From the office to the stage

For Gregor Stäheli, 22 May 2025 is a special date: that's when his first solo show premieres at Theater Millers. "Out of Office" is not only the title of his debut, it also aptly describes his bold step from slammer with a secure office job to professional stage artist.

We are sitting over coffee in the cosy Si o No in Wiedikon and I want to know how this step feels for him.
"Good. Very good. But also challenging. I have to do a lot of cleaning. I'm still at the very beginning as a comedian."

In fact, Gregor has a background in poetry slam. He has won numerous of his more than 300 performances; he also hosts the oldest open list slam in Zurich. How did he come to the stage in the first place?
"At grammar school in Basel, I attended a slam workshop with Phibi Reichling - pure curiosity. I had little interest in literature. But it was fun, so I signed up for an U20 slam in Olten. From then on, I was hooked. When I came to Zurich to study in 2010, I continued here. Whether it was training, an internship or a job - there was always poetry slam on the side. Including at Acapulco, where Phibi was the presenter. I later took over the moderation from him. We now do it at the Eldorado Bar."

When did the idea of doing comedy full-time come about?
"There are lots of good serious slam texts. I can't do that at all. I tended to do jokes and was already close to comedy. I've also tried out other formats and regularly do stand-up, cabaret and satirical videos. Writing a full-length programme always appealed to me, but I was so busy at work that there was no time for it." He laughs broadly: "Then our department was closed and I was forced to resign. I thought: When, if not now? I finally had time."

And no fear of your own courage? No doubts?
"Doubts are part of the stage. I was able to take criticism well in the office. A failed performance brings you down in a completely different way. But the euphoria is all the greater when you're successful. You have to learn to deal with highs and lows. As a newcomer who is not yet very well known, I had to learn to manage myself. But I'm happy to do it - it's my new job. It's a completely different job: more personal, more varied, with much more self-discipline. I can now handle it and enjoy organising my own time. I'm happy to still be involved in Eldorado. I'm also giving more workshops at schools again and performing at private and corporate events. I have to pay rent in Zurich - and you know what that means. My environment and my family give me great support. And if need be, I could go back to my old job, but of course I try to avoid that."

He made his personal experience of "getting out of the office" the subject of his first programme. "I like to tackle topics that everyone can relate to. And most people are familiar with work processes. I've been part of everyday office life long enough to be able to say a lot about it."

Was the premiere a success?
"So much so that Millers immediately offered a follow-up date - on 11 December. That was sold out in no time at all, so there were two more: 29 May 2026 and one in February 2027, plus more shows throughout Switzerland. And there was great feedback from the audience. One woman wrote to me to say that my performance had inspired her so much that she had quit her marketing job. I thought that was wonderful, of course. I don't want to drive people into unemployment - but my show seems to inspire them."

Next performances in Zurich:
6 February 2026 at Gleis 21
29. May 2026 at Millers

You can find all other dates throughout Switzerland on Gregor's website and Insta account: gregorstaeheli.ch, instagram.com/gregorstaeheli