesn’t die. Instead, she lives on for another 20 years, ruling as Queen of Thebes and raising the four children she had with Oedipus. In ‘Where Three Roads Meet’, Jocasta who died is transported back into the world ruled by her older surviving other self and has to work out why she’s returned.

Get ready to have your voice heard in a ZEST production! For this session, we're continuing on a special project to create the soundscape for our upcoming production of Frankenstein. You do not have to have been to the previous session to join in. We will continue learning and rehearsing the pieces we've worked on during the last session. This is your chance to contribute to the show in a unique way by rehearsing and recording choral arrangements that will become a key part of the play's musical score. Sign-up links will be supplied approximately one week before the event. Join us and let's make some musical magic!

This horror-comedy musical follows Paul, a seemingly ordinary guy who despises musicals. His life takes a bizarre turn when the residents of his small town, including his ex-girlfriend, start spontaneously breaking into song and dance. What begins as a comedic annoyance soon escalates into a terrifying struggle for survival as Paul discovers that the musical numbers are a symptom of a larger, otherworldly invasion. The play cleverly parodies classic horror and musical theatre tropes, blending genuine scares with hilarious musical numbers.

Come and explore the fun of improvisation in a welcoming and supportive environment! Whether you're a seasoned performer or a curious beginner, our Improv Workshops are the perfect, low-pressure way to build confidence, think on your feet, and have a lot of laughs. There's no script, no pressure, and no need to prepare anything: just a friendly group ready to play.

The Monday Play Reading will be announced a week before October 6.

Get ready to have your voice heard in a ZEST production! For this session, we're continuing on a special project to create the soundscape for our upcoming production of Frankenstein. You do not have to have been to the previous session to join in. We will continue learning and rehearsing the pieces we've worked on during the last two sessions. This is your chance to contribute to the show in a unique way by rehearsing and recording choral arrangements that will become a key part of the play's musical score. Sign-up links will be supplied approximately one week before the event. Join us and let's make some musical magic!

This thrilling adaptation uses only five actors to bring some of Dickens' most beloved characters to life. From Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig, Barlow's A Christmas Carol uses nothing more than some simple props, fresh physicality, and the power of imagination to convey this timeless story of redemption. Witness Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation from a stingy miser to a man who generously celebrates the spirit of the season all year long, in this highly theatrical adaptation.