How al-media and INFiLED Powered Up the Fun for Cologne’s Oldest Theatre

Overview

In October 2025, something special lit up the foyer of Volksbühne at Rudolfplatz, Cologne’s oldest theatre. Before the curtain even rose on the award-winning musical comedy Himmel und Kölle, audiences were transported to an alternative Cologne, through an immersive LED installation that transformed the theatre entrance into a pre-show visual gallery.

This concept was the brainbaby of the production company and al-media, setting the mood for a musical comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Even with the architectural challenges of the Art Nouveau building and a tight timeline, the project team were able to deliver the project seamlessly and fast. Much of the speed of installation was down to the local availability of INFiLED’s LED screens, and our local German-speaking support team.

About al-media

Our AV partner al-media are Cologne’s sound, lighting and media gurus-to-go, with a full-service CV any event company would be jealous of. They’re at home serving clients as large as Cologne’s premier venues such as E-Werk and the Palladium, all the way to bijou private parties.

 Setting the Stage: Cologne’s Cultural Event of the Year

Few cities wear their identity as proudly as Cologne, Germany, and this is reflected in the much-praised musical comedy Himmel und Kölle, where, not to give the plot away, the city is almost a principal member of the cast itself.

Awarded Cologne’s cultural event of the year in 2021, the show has also won four musical and theatre awards, and it’s back again to sold-out performances at the historic Volksbühne at Rudolfplatz theatre. The Volksbühne at Rudolfplatz is itself a piece of Cologne’s dramatic history. Built originally as a dancehall in elegant Art Nouveau style, it got through two world wars relatively unscathed and is the oldest surviving theatre in Cologne.

 The Vision: Warming Up The Audience

The production company was looking to immerse the audience into the drama even before the curtain opened. It commissioned a series of vibrant illustrations – a whistlestop tour of Cologne – from Berlin-based comic book artist and illustrator  Fufu Frauenwahl, to be displayed in the foyer. The look and feel they wanted was high-end art gallery, but on steroids.

The production company called in al-media. The creative concept called for the LED elements arranged as vertical pillars, which would form a gallery-like environment for the audience as they stepped from one version of Cologne (the real one) into the theatrical version.  The result needed to prime the audience for the fun of the show, while respecting the historic character of the building.

The Challenge(s): Old Building. Tight Timeline. You Do The Math. 

There’s nothing that the al-media and INFiLED team like better than a meaty challenge, and this is exactly what they got:

• Tight-than-tight timeline: The creative brainstorming started in August 2025, with the goal of having the foyer ready to dazzle in October. Start-to-finish, everything would have to be ideated, designed, procured, installed and tested within a three-month window.
• Limited installation opportunities: Build & test could only take place during the performance season, be carried out with minimal disruption to normal theatre operations and, of course, be removable without leaving a trace.
• Architectural constraints: The installation had to respect the constraints of the historic nature of the building. The uneven walls created challenges around cable installation, routing and management, and ruled out any kind of fixing substructure.
• Controllability: The “gallery” walls had to perform brilliantly for close-up viewing and also be super-controllable, as the content was to be synchronized to form an overall visual narrative for the audience as it journeyed through the foyer.
• Reliability: With daily performances and a packed house, even the shortest downtime wasn’t acceptable. Anything under par would break the visual experience set up for each audience member. al-media needed reassurance that any technical issues could be resolved quickly: no time differences, no language barriers, no hassle.

The Solution: Global Expertise, Local Delivery

Our INFiLED team were delighted to support this wonderful project, with a combination of the right LED product, local availability, and hands-on, German-speaking support.

al-media couldn’t wait around for the LED screens to be shipped all the way from China to Cologne. One of al-media’s deciding factors was the immediate availability of the IL-FISS-IRWP1.56Lite model from INFiLED’s innovative tried, tested and trusted WP Series, stocked in our European warehouse in Rotterdam. This eliminated the problem of a long lead time and allowed the creative and installation teams to get on with it straightaway.

The IL-FISS-IRWP1.56Lite was a perfect choice for the unique geometry of the foyer and for the demanding performance needs. The technical highlights included:

• Almost 70 sqm of LED screens installed across the foyer, with 331 cabinets configured as vertical pillars.
• The ultra-slim 29.5 mm depth of each cabinet, which allowed a flush installation on those wonky foyer walls, and no need for a bulky substructure.
• The lightweight aluminum-built LED cabinets (only 5.2kg each) which reduced  load.
• A pixel pitch of 1.56mm, delivering super-sharp images for close viewing.
• A modular, front-serviceable design, making it easy to maintain.
• A wide viewing angle of 160°/160° to give consistent brightness and color from any viewpoint.

The foyer’s indoor lighting was solid, but the LED system’s adjustable brightness and calibrated color allowed for fluctuations.

Just as important to al-media as fast delivery and reliable performance of the LED installation was the support of the INFiLED team, both before and during the project. It needed a safe pair of hands, just in case anything went wrong.

INFiLED’s German-speaking support and technical teams provided immediate on-site and remote assistance throughout the project lifecycle.

“We’re very happy with INFiLED’s support; the short delivery time in particular convinced us. We are certain that choosing INFiLED was a more economical and overall better option.”

André Lyrmann, CEO, al-media.

The Result: An Amped Up Audience

Himmel und Kölle’s fun-in-the-foyer concept contributed to an all-round memorable evening for the thousands of theatre goers who enjoyed this fantastic show. Behind the scenes, we’re proud of the INFiLED team’s smart LED tech, local availability and on-the-ground support, and we’re even more proud that our client al-media agrees.

The INFiLED team has extensive experience working with production companies and creative agencies in the performing arts and other creative industries. Discover our work for Muriel’s Wedding The Musical and Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the UK, for MJ The Musical in Hamburg and for Viziona Cines’ visual gateway in Colombia.  For action behind the camera, find out how we helped build the UAE’s largest VP production studio and supported Kōawa Studios, New Zealand’s most advanced VP studio, at the University of Christchurch.

Got an ambitious project that can’t wait for long lead times? Don’t panic – our HQ is in Shenzhen, China but we have showrooms or centres in 87 countries. We’ll have the right LED display in stock near you. Get in touch with us today.