World Premiere at the Chamäleon Berlin: With their talent show satire “Showdown”, the British company Upswing combines sharp wit with spectacular acrobatics and soundtrack by Afrikan Boy.

The British company Upswing asks who will be the “New Face of Circus” – and the audience will have to answer. Seven acrobats will compete for the chance of a lifetime, if only they believe in it. They will soar through the air on the trapeze, spiral towards the ceiling on ropes, catapult themselves across the stage on the teeterboard and give everything to please. Conflict, intrigue, heartbreaking stories. Getting personal is part of it. Only the best stand a chance of winning the title.

Or is it the ones who best sell themselves?

Guests at the Chamäleon are in for an unforgettable evening: Showdown is contemporary circus with a narrative voice to match. A playful satire raising questions about diversity, identity and competition, blending sharp wit with first-class acrobatics and entertainment. What happens when identity becomes a commodity? And how far are we prepared to go for success?

“Think of it as a collision between a talent show, a beauty pageant, and The Hunger Games,” says Upswing Founder and  Showdown.Director Vicki Dela Amedume, who developed the piece with award-winning comedy writer Athena Kugblenu. She adds that it is also about interrogating our understanding of how talent and determination should be valued and rewarded. “There is a pernicious belief in our society that humans can only progress through survival of the fittest – when all historical evidence points to the fact that the key to not only surviving, but thriving, is collaboration.”

The Chamäleon’s Artistic Director Anke Politz agrees – she believes the theatre’s first collaboration with Vicki Dela Amedume and Upswing offers an exciting new look at contemporary circus. “First-class circus technique meets storytelling and social commentary across several genres,” says Politz. This could set an example for the global contemporary circus scene. “This co-production aims at highlighting how circus entertainment has the power and means to make social and political issues accessible to a broad audience – without lecturing, but by taking a clear stance.”

For Vicki Dela Amedume, who received the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) two years ago, the Chamäleon is therefore the ideal partner. “I’m always trying to find new ways for circus to convey ideas that are relevant to the way we live today,” she says. The Chamäleon, she says, is a beacon for contemporary circus around the world. ” It’s a great honour to bring our work to this stage.”

Amedume founded Upswing in London in 2006 and the ensemble has since won numerous awards. The company has gone on international theatre and festival tours with pieces such as Ancient Futures, Bedtime Stories, and Circus Flavours, but also organizes events such as digital circus courses in a local park or pillow fights in a library. There have also been awards for short films such as Common Ground and Circus Flavours On Screen.

Showdown will be presented at Chamäleon for more than five months and will be complemented by various public events. “With this production, we want to go one step further in living our role and responsibility as a public venue and producer. We are continually taking a critical look at our own structures and working methods,” says Anke Politz. “It is important that stages and theatres are understood as places of social interaction. We want to live artistic openness and social diversity, and we want to achieve this by expanding access and setting the structural course for artists and audiences.”

In addition to the acclaimed author Athena Kugblenu, Vicki Dela Amedume also engaged London-based musician Afrikan Boy as part of the creative team for Showdown, who provided a rousing soundtrack of UK hip hop, grime, and Afrobeat. Chamäleon Dramaturge Geordie Brookman also supported the creation of the piece. The eight-member ensemble consists of a charismatic and relentless presenter and seven artists who bring a broad spectrum of circus disciplines to the stage.

Upswing: Showdown

Previews from February 22, 2024
Premiere: March 14, 2024 at 8pm
Duration: 90 minutes plus intermission
Season: February 22 – July 28, 2024

Creative Team:
Direction: Vicki Dela Amedume
Script: Athena Kugblenu
Music: Afrikan Boy
Set Design: Lulu Tam
Light Design: Hansjörg Schmidt
Sound Design: Kieran Lucas
Ensemble: Jaide Brewer, Rafiq Ffinch-Shah, Shane Hampden, Francisco Hurtado, Nima Séne, Zebulon Simoneau, Rebecca Solomon, Jimmy Wong

A Co-Production with Chamäleon Berlin With Support from the British Council
Additional Support from:
The Lowry, The Albany, Arts Council England, PRS Foundation,
Cockayne, The London Community Foundation, Horizon – Performance Created in England

Main Image: Showdown by Upswing  Photo@Andy Phillipson