Review | FINALE at Chamäleon Theatre, Berlin

Photo provided by Chamäleon Theatre.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited back to Berlin to review the new show at the Chamäleon theatre. This was my third trip to see a show at the Chamäleon and based on my previous trips (read my review of Scotch & Soda here and my review of PARADE here), I was expecting great things because the shows at the Chamäleon have never left me disappointed before!

The Chamäleon theatre is based in the Hackeschen Höfen in the Berlin-Mitte district, which is a few minutes from the Hackeschen Markt S-Bahn station or a 15 or so minute walk from Berlin's famous Alexanderplatz. The charming little theatre specialises in New Circus, which completely turns traditional circus on its head (and obviously involves no animals!). Whilst it does incorporat traditional circus skills such as acrobatics, juggling, contortion, aerial and other physical performances but follows more of a set narrative or theme throughout the show and has a live soundtrack to accompany it.


This time I had the pleasure of experiencing FINALE by Berlin-based troupe, Analog. Believe it or not, this was actually the first Berlin-based group I've seen at Chamäleon as the previous two shows have been fronted by international acts. Founder of Analog, Florian Zumkehr, actually has a special tie to the Chamäleon theatre as he actually began his circus career there over a decade ago when he appeared in "SOAP the Show" whilst in the final year of his studies.

FINALE isn't the kinda of show that eases you in; it begin with a crash of unexpected high-energy and confetti before chaos ensues throughout the entire show. 

You'll find yourself not knowing where to look as the performers have every corner of the theatre covered, including amongst the audience. It's not the sort of show where you'll find yourself sat looking straight ahead at the stage for two hours - oh no, you'll be twisting in your seat continuously making sure not to miss anything! It's not a show that is meant to simply be viewed but a show where you find yourself immersed in the mayhem. If you're lucky, you may even find a vodka shot shoved hastily into your hand, which you're expected to down with the performers!

The show itself was completely unlike the previous two shows at Chamäleon that I've seen over the past year; it was crazy, it was chaotic, it was energetic and it left the entire audience beaming throughout the show.  Whilst most of the show was spoken in German, as a non-German speaker, I found this didn't hinder the experience at all because the show's main attraction is its visual and physical elements.

Some notable points in the show were Carlos Zaspel's 'spinning pole', which was absolutely mesmerising. Whilst I cannot even begin to explain his performance, I'm pretty sure that he's had a word with gravity to exclude him because he absolutely seems to defy it. Ole Lehmkuhl's Cyr wheel performance was unlike anything else that I had ever seen and Manda Rydman's aerial displays had me on the edge of my seat. As with the previous shows, a live music soundtrack accompanied the show, which was provided by the dynamic Ena Wilde (vocals) and Lukas Thielecke (drums). Even the (not so) subtle outfit changes from Ena between every performance kept the audience guessing what she would be wearing next. Her onstage charisma and charm as she guided the show had myself and the other girls coo-ing over her! New York born Richie Maguire, whilst being an incredibly talented physical performer, provided the comic relief throughout the show and had the entire audience howling with laughter.

All-in-all, the show was exhilarating, bold and wonderfully creative. If you're looking for a show that will get the party started, this is it! I can think of nothing better than starting your long night in Berlin than with FINALE the show to get you in the mood before you delve into the city's notorious nightlife! If you're looking for something a little more alternative and less touristy to do whilst you're in Berlin, this is it.

Book tickets for FINALE here.

Find the Chamäleon Theatre

Address: Rosenthaler Str. 40/41, 10178 Berlin, Germany




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Disclaimer: I was kindly invited to Berlin by Chamäleon Theatre to review the show but all words are my own. I really do love the Chamäleon Theatre and everything they create!