by Ulrike Lemke
It is impossible to imagine Hamburg’ s theater world without its iconic Hansa Theater, which is located in a listed monument on Steindamm in St. Georg, within walking distance of Central Station. The history of Germany’ s oldest vaudeville theater spans more than 130 years, although in 1943 it was entirely destroyed, then rebuilt after WWII. This past summer it underwent a € 1.2 million renovation, and the result is amazing: You feel yourself transported back to the pre-war glory of red plush chairs, most of them in rows of four facing a narrow table for the food or drinks you can order either upfront or( by using the bell on your table) during the show. The catering is provided by Strauchs Falco. To the right of the stage the combo Hansa- Boys plays, and each performance has an MC— this season featuring ten well-known comedians and entertainers, including Katie Freudenbusch, Dirk Bielefeldt( aka Herr Holm), Rolf Claussen( one of the three Söhne Hamburg), and Robert Kreis. Do not miss using the powder room; it is one of the prettiest you will find in Hamburg.
But now to this season’ s amazing performers: Following in the long tradition of the finest acts this unique theater has offered, ranging from Josephine Baker to Houdini, the famous clowns Charlie Rivel and Grock, The Comedian Harmonists, Freddy Quinn, and so many, many more, the Hansa Theater manages to find the most incredible artists from all over the world.
There are eight different acts altogether, beginning with Charlotte O’ Sullivan from Canada of( H) air Suspension, who is suspended solely by her long hair, performing amazing acrobatics. Her uncle is the singer and songwriter Gilbert O’ Sullivan, so on opening night, the MCs, who were the incredible Söhne Hamburgs Joja Wendt, Stefan Gwildis, and Rolf Claussen, played Gilbert’ s 1973 hit Get Down as a personal tribute. Next are Mr. & Mr. G( Ottavio & Naomi Gesmundo), presenting a mixture of dance, whip, and spectacular crossbow shooting. They are Guinness world-record holders twice over. Don’ t forget to breathe while watching. Then comes my personal favorite: two brothers from Ethiopia, Sofani Taye and Bereket Afera, performing Ikarian Games, the hundreds-of-years-old art of foot acrobatics, with the lighter brother performing atop the heavier one. Your eyes have trouble following the action because it all happens so fast. The last act before the intermission is a trio from Ukraine called the Halves Project( Alina Kotsiubynska, Dmytro Kotsiubynskyi and Denys Klimov). In complete darkness, the illuminated figures come to life in blackand-white motion, pantomime, and acting. Quite a contrast to the previous act, but nevertheless fascinating.
After the intermission( again, don’ t forget to use the ladies room), the show continues with Maxim Kriger, the world’ s leading performer of Rola-Bola, an acrobatic balancing act that involves piling up shelves and rolls in all sorts of combinations. You think, okay, this is it, but no, he will still increase the degree of near-impossible difficulty. No rest after this. The next act is the Swedish twins Jenny and Sara as Duo Vilja, performing the art of contortion. They stretch and twist as if they are made of rubber, looking forced and elegant at the same time. Next comes 27-year-old Winston Fuenmayor from Venezuela, who for the last fifteen years has combined a mix of magic, clownery, theater, and juggling into a unique performance called Cígaro, for which he received the 2022 Grand Prix of Latin-American Magic. The last highlight is the 53-year-old Argentinian Paul Ponce and his wife, Lia, who assists him in a breathtaking juggling act involving flying ping-pong balls, football, jumping rope, up to five flying silver pins, and half a dozen hats, even walking through the audience while changing his jacket and juggling... sensational.
The Hansa Theater has once more produced“ Hamburg’ s Jewel,” just as it states on the program. Do not miss the new season, especially if you have family or friends from abroad visiting. This kind of entertainment is universally understood, and the acts shown at the Hansa Theater are on the highest international level. The season ends on March 8, 2026; information on ticket prices and dates are available on www. hansa-theater. com.
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