English-language Theater in Berlin

Comprehensive guide to Berlin Germany with information on Companies & Venues.

Film

Theater

Companies & Venues

Here is a list of some of the theatres and companies which regularly stage international productions.

Berliner Grundtheater

www.thebgt.de
mail@thebgt.de
Berlin | Tel: 782 77 00 , Fax: |

The Berliner Grundtheater was founded by director, Tony Kingston (right) in 1991 after appearing at the Edinburgh Festival. It features an international cast including German and British members, and deals exclusively with British fringe drama. The group's members are mostly amateur and meet once or twice a year to rehearse and perform classical and contemporary pieces. Past successes include Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Friends of Italian Opera

www.thefriends.de
info@thefriends.de
Fidicinstrasse 40, 10965 Berlin - Kreuzberg | Tel: 693 56 92; box office: 691 12 11, Fax: 691 39 37 | U6 Platz der Luftbrucke | Times: book by phone or one hour before curtain in person | Cards: None

map:

"The English Theatre" - this venue styles itself, and that says it all. Theatre in English and only in English, all year round, in a cosy little sixty-seat house in a rear courtyard; typically Kreuzberg (This is no opera house - the name comes from the Mafia's alias in "Some Like it Hot"). Productions, which change on average every three to four weeks, range from one man/woman shows to full-blooded dramas or comedies performed by local or visiting groups, of which standards can be exceptionally high.

Hebbel-Theater

www.hebbel-theater.de
pr@hebbel-theater.de
10963 Berlin - Kreuzberg | Tel: 25 90 04-0, Fax: 25 90 04-49 | S1, S2 Anhalter Bahnhof/U15 Hallesches Tor/U7, U15 Mueckernbrucke | Times: 4pm-8pm daily | Cards: Am Ex, EC, MC, V

map:

This is a theatre without a resident ensemble, and visiting groups only occasionally perform in English, but the name "Hebbel-Theater" practically assures a thrilling night's theatre (or dance or opera!). Every August the theatre is dedicated solely to dance with its aptly named "Tanz im August" festival. Otherwise you may be lucky and catch the likes of Robert Wilson's latest production or a premiere by the excellent Berliner Kammeroper (Berlin Chamber Opera). This is the thinking person's theatre in Berlin.

Living Room Productions

c.brelowski@berlin.de
Tel: Cornelia Brelowski - 694 09 764, Fax: no fax |

Living Room Productions is a umbrella organisation for english language theatre and film work in Berlin. Recent film work has included a short film adaption of King Lear and short films written by Michael Halverson. The focus on theatre work during last year led to performances of Michael Frayn Plays and two productions on "Lives of the Saints" by David Ives. The focus is still set on contemporary writing and future productions will include works by Pacifico and Mc Pherson. To look forward to is a production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Christopher Hampton at BROTFABRIK (Feb 20th-24th and Feb 27th - March 3rd). For more information write to the e-mail address above.

Podewil

www.podewil.de
pr@podewil.de
Klosterstr. 68-70, 10179 Berlin - Mitte | Tel: 247 49 - 6, Fax: 247 49 -700 | S+U Alexanderplatz; U2 Klosterstr. |

map:

Podewil is a venue, exhibition space and production house which presents a wide-ranging programme in contemporary visual and performing arts. One of the highlights on their annual calender is Transmediale , a festival for 'artistic and critical reflection on the role of digital technologies in present-day society.' Visit Podewil online for details of regular guest performances by visiting international artists.

Seahorse Productions

Seahorse Productions was formed in London in 1992 to make films on 8 and Super 8mm and moved into English language theatre in 1999 with their performance of Krapp's Last Tape. This has since been repeated three times (Nov 99, March 2000, Oct 2000). Other recent productions include the Elvis Comedy Takin' Care of Business and Edward Albee's Zoo Story. Currently the group is based at Tenderloin at the WEIN-Salon in Friedrichshain, but is looking to extend and to move to other theatres in the Berlin area.

Stuekke

www.stuekke.de
info@stuekke.de
Palisadenstr. 48, 10243 Berlin - Friedrichshain | Tel: 42 28 23 33, Fax: no fax | U5 Strausberger Platz | Times: book by phone or one hour before curtain in person. | Cards: None

map:

Stuekke which nearly went belly-up in 1999 in its former Kreuzberg quarters, has now received a reprieve and resettled in Friedrichshain in the deepest east. They promise to stick to their policy of theatre only by contemporary writers, but whether they will continue to offer performances in English (which had become less and less frequent in Kreuzberg in the last few years) remains to be seen. Never the less, a strong house.

Tacheles

www.tacheles.de
pr@tacheles.de
Oranienburger Strasse 54-56a, 10117 Berlin - Mitte | Tel: 282 61 85, Fax: 282 31 30 | S1, S2 Oranienburger Str./ U6 Oranienburger Tor | Times: book by phone or one hour before curtain in person | Cards: None

map:

A Berlin institution; part art centre, part bar, part theatre - all alternative. English-language theatre companies and - especially - solo performers tread the boards here with fair regularity. But don't expect "straight" theatre - experimentation is the by-word at Tacheles.

Theater Zerbrochene Fenster

Fidicinstrasse 3 (entrance on Schwiebusserstrase 16),, 10965 Berlin - Kreuzberg | U6 Platz der Luftbrücke | Times: book by phone or one hour before curtain in person | Cards: None

map:

Another small Kreuzberg theatre, this time on the top floor of a converted warehouse, where local anglophonic theatre companies alternate with local German-speaking ones to present interesting, alternative fringe theatre.