Toomler

Toomler was a theatre café and comedy club located at Breitnerstraat 2 in Amsterdam, in the basement beneath the Hilton hotel. It was owned and operated by Comedytrain, the Dutch stand-up comedy collective founded in 1990 by brothers Raoul and Eric Heertje. The club itself was also founded by the Heertje brothers as a dedicated home for Dutch stand-up comedians, giving them a place to gain experience, try out new material, and provide a regular venue for comedy fans. The room had a capacity of 150 people. Toomler became one of the most important stages for stand-up comedy in the Netherlands. It hosted both emerging Dutch comedians and major international names, including Trevor Noah, Louis C.K., and Jim Jefferies. The club was also the venue for the monthly storytelling afternoon Echt gebeurd, founded in autumn 2008 by Paulien Cornelisse and Micha Wertheim, from which a selection of stories was released as a podcast. In addition, Toomler regularly hosted comedy festivals such as the annual Comedytrain International Summer Festival. From 2015 to 2020, Femke Monaghan-Van Wachem served as director of Comedytrain and Toomler; she later became business director of the debate centre De Balie. The final performance at Toomler took place on 20 December 2025. After that, Comedytrain continued its shows in the Westergasfabriek under the name Comedytrain, and the Toomler name was no longer used. The official website now describes the Comedyclub Comedytrain in Amsterdam (Westergasterrein) as the home base of the comedians of the Comedytrain collective.

Toomler was a theatre café and comedy club at Breitnerstraat 2 in Amsterdam, located beneath the Hilton hotel. It was founded by Raoul Heertje and his brother Eric Heertje, who also founded the Comedytrain collective in 1990. The café was owned by Comedytrain, the collective of stand-up comedians. The venue was established to give Dutch stand-up comedians a place to gain experience, try out material, and ensure a regular home for comedy lovers. The room had a capacity of 150 people. Over the years, Toomler became a key stage for stand-up comedy in the Netherlands. It hosted international comedians such as Trevor Noah, Louis C.K., and Jim Jefferies. The club also hosted comedy festivals, including the annual Comedytrain International Summer Festival. The monthly storytelling afternoon Echt gebeurd, founded in autumn 2008 by Paulien Cornelisse and Micha Wertheim, took place at Toomler; a selection of the stories was released as a podcast. From 2015 to 2020, Femke Monaghan-Van Wachem was director of Comedytrain and Toomler. She later became business director of the debate centre De Balie. The final performance at Toomler was held on 20 December 2025. After that, Comedytrain continued its shows in the Westergasfabriek under the name Comedytrain, and the Toomler name was no longer used. The official website now refers to the Comedyclub Comedytrain in Amsterdam (Westergasterrein) as the home base of the Comedytrain comedians.

• Comedytrain collective founded by Raoul Heertje and Eric Heertje; Toomler café also founded by them.

• Monthly storytelling afternoon Echt gebeurd founded by Paulien Cornelisse and Micha Wertheim, held at Toomler.

• Femke Monaghan-Van Wachem becomes director of Comedytrain and Toomler.

• Femke Monaghan-Van Wachem ends her directorship; later becomes business director of De Balie.

• Final performance at Toomler; Comedytrain continues in Westergasfabriek under the Comedytrain name.

A dedicated home for Dutch stand-up comedy, offering a stage for comedians to develop and perform, and a regular venue for comedy fans in Amsterdam.

• Stand-up comedy shows

  Regular stand-up comedy performances by Dutch and international comedians.

• Comedytrain International Summer Festival

  Annual comedy festival hosted at Toomler.

• Echt gebeurd

  Monthly storytelling afternoon founded in 2008 by Paulien Cornelisse and Micha Wertheim; a selection of stories released as a podcast.

1. 1Comedytrain | Stand-up comedy Amsterdamcomedytrain.nl
2. 2Victor Brands - Comedytraincomedytrain.nl
3. 3Toomler - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Toomler - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org