This XXL edition is an extra large program of Xtraordinary Xpressions of Life: 12 tellers each have 7 minutes maximum to explore the topic of “Refuge”, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. This diverse cast of protagonists ranging from 20 - 70-something years old, from 7 different countries, attest to the startling varieties and travails of human experience. Even in our fast-paced, high-tech world, we still long for stories that touch and connect us.

Since 2015, THE bEAR has been helping to fulfill this need in Berlin, hosting a monthly evening reduced to the essentials: a bare stage, a microphone, and one person burning with a story to share. These personal stories, told without notes, are mostly in English, sometimes in German, and always true. As per bEAR tradition, the audience votes for their Favorite storyteller every month. These winning storytellers are normally presented in an annual event, due to the pandemic - we’re catching up with an XXL version in 2023!

THE bEAR’s artistic director Dyane Neiman is joined by the entertaining Wendy Husser to moderate the evening; Cellist Illay Chester and guitarist Alexander Dorenberg weave the stories into a musical whole.

Storytellers:
Almut Tiba-Ehlers, Ben McGuire, Ciarán Duffy, Hilary Hafner, Lavinia Knop, Louise Bernard, Mike Trupiano, Sherzod Gafar, Skyler Braeden Fox, Sylvia Schöningh-Taylor, Tiffany Stahl, Vero Tanveer Ahmed

Show hosts: Wendy Husser, Dyane Neiman
Music: Illay Chester, Alexander Dorenberg
Lighting Design: Ingo Reinhardt