Theatre entertainment in Berlin
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A
Grips Theater
The Grips is the best, and best-known, of Berlin’s youth stages, producing high-quality topical and critical plays that are suitable for older children and teenagers. The regular productions of director Volker Ludwig’s highly successful U-Bahn musical Linie 1 are a definite highlight.
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B
Friedrichstadtpalast
Marlene Dietrich and Ella Fitzgerald have graced the stage of this 1920s vintage palace. Today, Europe's largest revue theatre does mostly glitzy-glam Vegas-style productions with leggy showgirls in skimpy costumes and feather boas. Since it's hard to fill the 2000 seats, its future is uncertain.
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C
Hebbel am Ufer
In 2003 the Hebbel Theater merged with the nearby Theater am Hallesches Ufer and Theater am Ufer to create the HAU, which promptly won Theatre of the Year in 2004. With an emphasis on modern, experimental drama and dance on all three stages, this is a serious presence on the avant-garde scene.
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D
Deutsches Theater
Berlin's top theatre has reeled in numerous thespian awards, including Theatre of the Year in 2008. Plays are also performed in the smaller Kammerspiele, next door, and at Box + Bar, an 80-seat space with cocktail bar that presents edgy and experimental fare.
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E
Maxim Gorki Theater
The smallest and least subsidised of the state-funded theatres, the Gorki habitually stages a good mix of traditional and modern pieces, and quality is uniformly high. Expect plenty of fresh contemporary works under newish (since 2006) director Armin Petras.
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Theater des Westens
This is Berlin’s traditional venue for German-language productions of big-name musicals, hosting both touring and home-grown companies. It’s a good stage but quality varies widely and the cheapest seats tend to have lousy views.
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G
Admiralspalast
This beautifully restored 1920s party palace stages crowd-pleasing plays, concerts and musicals in its elegant historic hall, and more intimate shows - including comedy, readings, dance, concerts and theatre - on two smaller stages.
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H
Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz
The western city owes any cutting- edge theatrical credentials to this former 1920s cinema, rescued from bland obscurity under the forceful leadership of director Thomas Ostermeier. Some performances feature English surtitles.
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Schaubude Berlin
Not just for the kiddiewinks – the professional puppeteers here take their art ser-iously, and evening shows are generally aimed at adults (performances range from Punch and Judy to Faust ).
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Theater am Potsdamer Platz
Big-name musical events (such as Mamma Mia!) are showcased at this up-in-lights location, designed by none other than star architect Renzo Piano. Inside, there’s seating for 1800 and a sense of occasion.
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K
Berliner Ensemble
Brecht's former theatre presents works by him and other European 20th-century playwrights, sprinkled with the occasional play by Shakespeare, Schiller or Lessing. The building itself is gorgeous.
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L
Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
Nonconformist, radical and provocative; Volksbühne's head and Dostoyevsky fan Frank Castorf wouldn't have it any other way. Performances here are not for those squeamish about blood and nudity.
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M
Blue Man Group
This musical and visual extravaganza, starring slightly nutty and energetic guys dipped in Smurf-blue latex suits, performs at its own permanent theatre, a converted IMAX now called Bluemax.
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English Theatre Berlin
The repertoire of Berlin's oldest English-language stage includes classics, physical theatre, comedy and works by emerging writers and directors, many based in Berlin.
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Puppentheater Firlefanz
Traditional puppets and marionettes play to crowds of all ages here, next to the Hackesche Höfe.
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