By & with: Walter Bart (Wunderbaum), Pina Bergemann (Post Paradies), Wine Dierickx (Wunderbaum), Matijs Jansen (Wunderbaum), Joost Maaskant, Leon Pfannenmuller (Post Paradies), Maartje Remmers (Wunderbaum), Marleen Scholten (Wunderbaum), Hanneke van der Paardt / Music: Joost Maaskant (MAASK) / Stage & light design: Maarten van Otterdijk (Wunderbaum) / Costume design: Sacha Zwiers / Sound design: Rick Gobee
Wunderbaum / Theaterhaus Jena / Post Paradies
The Clowns Convention
- Theatre
German /
English surtitles /
approx. 120 mins.
A world on the verge of collapse needs extraordinary saviors. A group of clowns rises to the challenge—with humor, poetry, and political sharpness. But what if laughter is the only thing left to hold on to?
The Clowns are back!
In a world that seems to be sinking into constant chaos, a group of clowns gathers—on a surprisingly serious mission: they are searching for ways out of the ongoing and escalating crises of our time. Can clowning become a strategy for coping in a world that so often appears to be ruled by fools?
For “The Clowns Convention,” the actors of Theaterhaus Jena, of the Dutch collective Wunderbaum and of the collective Post Paradies become clowns themselves. In a show full of precise tricks, spectacular failure, and entertaining numbers, they explore clowning as an historical practice and ask: can it still reflect the present? Set to the music of beatboxer Joost Maaskant (a.k.a. MAASK), they draw the audience into a comic, touching, poetic and grotesque universe.
But the stage is shifting. With the rise of horror clowns, the disappearance of the circus, and dwindling demand, the clown profession is on the brink. The convention poses the question: Are clowns still needed — or are they the final representatives of a vanishing era? Following their acclaimed production “Die Hundekot-Attacke,” Wunderbaum returns to HAU with a playful yet profound clown performance that asks: when does laughter start to weigh heavy?
“We want you to join our army
And if you think we are just clowns you’re wrong.
You are the biggest clown yourself.”
Press
“We see actors and actresses who also truly hit the mark as clowns. ... The verdict is entirely positive. These Clown Congress participants know their craft. They can make the audience laugh—and in the next moment, reflect. This is high-level performance and fully earned the long applause they received in the pouring rain at the premiere.” – Wolfgang Schilling, MDR Kultur
“It is a brilliant production by Wunderbaum, striking a fine balance between humor and seriousness—and it’s an outstanding feat of acting.” – Ulrike Kern, Thüringer Allgemeine
“We, the audience, are encouraged to recognize ourselves in the clown. Our laughter shows that – despite all embarrassment– we’ve accepted that invitation gratefully. At the same time, the alienation provoked by the clowns draws our attention back to the performance itself. It fails – as the script intends. And only through this failure can identification even occur, which is exactly what makes the piece so successful. Quite complex, indeed. It’s certainly not a funny story, but a rehearsal for a fundamental human state – one that, as the visually striking conclusion suggests, never fully succumbs to despair, even in dark times.” – Philipp Janke and Martin Michel, Libertad Media
Cast
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Dates
Past
Further Information
Visitor note
Credits
Co-production: Wunderbaum, Theaterhaus Jena, JenaKultur, Theater Rotterdam. Parts of the ensemble from Jena continue their work under the name “Post Paradies” as an independent theatre group. A guest performance by HAU Hebbel am Ufer in cooperation with Fonds Darstellende Künste. Supported by: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Location
HAU1
Stresemannstr. 29, 10963 BerlinThere are two marked parking spots in front of the building. Access to the Parkett by means of a separate entrance with lift when necessary. Barrier-free restroom facilities are available.
