In a wild tribute to Berlin, eight friends come together to let their crazy ideas run amok.
A mist of fog, an explosion of confetti, lights, traditional circus stunts... You'll see it all during 'Finale', presented by ANALOG The Company at Adelaide Fringe.
Ena Wild, the composer for the show's music, tells us more about what to expect.
How would you describe ‘Finale’?
Oh, 'Finale' is a child's dream to run away with the circus. To grab your bags, pack all your friends and make a show that is fun in every way.
It’s not often you find a circus/physical theatre show that actively encourages interaction between the audience and performers. What impact do you think this element has on the overall feel of the show?
I think the fact that we try to break down the third wall and make the audience become a part of our show states some kind of bonding. I always feel like they get to know us and we get to know them too. I still remember stories audience members told me during the break when we played at the Chamäleon Theatre in Berlin for example.
‘Finale’ is presented by ANALOG, a company with a unique approach to circus performing. What was it like working with such a diverse and talented team?
It has been amazing and so much fun to watch people translate your music to physical art. We always inspired each other throughout the process of creating this show. Sometimes when there was a musical idea for a song sketch – one of the acrobats would immediately know it was perfect for their act. And sometimes it was the other way around.
‘Finale’ is making its Australian premiere at the Adelaide Fringe – are you excited to be performing for Australian audiences and is this your first time visiting Australia?
I am so excited to visit Adelaide and Australia. It is my first time ever and I have only heard great things about Australians. I hope we can make them have as much fun watching as we have performing it.
You composed the music for ‘Finale’ – how would you describe the show’s sound?
I composed the music together with our drummer Lukas, and also Florian Zumkehr (ANALOG co-founder) had a hand in a couple of songs. The sound is pretty edgy. You cannot really put it in one genre as there are different styles for different numbers. We have super epic electronic tracks, acoustic songs, sometimes a little bit of rock. But we always keep it together in a way that is honest and raw.
What elements did you draw inspiration from during the composing process?
Mostly the stories of each and every performer and of course their circus discipline. An aerial performance for example feels totally different than a pole track. And I believe that you can hear shapes. So Manda's aerial hoop song for example needed to spin in round shapes. The songs are pretty personal too. So it was really important to listen what the acrobats wants to say with their number. And to see what the human body is capable of is also super inspirational.
What role does music play in ‘Finale’... In your opinion, how does it enhance the viewing experience for the audience and compliment the performances being delivered?
I think it lets the audience vibrate and feel what they are watching way more. The fact that we have live drums is super special for a circus show and you can see it in their faces that it catches them from the very first note they hear. To feel the base drum while you are watching a performance always gives you one more sense to enjoy art with. But at this point I seriously have to say thank you to our sound designer Jindra. What he does and how he understands how the music needs to sound to support the show to the fullest is incredible.
Your ‘Finale’ biography states that you have “long been connected to the circus world” – what initially drew you to performing in a circus environment and what other shows have you worked with?
My former band mate worked as a barkeeper in a variete in Berlin and I visited him often after his shift for some drinks. That‘s how I met a lot of circus performers. We hung out and became really good friends. Thats how it all started. I have performed in two other circus productions here in Germany. One of them was in the Wintergarten Variete in Berlin.
You and your band have performed in some of Berlin’s hottest nightclubs – how does performing in ‘Finale’ differ from your other experiences with live music?
The main difference is that the focus is not only on the music or dancing – the people usually sit in a theatre or tent. The focus is on having an evening of different kinds of performance art. And I am not the only front singer. There are seven other amazing performers on stage who all shine. Our greatest goal is that we want the people to leave happy, with a smile on their face.
