Benno & Max – Blog
This blog entry offers insights into the beginnings, past experiences, and future plans of the duo Benno & Max.
Breakthrough on the World Stage
They achieved international breakthrough in May 2017 when they triumphed at the Diabolo World Championships in Taiwan. They won the gold medal in the Duo Men over 16 years category and were awarded the „Honor Gold Medal“ by the AIDC. This success was not only proof of their skill but also a starting point for further international performances in China, Algeria, Switzerland, France, Austria, and many other countries. From 2017 to 2019, Benno & Max, under the name Twin Spin, worked at numerous gala events for companies such as Daimler, Commerzbank, Airbus, Allianz, Bayer, and many more. They also performed for Circus FlicFlac, Circus Roncalli, and GOP (Europe’s largest variety company) (www.flicflac.de, www.roncalli.de, www.variete.de).
Rise in the Media Landscape
In 2018, they began expanding their shows beyond the Diabolo Act and their Bouncing Ball juggling to include spoken segments. They frequented numerous comedy clubs and quickly became a fixture in the German comedy scene. They made appearances in shows like Nightwash, Komische Nacht, and many other comedy shows. Their gala hosting debut took place in November 2018 at the BAYER AG jubilee celebration in Leverkusen. They also gained media attention through their comedy and hosting, leading to invitations to the Tigerenten Club and multiple appearances on ZDF Fernsehgarten. These platforms offered them the opportunity to reach a wide audience and introduce their unique mix of comedy and artistry to a larger crowd.
Expansion of Their Artistic Performances and Management
2019 marked a pivotal turn in their career as the duo decided to work on a full-length program. Their initial trials started at the Pfefferberg Theater in Berlin. Together with Ingo Oschmann, Thorsten Sievert, and Florian Streso, they worked on their current program „Challenge Accepted,“ which premiered at the Wühlmäuse in Berlin. Since 2020, Benno & Max have been represented by Verena Krämer of Kulturkrämer (based in Cologne). Along with Benno & Max, Verena Krämer represents well-known cabaret artist Tobias Mann („Mann, Sieber!“ – ZDF), Starbugs Comedy from Switzerland, Carringtonbrown, and GlasBlassing. Collaborating with Verena has allowed Benno & Max to showcase their full-length program in many theaters across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Social Media
In addition to their live performances, Benno and Max have built an impressive presence on social media. With over 90,000 followers on TikTok and a growing fan base on Instagram, they use these platforms to present their art to a global audience. Their posts, often humorous and self-deprecating, allow direct interaction with their fans and foster a strong community around their artistic creation. Many of their videos have reached a wide audience, with their most successful Instagram video in February 2024 garnering 19 million views.
Awards
Their extraordinary talent and innovations have been widely recognized. In addition to the gold medal at the Diabolo World Championships, they have won numerous other international awards, including the Golden Dragon Award at the Puyang Acrobatic Art Festival in China and the Silver Medal at the Fortress Festival in Koblenz, Germany. They also won their first prize for their comedy at the Kulturscheune in Herborn in 2021. Here is a selection of further awards for their artistic performance:
- Variety and Circus Festival – Dresden, Germany
Silver Medal - Krystallpalast Newcomershow – Leipzig, Germany
Gold Medal - Cirque De Demain – Paris, France
Price of the Festival Jury - Daidogei Festival – Shizuoka, Japan
Silver Medal - Sol Y Circo Festival – Sylt, Germany
– Gold Medal
Price of the audience
– Price of the children jury
– Price of the Hansa Variety Theater - Wuqiao Festival – Shijiazhuang, China
Bronze Medal - Festival of Circus Arts Izhevsk – Izhevsk, Russia
Silver Medal - Festival La Strada – Augsburg, Germany
Gold Medal
Price of the City of Augsburg
Price of the newspaper „Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung“ - Festival International du Cirque – Grenoble, France
Bronze Medal - Gaukler Fest – Koblenz, Germany
Silver Medal - Festival du Cirque de Massy – Massy, France
Price of the Country of Mongolia - Festival of Circus Arts Anniversary All Star Show – Izhevsk, Russia
Special Price of the festival - Diabolo World Championships AIDC – Taiwan, China
Honor Gold Medal, World Champion title
Future Plans and Further Projects
With their program „Challenge Accepted“ and other projects, Benno and Max continue their creative journey. They plan to expand their reach further and enrich their shows with new, innovative elements. Their goal is to continually redefine the boundaries of comedy and artistry and excite their audience worldwide. They also plan further projects in social media in cooperation with other influencers to increase their reach and eventually tour internationally with their full-length show. In January 2024, Benno & Max, together with their friend Andalousi Elakel, founded WOW Live GmbH & Co. KG to be able to implement international variety shows as producers and organizers. 202 was the premiere of the „WOW Varieté“ at the Waschhaus in Potsdam, quickly moving to other cities. In cooperation with Dieter Hallervorden, they moved to the Central German Theater in the Marienkirche in Dessau and also to the Schlosspark Theater in Berlin. For 2025, nine cities are planned for the „WOW Varieté“. More information can be found at www.wowvariete.de.