At the Sophiensæle, ON ALL FOURS (All Fours) is being presented, a stage adaptation of the novel of the same name by Miranda July. The play centers on a woman in midlife who decides to break with established conventions and embark on a radical process of personal transformation. This creates a powerful narrative about desire, self-determination, and the visibility of female experiences.
Image above: © Alexandra Polina
Miranda July’s bestselling novel All Fours centers on an extraordinary woman who, in midlife, throws all conventions overboard. She leaves her familiar surroundings, rents a motel room, and embarks on a radical experiment in self-discovery. What follows are three weeks of ecstasy, control, desire, emptiness—and an unexpected transformation. At the heart of her journey lies a powerful question: What does it mean to live in a society that often renders menopausal women invisible?
The novel offers a bold, unfiltered answer. Its international success simultaneously reveals a gap in contemporary literature: the inadequate representation of middle-aged women. Enthusiastic readers experience a story rarely told before—even though countless women know all too well the inevitability of physical changes and the associated challenges in dealing with themselves, in relationships, in everyday life, and with their desires. This is also why the protagonist’s sudden, groundbreaking strength is so infectious as she explores her own “what if” scenarios. As if peering through a keyhole, the reader is drawn into the motel room and tempted to unleash their own thoughts.
For this world premiere, directors Sabine Auf der Heyde and Holle Münster have joined forces with renowned actresses Meike Droste and Fritzi Haberlandt. They create an immersive space where fiction and reality blur. With uncompromising intensity, they explore what it means to break free from societal expectations, redefine female desire, and reclaim one’s own identity.
Miranda July’s novel All Fours was published in 2024 and was a finalist for the National Book Award. It is the second novel by the artist, who has also made a name for herself as a filmmaker and performance artist.
WHEN?
12./13./14.02.2026, 8 pm
15.02.2026, 5 pm
WHERE?
Sophiensaele
Sophienstraße 18
10178 Berlin-Mitte
 is being presented, a stage adaptation of the novel of the same name by Miranda ...){kind=link}