Storyteller Tim Walters on stage at THE BEAR; Photo: Martin Bering
THE BEAR | Show #109
"Sometimes against our will, sometimes against all odds, we go forward." — Deb Caletti
Against all odds. Trotz allem. The thing you got to in the end, even though everything was in the way.
Everyone has one. The degree finished while working nights. The visa that came through on the fourth attempt. The business that survived the year it shouldn't have. The child raised alone. The language learned at forty. The friendship rebuilt after both of you were certain it was over. The mornings you got up when there was no good reason to.
These aren't always triumphant stories. Sometimes the obstacles win, and what you're left with is what you learned on the way. But the telling of it — that's what we're here for.
This October, eight brave souls will take the stage with a true story about something they reached despite the odds. Names drawn at random from our legendary top hat. The only rule is that the story has to be true, has to be yours, and has to be new to the stage.
These 5-minute stories BEAR witness to the awkward, the inspiring, the heartbreaking, the hilarious, and everything in between. The kind of stories that remind us we're not alone — especially on the nights the odds feel long.
At the end of the night, the audience votes for their Favorite Story, and the winner earns an invite to The Eve of the Champs, our annual storytellers' showcase in June 2027.
🐻 How It Works
Want to share a story? Put your name in the hat. We draw names randomly throughout the night.
New to storytelling? Don't worry, we love first-time voices and offer supportive coaching to help you shape your story. You can also check out our workshop to prepare your story for THE BEAR stage.
🎤 Want to tell a story?
Come early to put your name in the hat, or email us in advance if you'd like feedback before you hit the stage: 📩 hello@THEbEAR-storytelling.de
Because if you've got a story, we've got a stage. And after a summer apart, we're more curious than ever to hear yours.
🎟 Tickets & Community
TICKETS: 15-20€ suggested donation. Less if you really can't, more if you can. Your donation covers our overhead, everything else runs on volunteers and on you, our storytellers and listeners.
📍 Event Details
DATE: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 7 pm
HOST: Furqan Hameed
MUSIC: James Harper
VENUE: Theatre Pool, Boxhagener Straße 18, 3. Hinterhof, 10245 Berlin
Every show we invite our audience to share a story anonymously on a small slip of paper we hand out. Here it is in advance, so you can ponder it before you arrive.
Audience Question:
Tell us about something you did that everyone told you not to. And how did it go?
Your Show Host
FURQAN HAMEED
Show host Furqan Hameed on stage at THE BEAR; photo Martin Bering
Furqan is a curious soul who thrives on meaningful conversations and genuine human connection. Born and raised in Pakistan, he spent years traveling across the world before settling in Berlin, which he’s proudly called home for the past four years. His stories weave together threads from his cultural roots and global adventures, offering a unique perspective grounded in both reflection and lived experience.
Whether he’s engaging in deep conversations or cracking spontaneous jokes, Furqan brings a mix of warmth, humor, and insight to every interaction. He lights up at the sound of a familiar song on a random playlist, the kick of spicy food, and the joy of a great fantasy novel. With a love for storytelling and a playful spirit, he’s always ready to lend his ear, share a moment or a laugh that brings people closer together.
Meet Your Musician
JAMES HARPER
Musician and podcaster producer James Harper
His podcasts have been heard hundreds of thousands of times, and he has produced narrative podcasts for a wide array of clients, including Porsche (Driven Minds), Duolingo (Spanish Podcast), World Coffee Portal (5THWAVE), Specialty Coffee Association (World Coffee Championships), and others.
Growing up half Italian in Sydney, he’s lived in Hong Kong and Rome and began his career working for the Bank of England in 2009. However, his passion for coffee was simply too strong to resist, and in 2016 moved to Berlin to become The Barn Coffee Roaster’s Wholesale Manager, and then in early 2018 hopped on a flight to Guatemala to dive deeper into the world of specialty coffee as a documentary podcast producer.
When he is not traveling around the world, James generously accompanies storytellers at THE BEAR adding another delicious layer to our evening.
James is the creator of award-nominated podcast Filter Stories, a show that uses our morning coffee as a lens to understand the world. His narratives explore history, science and sustainability, and he writes the piano music that underscore the stories.
THE BEAR presents is made possible by the generous performances of our storytellers, our team of volunteers, and the “Verein zur Förderung der Kunst des biographischen Geschichtenerzählens e.V.” .
Special thanks to our partners Berlin Erleben on Youtube and the public speaking training companies Moving Speaker, Female Speaking Berlin as well as UnMaking Boxes, Sales Chakra and Theatre Pool.
Stories connect us. Because we all have stories to tell.
Please support our mission to bring compassion into our communities through the Art of Autobiographical Storytelling.
We thank you for your generosity.
Verein zur Förderung der Kunst des biographischen Geschichtenerzählens e.V.
IBAN: DE25 8306 5408 0005 2236 28
Or you can buy the team some cups of coffee for those long nights… Thank you.