PLAY it again! With Play, a guest performance series of contemporary circus set for 2023, the Chamäleon presents the complex diversity of modern artistry and acrobatics.
Ten companies, six weeks, one location. The Chamäleon‘s guest performance series Play presents current interpretations of contemporary circus that reflect both its complexity and its joyful experimentation. The Chamäleon Theatre in the Hackesche Höfe thus becomes a stage for unconventional or as yet underrepresented artistic positions by regional and international artists. “Contemporary circus can neither be clearly delimited aesthetically nor in terms of content, so it takes many encounters to understand this fluid and constantly evolving art form,” says Anke Politz, artistic director of the Chamäleon. “To this end, we have created supporting programmes alongside the shows to invite discussion. This will allow people to experience directly and up close what they love about the Chamäleon: exciting pieces, authentic stage moments, open, accessible encounters, and the latest circus perspectives.”
The idea for Play came about at the beginning of the pandemic. However, the guest performance series had to be cancelled in its first two years. “Nevertheless, it‘s become an absolute project of the heart,” says Anke Politz, because the concept of “establishing a reliable platform, especially for the many smaller companies and individual artists” is more important than ever. And so Play will become a permanent feature of future programming at the Chamäleon.
The 2023 season will present a major highlight right from the start. The renowned Australian
troupe Gravity & Other Myths, which has been “a company in residence” at the Chamäleon
for four months in 2022, performing two productions, including a world premiere, will show their debut work “A Simple Space” at the end of their Berlin residency and as a prelude to
the guest performance series Play. This multi-award-winning production from 2014 is one of the milestones of New Circus. As well, the charity gala by the inclusive Circus Sonnenstich will hold a special place within the Play guest performance series. The gala will be held at the Chamäleon for the ninth time. With the new edition of the successful show “Karak – Visions,” the company will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ZBK – Zentrum für bewegte Kunst in 2023. A total of ten companies with artists from seven countries will present their particularly striking performances from January 3 to February 12, 2023. They are all united by the courage to experiment and mix traditional circus arts such as acrobatics or juggling with other genres, including contemporary dance, puppetry, object manipulation, and martial arts. Thus, with Play – a guest performance series of contemporary circus, the Chamäleon shows in detail and without clichés what contemporary circus means to them.
Jan 3-10, 2023
A Simple Space by Gravity & Other Myths (AUS)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Jan 13-15, 2023
Rollercoaster by Wes Peden (USA/SW)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Jan 17-19, 2023
Runners by Hippana.Maleta (DE/IE/ES)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Jan 20-22, 2023
WIR WOLLEN NIE NIE NIE by Raum 305 (DE)
Length: 70 minutes (no intermission)
Jan 24-25, 2023
KaraK-Visions by Circus Sonnenstich (DE)
Length: 90 minutes (plus intermission of ca. 20 minutes)
Jan 26-29, 2023
Un Poyo Rojo by Un Poyo Rojo (ARG)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Jan 31- Feb 2, 2023
Tangram by Stefan Sing & Cristiana Casadio (DE)
Length: 70 minutes (no intermission)
March 2, 2023 – May 2, 2023
Julieta by Gabriela Muñoz (MEX)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
July 2, 2023 –Sept 2, 2023
Raven by still hungry (DE)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Oct 2, – Dec 2, 2023
Knot by Nikki & JD (FR/UK)
Length: 60 minutes (no intermission)
Tickets online: chamaeleonberlin.com/de
Venue: Chamäleon Berlin, Rosenthaler Straße 40/41 (in den Hackeschen Höfen), 10178 Berlin
This post was last modified on November 28, 2022 10:00 am