Born in 1966 in Tehran, Iran, based in Basel, Switzerland, Amin Alavi is a Danish writer/performer. If you ask him, he would say that he is a storyteller who likes to experiment, improvise, interact with his audiences and confuse them. He likes to establish a parallel reality, where the viewers/readers can enter, be part of it and be entertained on a higher plan. In order to do so, he often works with meta-stories – stories about stories. Amin calls his performances for shows. And they are dedicated to A-Alavi, whom he met one sunny afternoon in a beach-bar.

According to Amin, a show must trigger all senses, from listening to feeling. Thus A-Alavi Shows often use theatrical elements combined with music and text and even food.

Amin believes that it doesn’t really matter, if you understand the text or if you listen to the music or just look at the action on the stage. At the end of the day, they are all interchangeable and you get a story that you are involved in making.

The shows are 40% fixed and 60% improvised and the music spans from free improve to experimental pop. He has established a group of professional musicians, from jazz to classic to pop and rock, whom he often works with (See Partners in Crime).

 

A-Alavi Shows

A-Alavi Shows are interactive, flexible, semi-improvised storytelling performances, which combine different elements from performance, story-telling and music. 

 

Each show is designed as a unique experience with respect to the location, audience and often involves guest performers.

Each year we choose a theme that we explore through stories, sound and visual. In 2022 the theme is UTOPIA.

​

Storytelling

"All stories are true, and if they are not, they are not stories." We do have a weakness for stories about stories though and we like to play with and to stories.

And we like to involve our audiences in being part of the process as well. For whose stories are they anyways?

 

Performing

We perform open-structured storytelling shows (with or without music) at bars, venues, festivals and private gatherings. See the list of our stories here.

We often work with artists from different backgrounds.

​

Hosting

A-Alavi likes to introduce events and he is ready to welcome your guests, set the mood and make everyone feel as part of the game. We are moderating the weekly jam-sessions by Jazz Kollektiv Basel and the especial events by Ensemble Phoenix.

​

Organizing

We also plan and organize work-shops, concerts and other events. So if you need help to organize your event, write us.

​

We have been accused of

"Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits and Gil Scott-Heron met some other crazy people once and they began to get funky."

​

"Meta-stories as they were not told before."

​

"The best shows I have seen in a long time - including my own shows."

​

"I had no idea boredom could be so exciting. I lost the track of time."

​

"That was quite a show, you put up there."

​

Curious?

Come to our shows or book us for an unforgettable experience.