The Grand Show on Berlin's biggest stage
A revue of dance, acrobatics and music from the house on Friedrichstraße. You choose a seating category when you book, and the seat number arrives the day before.
Is it worth the evening?
Is the Grand Show worth an evening in Berlin?
- 01
The short answer
Yes, if you want a big, bright revue and are happy to follow it without catching every word. The booking page rates it 4.6 from about 390 reviews, and its summary of recent verified reviews praises the production, the costumes, the lighting and the acrobatics. The venue says about 60 percent of the songs and spoken passages are in German, and it publishes English translations of the lyrics.
- 02
What you are buying
A seat in a category you choose at the Grand Show, about two and a half hours with an interval. The ticket includes the coat check and Wi-Fi. The booking page names the venue itself as the activity provider, and the final ticket with your seat number arrives the day before.
- 03
What it is not
It is not a book musical with a plot to follow line by line, and it is not a ballet or an opera. Food, drinks and the printed programme are not included in the ticket, and the show is not suitable for children under 8.
- 04
Who it suits
Visitors who like spectacle: dance numbers with a large ensemble, acrobatics, bold costumes and live music. It also suits a first evening in Berlin when you want something that needs no knowledge of German theatre.
Four facts about the evening
- Where
- Friedrichstraße 107, in Berlin-Mitte.
- The stage
- What the venue calls the largest theatre stage in the world.
- Length
- About two and a half hours, with an interval.
- Seats
- You choose a category, not a seat.
The building blocks
What the Grand Show is made of
A revue is a run of acts held together by a theme. These are the kinds of scene the venue and the booking page describe, and the show is subject to change.
- Dance
Ensemble numbers
The house keeps its own ballet company, which Wikipedia says blends jazz, modern, hip-hop and street dance. Revue dance is group dance on a very wide stage, and the venue singles out the kickline as a highlight of every Grand Show.
- Acrobatics
Feats in the air and on the floor
The booking page's summary of recent reviews praises the acrobatics and the dancing. Wikipedia says the house specialises in complex shows with advanced lighting and stage technology, over a hundred performers and stylised acrobatic numbers.
- Music
Songs and a live band
The house has its own show band, and the songs are the thread between scenes. The venue says about 60 percent of the songs and spoken passages are in German, and it links English translations of the lyrics.
- Costume
Designs by Jeremy Scott
The venue says the American designer Jeremy Scott designed the costumes, a mix of haute couture and pop culture. It puts the number near 600 and the booking page says 500, so read it as hundreds.
- Light and sound
Effects at full strength
The venue describes an immersive sound system and lighting, pyrotechnic and visual effects. It warns that the show can get loud and advises guests who are prone to epileptic seizures not to attend.
- Story
A dream as the thread
The booking page describes a woman named Luci who wakes in a world of her own dreams. The venue says the production is driven by visual storytelling, not a linear plot, so the dream is a theme, not a script.
This is the kind of material in the show, never a running order. The programme on your date is the one on the booking page, and the venue says the show can change.
The visit, in order
From the foyer to the last bow
The confirmation email shows your date and start time. Treat these steps as the order of the visit, not of the show.
- Arrive
Entry begins an hour before
The venue says doors open one hour before the show begins, at Friedrichstraße 107. Arriving early leaves time to deposit your coat and bags and to order drinks for the interval.
- Check
Leave coats and large bags
The coat check is free and use of it is included in the booking. The venue says suitcases, trolleys, coats, jackets and bags of 45 by 40 by 20 centimetres or larger must go to the cloakroom.
- Order
Drinks for the interval
You may not carry food or drink into the hall. The venue lets you order at the foyer bars before the show and have your order served at your table during the interval. Most bars take cards or phones only.
- Sit
Find your category
You chose a category when you booked. The final ticket with your seat number arrives from the venue the day before the show, so check your spam folder if it has not come.
- Watch
About two and a half hours
Plan on roughly two and a half hours, interval included. The venue does not allow photos, video or sound recording during the performance, because of copyrights on the lighting, costumes and scenery.
- Applaud
Photos at the final applause
The venue allows private photos and videos during the final applause only.
Seating categories side by side
Seating categories as the venue describes them
Category
Where it sits
What the venue says
Classic categories
Stalls and high stalls
All offer great views of the stage; the high stalls suit those who like to see the whole stage from above.
Premium
In the midst of the hall
For guests who want to experience the Grand Show from the very midst of things.
Premium+
Closer to the stage, rows 4 to 9
A little closer to all the action on stage.
VIP
Rows 3 and 10
The best views plus extra legroom, with a separate entrance, cloakroom and bar.
Ticket details
What the ticket settles
Six points worth settling before you choose a date.
- Seating
- You choose a seating category when you book, not a seat. The choice screen shows the categories on sale for your date and the price of each.
- Length
- About two and a half hours including an interval. Your confirmation shows the start time.
- Included
- The show ticket, use of the coat check and use of Wi-Fi are included in the booking.
- Not included
- Food, drinks and the printed show programme are not included in the price.
- Age
- The booking page says the show is not suitable for children under 8. The venue recommends a minimum age of 8 and does not admit children under 6.
- Cancellation
- GetYourGuide refunds in full when you cancel more than 24 hours before the start, and it offers reserve now, pay later.
The house, then and now
The hall in 1919, the foyer and the front today
Archive photographs of the Großes Schauspielhaus from around 1919, the predecessor of the Palast, beside the foyer, the facade at night, the front by day and the memorial to the founders on Friedrichstraße.
Four ways to fill a Berlin day
The Grand Show, and three more Berlin outings
The first card is the Grand Show this guide covers. The other three are Berlin outings that fit around an evening at the theatre: the TV Tower, a boat on the Spree and a tour of the government district with the Reichstag dome.
Up the TV Tower
A ticket to the observation deck of the TV Tower, with a 360-degree panorama of Berlin and a bar on the deck.
A boat on the River Spree
A cruise past the government district, Bellevue Palace, Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, with an optional audio guide.
The Reichstag and the government district
A guided tour of Berlin's parliament district that includes the chamber and the dome of the Reichstag.
More to book in Berlin
Practical notes
Getting there and what to bring
01
Where it is
The Palast stands at Friedrichstraße 107, 10117 Berlin, in the Mitte district. Wikipedia calls Friedrichstraße a major culture and shopping street in central Berlin, and notes that the U6 underground line runs beneath it.
02
By U-Bahn and S-Bahn
Two U6 stations, Oranienburger Tor and Friedrichstraße, are each a short walk along Friedrichstraße. Friedrichstraße station and Oranienburger Straße station are each about five minutes on foot, it says.
03
Step-free arrival
The venue says the foyer can be entered by the side entrance on Johannisstraße from an hour before the show, where staff open the glass door and can escort you to your seat. Lifts reach all foyer levels, but the hall itself has steps.
04
What to wear
The venue says there is no dress code. Smart evening wear and comfortable clothes are both fine, though it asks you to respect the occasion and calls tracksuits and trainers not appropriate.
05
Bags and the coat check
Use of the coat check is included in the booking and the venue does not charge for it. Large bags, coats and anything bigger than 45 by 40 by 20 centimetres must be deposited.
06
Children
The booking page says the show is not suitable for children under 8. The venue recommends from 8 and does not admit children under 6.
07
Sound and light
The venue warns that the show can get loud, with strong lighting and pyrotechnic effects. It suggests ear protection for noise-sensitive guests and advises people prone to epileptic seizures not to attend.
More reading
Six guides to the Grand Show
- Start here
Berlin Grand Show: need German?
Do you need German for the Grand Show in Berlin's revue palace? What the evening is, how much is sung in German, and who it is not for. Read the guide → - The tickets
Which Grand Show seats to book
Seat categories for the Grand Show compared: classic, Premium, Premium+ and VIP, what the venue says each gives and how to choose between them. Read the guide → - The house
A revue house since 1919
From market hall and circus to Max Reinhardt's playhouse, the Golden Twenties revues and the 1984 building: how the Palast became a revue house. Read the guide → - The tradition
What is a revue show?
A revue is a run of acts held together by a theme, not a plot. What that means for the Grand Show and how a revue differs from a musical. Read the guide → - Getting there
Getting to the revue house
How to reach Friedrichstraße 107 by U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus or by car, and which entrance to use if you need step-free access. Read the guide → - Practical
What to wear and bring
Dress code, coat check, bag sizes, photos, drinks at the interval and children: the practical rules for an evening at the Grand Show. Read the guide →
FAQ
Questions before you book
Do I need German to follow the Grand Show?
No. The venue says many international guests enjoy it without German, though about 60 percent of the songs and spoken passages are in German. It publishes English translations of the lyrics on its website.
Is the Grand Show a musical or a revue?
A revue. The venue describes it as a Grand Show in the Berlin revue tradition, driven by dance, music, acrobatics and imagery rather than a linear plot.
How long is the evening?
About two and a half hours, interval included. Doors open an hour before, and your confirmation gives the start time.
Can I choose my own seat?
No. You choose a seating category when you book. The final ticket with your seat number arrives from the venue the day before the show, so check your spam folder.
What is included in the ticket?
The show ticket, use of the coat check and use of Wi-Fi. Food, drinks and the printed programme are not included.
Can children come?
The booking page says the show is not suitable for children under 8. The venue recommends a minimum age of 8 and does not admit children under 6.
What should I wear?
Whatever you are comfortable in. The venue has no dress code, but it calls tracksuits and trainers not appropriate for the occasion.
Is this site run by the theatre?
No. This guide is independent of the Friedrichstadt-Palast and its organisers. You book with GetYourGuide, whose booking page names the venue as the activity provider.
A big-stage Berlin revue: over 100 artists, dance, acrobatics and music, in the house where the city's revue tradition lives on.
Book the Grand Show ↗Pick a date to see the price in your own currency.