Berlin – Theaters

Berlin – Theaters

Institutional and private theaters in Berlin are unfortunately boring, fossilized and expensive, although you can save by purchasing student tickets for vacant seats. Berlin, however, still remains the German Theaterstadt for thousands of passionate young Germans, who go to the maista every year, they rent premises and exhibit their plays. In recent years, however, many theater people have left the birthplace of the experimental theater and traveled to Munich, the center of the film industry. Nevertheless, experimental theater is still developing in Berlin, and with sufficient knowledge of German, it is worth spending for several groups 3-30 DM and bilet; a detailed experimental theater program in the section "Off-Theater" in Tip i Zitty. Theater groups, which have the word Freie in their name, they do not benefit from city or state subsidies, which often places artistic limitations on them.

Tickets for almost all shows except "free."” You can get the theater at the pre-sale box offices listed on. 103; prices are from 5 DM do 40 DM.

East Berlin has a rich theatrical tradition: from 1933 of the year, the theaters of this city gathered the most creative avant-garde in Europe. Such personalities of dramatic art as Max Reinhurdt and Erwin Piscator were active here. Today, this part of Berlin still has a large number of theaters,of varying levels, which was undoubtedly influenced by the forty years of the existence of the GDR. There is still an open question, will they be able to rebuild the declining prestige in the conditions of regained freedom of artistic expression.

Institutional and private theaters

German Opera Berlin, Bismarckstr. 34 (• 3414449). Large opera and theater scene (see "Ballet and Cabaret” on p. 110).

Hansa Theater, Old Moabit 47 (*3914460). Traditional and folk theater. Comedy, Kurfiirstendamm 206 (•8827893). Old and modern comedies.

Schaubiihne on Lehniner Platz, Kurfiirstendamm 153 (• 890023). A super-modern theater with a classical repertoire, some experimental plays.

Schiller Theater, Bismarckstr. 110 (• 3195236). Highly experimental, the best state theater in West Berlin. Three scenes.

Theater at Kurfiirstendamm, Kurfiirstendamm 206 (• 8823789). A threadbare repertoire of dramas and comedies; uninteresting for people who don't speak German.

Theater of the West, Kanstr. 12 (•3121022). Musical i lekka opera. Experimental groups and Free Theater

BELT, Stierstr. 5 (office 8013467). Berlin English-Language Theater. Without a permanent seat, sometimes they perform in coffee shops and on smaller stages. Information in Zitty and Tip, or by phone.

Berlin Play Actors (office 7847362). Another English-language theater performing on various stages.

Berlin Eusemble, Bertolt-Brecht Square (•282-31-60). The famous theater founded by Brecht still performs his plays, and is one of the country's leading scenes. The cash desk is open Tue-Fri. 11.00-13.30 i 14.00-18.00, pn. 11.00-17.00, Saturday 1 one hour before the performance. Tickets 8-25 DM.

Berlin puppet theater cr, Yorckstr. 59 (*7869815). Experimental puppet theater dealing with current topics; constantly innovative. Perfectly made dolls.

Free Theater Company Berlin, Klausen Square 19 (• 3215889). Experimental and political theater.

Free Volksbiihne, Schaperstr. 24 (» 8813742). Not as radical as it used to be, but enjoying a great reputation due to the excellent scenography.

Grips, Altonaerstr. 22 (• 3914004). Top-class theater for children and teenagers; as a rule, everything is improvised.

Neukolln Opera, Karl-Marx-Str. 131 (•6876062). Opera i musical, often little known or completely unknown.

Schiller theater workshop, Bismarckstr. 110 (•3195236). Experimental band at the Schiller Theater.

UFA factory, Viktoriastr. 13 (* 7528085). The most famous and efficiently run cultural factory, offering almost all genres of performing arts. Theater and ballet performances are held here, concerts and film screenings, so it's always worth checking out, what's in the program.

German theater, Schusmannstrasse. 13a (• 287-12-25). The classics are mainly exhibited here: Goethe, Schiller, Shakespeare. In the smaller Kammerspiel hall (•287-12-26) more sympathetic and controversial plays are often depicted. The cash desk is open Mon-Sat. 12.30-13.30 i 14.00-16.00 and 1 an hour before the performance. Tickets 12-25 DM.

Maxim-Gorki-Theater, At the moat 2 (•207-17-90) not far from Unter den Linden. Here you can see the best contemporary art in East Germany. The cash desk is open Mon-Fri. 12.00-14.00 i 14.30-18.00, sob.-nd. 1 one hour before the performance. Tickets 6-18 DM.

Ballet and cabaret

Although there are not many ballet companies in Berlin, those that are, represent a high technical level; many original ones can be expected, bizarre and unusual performances. In the 1920s and 1930s, there was a rich cabaret scene in Berlin. Thousands of small stages, often satirical and political programs were presented; when the Nazis came to power, the cabaret took the form of party-line entertainment. Unfortunately, the cabaret scene has never been revived - today you can watch a lot of naked shoes to the delight of tourists, be typically German entertainment, clowns dressed as women. There are, however, a few high-level political cabarets, but you need to know German very well, to understand the joke.

Ballet scenes

German Opera Berlin. Bismarckstr. 34 (• 3414449). Classical ballet performances, as well as, to a lesser extent, contemporary works, both rather devoid of panache and ingenuity.

The floor, Hasenheide 54 (•6912095). Contemporary ballet and pantomime. Phantoms-Mimentheater, Pfalzburgerstr. 72 (•8818103). A mimic group presenting myths and fairy tales in contemporary scenery.

Dance tangent, Kuhligkshofstr. 4 (• 7929124). A critically acclaimed ballet company, who works closely with jazz musicians. Often performances by foreign bands.

Tanzfabrik Berlin, Móckernstr. 68 (•7865861). Contemporary and experimental ballet, usually fresh and exciting.

Cabaret scenes

Biigelbrett, Hardenbergstr. 12 (•3129012).

CaDeWe, Gneisenaustr. 2A (•6915099).

The three tornadoes, Móckernstr. 79.

Climbing frames, Otto-Suhr-Allee 100 (•3137007).

Porcupines, Europa Center (• 2614795).

Wiihlmause, Niirnberger Str. 33 (*2137047).