Cirque Bouffon was founded by Fréderic Zipperlin and Anja Krips. After its early years of variety acts, Cirque Bouffon’s first major show was presented in 2005–2006.

For this reason, the 15th anniversary was scheduled to take place in 2020, but unfortunately did not happen due to the coronavirus pandemic. Today, Cirque Bouffon has outgrown its infancy and will indeed celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025.

A former member of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, Frédéric Zipperlin, together with his company Cirque Bouffon, is creating a new form of artistic theater based on the philosophy of the French Nouveau Cirque. By combining elements of artistic circus, comedy, music, theater, and dance, he creates a highly distinctive, holistic work of art. A story that draws the audience into the parallel world of the “Bouffon”—a world of charm and harshness—and captivates them with astonishing images full of touching poetry.

“Bouffon” is originally a medieval term. It describes the jester, seated at the king’s feet, who can say anything without losing his head.

The jester was, in a sense, the spokesperson for the people.

In modern French, a “Bouffon” is someone who is a bit unusual, a bit crazy.

In German-speaking countries, the concept of what constitutes a European circus of artists is still largely unknown. The New Circus movement combines the origins of French circus philosophy with a contemporary visual interpretation.

New Circus, which has evolved into its current form over the past fifteen years, originated in France in the 1980s and has since gained worldwide recognition for its unique pioneering role and exceptional artistic quality.

Cirque Bouffon embraces this philosophy and dares to break with conventional circus aesthetics, thereby creating its own distinctive genre: not a succession of circus acts, but dramaturgically crafted performances that give the audience the feeling of experiencing the world of the Bouffon in an intimate and sincere way.

Under the musical direction of composer Sergej Sweschinski, the influences of the New Circus, the philosophy of Cirque Bouffon, and the style of contemporary music come together to create a total work of aesthetic art that amazes, makes the audience laugh, and, above all, inspires them to dream.