Gankino Circus - Bei den Finnen

What the Franconian is to Bavaria, the Finn is to Europe: an exotic figure from the North, taciturn, eccentric—and yet somehow endearing. So it’s no surprise that the group “Gankino Circus” from Dietenhofen in West Middle Franconia feels an almost magical attraction to Finland. And so, after a borderline television experience, they load up the band bus without further ado, and the four exceptional artists set off on a journey after which nothing will ever be the same again...

“Bei den Finnen” is the name of Gankino Circus’s brand-new show, the world’s first cultural spectacle to bring waders, Schuhplattler dancing, and a drip coffee maker together on stage. Join the musicians on their road trip and discover quirky customs like axe and blade-of-grass throwing. Marvel at the four brave Franconians, who are the only team without a woman to hold their own in the women’s carrying contest. Find out why Finns change their shirts so rarely, what that has to do with the mysterious washbasins on stage, what magical powers lie within the red canoe they’ve brought along, and how Gankino Circus uncovers the secret of Finnish serenity.

Of course, the focus is once again on the music: Finnish polkas meet Franconian rock ’n’ roll, and virtuoso world music of their own composition blends with unconventional interpretations of old Finnish folk songs or classical works such as “Finlandia” by composer Jean Sibelius.

The music is as multifaceted as the colorful lineup of this illustrious traveling troupe: There’s the sought-after bachelor and son of a doctor, Dr. Simon Schorndanner Jr., on saxophone and clarinet, and accordionist Maximilian Eder from the legendary Eder dynasty, who turns out to be a secret “Finn whisperer.” Johannes Sens, a drumming jack-of-all-trades and expert in Finnish-Bavarian fraternization rituals, surprises with his magical abilities. And Ralf Wieland, as tour guide, must lead his motley crew—as well as the audience—safely through the evening... There’ll be dancing, there’ll be partying, coffee will be brewed, and beer will be drunk… or was it the other way around? Who cares! Look forward to a first-class musical cabaret spectacle by and featuring Gankino Circus!

Four virtuoso musicians, gifted storytellers, and quirky characters; a delightfully offbeat stage show; handmade music; and a generous helping of small-town madness—that’s the “Gankino Circus.” Fast-paced melodies, offbeat humor, and charming stage characters are the key ingredients of this unique concert cabaret—a genre that these exceptional artists from Dietenhofen, Franconia, have not only invented but have since elevated to a cult-status art form. Countless concerts on cabaret, theater, and festival stages have taken Gankino Circus throughout Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Switzerland, and, of course, Finland. In 2015, this Franconian export sensation represented German music culture at the EXPO in Milan. In 2019, Gankino Circus was honored with the prestigious German World Music Award RUTH and the Creole Bayern World Music Award. Gankino Circus is currently performing three stage shows that have been acclaimed by audiences and the press alike: “Madness and Idyll,” “The Last of Their Kind,” and “Among the Finns.”