The Sophiensæle is one of the main stages for Berlin's independent performing arts: dance, theatre and performance that sits outside the big state houses. It was founded in 1996 by the choreographer Sasha Waltz, Jochen Sandig and a group of artists, who took over the halls of the old Handwerkervereinshaus, the craftsmen's association building on Sophienstraße. Many artists who are now regulars on international festival circuits showed early work here.
You enter through the red terracotta gateway in the photo and cross a courtyard. Inside, the rooms have kept their worn, unrenovated look: the large Festsaal with its balcony, the smaller Hochzeitssaal and the Kantine. Most productions are premieres, run for three or four nights and are made by artists based in Berlin. Many are in English or need no language at all, so the venue works for visitors who don't speak German.
In November 2026 the Festsaal shows Dragana Bulut's participatory performance Membering.
Visiting
- Tickets: online or at the box office. Most shows use tiered prices (for example 10/15/20/25 €): you pick the price that fits your budget.
- Accessibility: wheelchair spaces and early entry can be booked for many shows. Call 030 283 52 66 (Monday to Friday 4–6pm) or email [email protected].
- Language: listed on each production page. Look for "English" or "no language skills required".
- Bar: the Kantine opens before and after the shows.
Getting there
U8 Weinmeisterstraße is five minutes away on foot. S-Bahn Hackescher Markt is about eight minutes. Tram M1 stops at Monbijouplatz.
Nearby
The Spandauer Vorstadt around Sophienstraße is dense with galleries. EIGEN + ART on Auguststraße is a four-minute walk, and the Babylon cinema at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is ten minutes east.