Die Auftakter

At the crime dinner by Die Auftakter in Schmargendorf, guessing along is part of the menu: Between courses, an ensemble performs the case, which is only solved at dessert.

Die Auftakter: Crime Dinner as Berlin Experiential Gastronomy

Theater without a curtain. Acting without a stage. Dinner at the table. This is how the concept of Die Auftakter can be precisely summarized. At the crime menu, you experience a hilariously entertaining game of confusion and combination, with clues and red herrings, while a realistically staged crime story is presented, where the question is not only who the murderer is, but also who is actually an actor and who is a guest. This is experiential gastronomy in its most direct form: no distance between stage and audience, no safe spectator seat.

The intention of Die Auftakter is to give people opportunities through theatrical scenarios to understand each other more deeply than just: this is my name, this is my profession. Guests are playfully involved, to experience themselves playfully in a different situation. Therefore, the crime menu works well both as an evening for two and as a corporate event or group outing.

Multi-Course Menu, Professional Actors, and Changing Berlin Crime Scenes

The Crime Dinner is a hilariously entertaining interplay of improvisation-experienced actors, a multi-course dinner, and guests who have the opportunity to help shape the course of the evening. While no great secret is made of the dinner, the murder is a completely different matter: Here, it’s about apprehending the culprit through joint deduction. A challenging game of confusion and clarification involving clues and red red herrings.

Typically, the crime story, dinner, and acting last a hilariously entertaining 3.5 to 4 hours. The crime menu takes place at various locations. Among the most famous Berlin crime scenes are the historic breakfast room of Josty in the Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz, the Oxymoron in the Hackesche Höfe, or the Tangoloft in Wedding. This ensures that the experiential gastronomy remains varied even for regular guests. Thanks to the methodology of improvisation theater, each event is a unique experience. Also, for those who don’t speak German: The crime dinner can also be performed in English.