VIVID Grand Show Friedrichstadt-Palast Berlin Germany

Vivid Grand Show is an impressive production with ultra-talented international actors, singers, dancers, and acrobats. Everything shines from the fabulous performing artists to costumes and stage design and lighting! Vivid Grand Show premiered last month at Friedrichstadt-Palast. The show continues to “WOW” Berlin audiences!

Venue

Friedrichstadt-Palast is the last major architectural statement of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s the world’s largest theater stage.

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Friedrichstadt-Palast was where Berliners went to see the “most spectacular shows in the reunited German nation”

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Friedrichstadt-Palast colorful history goes back to the 19th century when it was a “covered market and circus arena”. Before the GDR renamed it, Nazis called it Theater des Volkes – Theatre of the People. Construction defects and damage from WWII air attacks resulted in the theater’s demolition. In 1984, the reconstructed building opened as “a significant emblem of Germany’s divided history”.

Theme

Vivid is a “visual narrative”. Powerful images and sound tell the story although German is spoken during key parts of the performance. The story is about a young woman – R’eye – played by actress Devi Ananda Dahm.

R’eye is separated from her father and transformed into an android – half machine, half human. The audience accompanies androidin R’eye in her quest for freedom “while bathing their eyes in images of glittering variety”. Vivid graphically takes us through R’eye becoming who she really is. We follow R’eye as she gains the courage to face life’s fears and challenges.

“As R’eye’s android life becomes subject to external control, her yearning for freedom lives on. She begins moving to a different beat. With the wonder of a child, she beholds the world with new eyes and perceives the overwhelming beauty of things overlooked in life.”

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“Who can you be? What’s your true ID? VIVID is a hypersensuous journey of self-discovery and a declaration of love for life.”

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Creative Team and Performing Artists

Designers

Vivid’s budget of 12 million euros makes it the most expensive production in Germany’s history. The spectacular costumes and stage sets are “unparalleled” works of art. As R’eye discovers her hidden identity the color theme progresses from black and white to the vivid bright “colors of life“.

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Stage sets like “a magical jungle garden with huge butterflies and a science fiction world take the audience into a magnificent fantasy world”.

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Vivid’s exemplary design team includes Philip Treacy, the milliner who creates hats for Queen Elizabeth II, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, and Lady Gaga. Michael Cotton, US production designer, created the stage scenery. Cedric Beatty, English audio engineer, orchestrated sound, and Stefano Canulli, Italian film and fashion designer, created the elegant costumes. German illustrator Jan Wüensche created impressive set animations.

Actors, Singers, Dancers

Over 100 international artists performed in the flawless production, each showing perfection, love, and dedication of their discipline with physical and “artistic-artistic excellence”. Actor and singer Andreas Bieber was “The Entertainer” and narrator. This link provides a list of Vivid’s amazing cast and team.

Contortionists, Gymnasts, Aerial Acrobats

The Contortion Act by Mongolian Troupe Ayasgalan was amazing as was the Aerial Pole Act by award-winning Ukrainian gymnast Artem Lyubanevych. Words cannot describe the Duo Sky Angels Iron Jaw Act by Uzbekistan’s Rustem Osmanov and Kristina Vorbeva! The stunning Ecuadorian Navas Troupe starred in their highly  dangerous, breathtaking daredevil Double Wheels of Steel Act. The Navas perfected the double wheels at Radio City Music Hall and Cirque du Soleil performances!

It was fun chatting with the mostly German audience during break. So much activity on the stage made it almost impossible for one pair of eyes to absorb. The all-inclusive theme and production are very Berlin, and I can’t imagine a more entertaining evening!