Circus in the courtyards: 20 years of Chameleon
Curtain up in the first courtyard - the Chameleon Theatre presents a special form of art in the Hackesche Höfe: contemporary circus. Since 20 years almost every day. We introduce the dedicated management duo. Anke Politz and Hendrik Frobel have been running the theatre together for many years.
Circus without animals, but with ideas. In September 2024, it will be 20 years since the theater in the first courtyard of Hackesche Höfe was relaunched as a venue for contemporary circus: Innovative productions are staged here that transcend the boundaries between circus, theater, dance and music.
The Chamäleon does not have a permanent ensemble. It develops and co-produces new productions, shows guest performances and provides a stage for Berlin's independent theater scene. The Chamäleon is a private theater and a nonprofit organization.
We spoke to Anke Politz, the artistic director, and managing director Hendrik Frobel.
Anke Politz
Anke Politz grew up in Saxony-Anhalt and came to Berlin to study. She began her career in a PR agency with clients from the Berlin cultural scene. In 2004, the Chamäleon Theater reorganizes itself following insolvency and brings Politz into the team as head of the PR department. In 2007, she takes over as director and in 2011 as artistic director.
What does an artistic director do in a theater without its own ensemble?
AP: I see myself as a curator and producer. I am constantly on the lookout for artistic works, creative people or impulses that I would like to invite to us or produce for us.
Together with Hendrik, I develop our long-term content strategies. We think artistically and work holistically. Guest companies see us and the theater as their circus family for years to come. We have also created our own ensembles with our small in-house productions. Although they are structurally independent, they work together with us as a team.
As a private theater, do you sometimes have to put on something that you don't think is that great, but sells well?
We build a bridge between artistic standards and commerciality. That's not a bland compromise for us, but the aim of our work. There's probably no artist who isn't happy about popularity and a full house. And our experience shows that the desire to reach an audience is not at odds with artistic ambition. Our audiences want to see high quality and feel that they are being taken seriously.
What requirements must a play fulfill that you bring to the theater?
It has to inspire us and have the potential to be performed for many months. That's always a risk we take.
Do you have contact with traditional circuses that travel from city to city in a tent?
Not really.
What are you particularly proud of that you have achieved at Chamäleon?
I am very happy and proud of what we have achieved so far. And of the fact that we are always ready to question things and take a fresh approach.
What was the worst thing that happened to you as director of the Chamäleon?
The powerlessness or inability to act at the beginning of the pandemic.
What goals do you have for the Chamäleon?
I very much hope that our holistic approach will continue to grow and flourish. We want to continue to be a place of many for many – accessible, sincere, open, curious and upright.
Hendrik Frobel
Frobel discovered his love of the circus as a member of a children's and youth circus in Lower Saxony. After training as a hotel manager, he worked in catering and hotel management and studied business administration while working. He managed leisure facilities such as a Legoland Discovery Center. Frobel has been Managing Director of Chamäleon gGmbH since 2011.
Did you ever dream of an artistic career and if so, which one?
HF: Yes, I did – and it wasn't just a dream. As a member of the children's and youth circus Bumm Balloni, I was able to experience many performances, including highlights such as the opening of the Expo in Seville, the opening of the Expo in Hanover and a guest performance in Belarus lasting several weeks. It was a great time.
It was during these years that I discovered my passion for magic and performed as a magician for several years afterward. This included a long-cherished wish: to see Siegfried & Roy in Las Vegas once in my life. It was a dream come true – I even got to meet the world-class magicians in person several times. But that's a long story that goes beyond the scope of this interview. We can meet up again for part 2 (Frobel laughs).
How did Chamäleon come to be in its current form?
Founded in the 1990s, the Chamäleon went bankrupt in 2004 and had to be reorganized.
A short time later, the Canadian company Les 7 Doigts / The 7 Fingers presented a play about their life in a shared flat. At first, no one could have guessed that this would be the new art form that would characterize the artistic profile of the theater from then on. But the show was simply great, revolutionary, had what today would be called ‘immersive moments’ and was always sold out. And so it quickly became clear: this was exactly the new way!
So you could say: We didn't find contemporary circus, it found us.
Have you also performed at the Chamäleon yourself and if so, with what?
I have not yet performed as an artist in any of our plays. But I regularly greet the audience on stage. We are a small theater. I really enjoy the contact with our guests.
Apart from that, I have fond memories of an off-night. In this format, we invite artists to present new ideas, show acts or existing material. We don't sell tickets for these evenings, but address people from the industry. So it's a protected space. The Chamäleon team had badgered me for months before one of these evenings: Everyone wanted me to perform a few magic tricks on stage again. What can I say... I let myself be tempted. A wonderful evening and the final conclusion to my career as a magician.
How is the Chamäleon financed? Do you receive subsidies?
The Chamäleon has been privately structured since it reopened in 2004 and lives mainly from ticket and catering revenues. We currently receive funding of around 3 percent of our total budget from the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. We have to generate the remaining 97 percent of our budget ourselves. That is a major challenge. And the situation is getting worse in view of rising costs. But we don't want to raise our prices to such an extent that we lose guests and exclude audience groups.
Our nonprofit status makes it clear that we use the financial resources exclusively to achieve our goals.
What are you particularly proud of that you have achieved at Chamäleon?
I am particularly pleased that we have a passionate and loyal team. After an 18-month hiatus during the pandemic, almost all of our colleagues have returned to Chamäleon. Including some who quit better-paid jobs to rejoin our team. Those were poignant moments for me – I still get goosebumps when I tell people that.
What was your biggest flop in Chamäleon?
We cultivate a healthy culture of error: Trial and error is allowed, but so is failure. This is the only way we can grow and learn. In hindsight, I always want to understand why something didn't work or why the result was different than expected. So even a ‘flop’ is a win!
What goals do you have for the Chamäleon?
I would like to put Chamäleon in an even more stable financial position. I am passionate about taking contemporary circus further into the world. When I dream, I see more stages around the world like the Chamäleon.
What do you like about your location in the Hackesche Höfe?
Hackesche Höfe gives us a unique way of working and a special mix of audiences: 40 percent from Berlin, 15 percent from Brandenburg, 35 percent from Germany and 10 percent from abroad. I couldn't imagine a better location for the Chamäleon. We will definitely be staying.
Personally, I always particularly enjoy it when the first guests enjoy their espresso in the courtyard after a long and gray Berlin winter. It's often still cold then, people still need their jackets but are already enjoying a coffee in the courtyards. That's when I can feel the city coming back to life and this oasis in Berlin-Mitte starts to shine. Simply fantastic!
Birthday party with Wolf
The birthday party on September 5, 2024 will of course feature circus. The Australian company Circa is unwrapping a spectacular present: the world premiere of Wolf, a co-production with the Chamäleon. Circa has been associated with the theater for a long time; the company presented its debut here 11 years ago. Director Yaron Lifschitz promises the ‘most complex production in our long history together’: ten acrobats, ‘more power, more energy and no compromises.’
Previews start in the second half of August. Tickets are available here.
