What happens when a Black American comedian, writer, and TEDx speaker swaps the fast-paced energy of the US for a traditional German village? If you are Annabelle "Bee" Baumann, you turn two decades of culture shock, intense bureaucracy, and meticulous recycling rules into brilliant comedy.
Since 2005, Bee has been navigating the unwritten laws of rural German life—including the quiet terror of being watched through a window by a neighbor who knows exactly which trash bin you just mismatched. Her show, Bee vs. The Village - A Black Comic in Germany, is a beautifully crafted, biting, and warm observation of what it truly means to build a home in a place that still treats you like a guest.
Far more than just a list of cultural quirks, Bee’s work dives deep into intercultural marriage, identity, race, and the universal human struggle of trying to fit into a world that doesn’t always fit you back.
Today, we sit down with Bee to talk about turning isolation into punchlines, mastering the village customs, and how she found her voice in the quietest corners of Germany.
What inspired you to write Bee vs The Village?
I was struggling with being an introvert while also being a visible minority dealing with constant microaggressions and gaslighting. I kept wondering, “Is it me? Am I the villain?” So, I decided to take it to an audience and see what they thought.
I was struggling with being an introvert while also being a visible minority dealing with constant microaggressions and gaslighting. I kept wondering, “Is it me? Am I the villain?” So, I decided to take it to an audience and see what they thought.
What is the weirdest interaction you’ve had with a German woman?
One of the weirdest interactions I had was with a German woman. I crossed the street against the red light. She actually caught up with me as I was walking down the street and said, “You couldn’t wait until the light turned green?” I shook my head she probably thought I felt ashamed actually I was just dumbfounded by her audacity.
One of the weirdest interactions I had was with a German woman. I crossed the street against the red light. She actually caught up with me as I was walking down the street and said, “You couldn’t wait until the light turned green?” I shook my head she probably thought I felt ashamed actually I was just dumbfounded by her audacity.
What is something you refuse to do, and something you have embraced in Germany?
I absolutely refuse not to speak up when I feel something is wrong or when there has been an oversight of some kind. But I have also embraced walking. I did not grow up with much nature around me, and in many American cities due to gangs, drugs, and outrageous bias towards cars taking a walk can feel like a brush with death. In Germany, walking has become a way for me to breathe, feel safe, and feel grounded.
How does comedy help you process village life?
Most of my neighbors only speak to me when they see me with my German husband. I am also a loner, so part of me doesn’t mind. But comedy helps me hang the laundry out on the line and ask the question that burns in my heart: “Do you see this too?” It allows me to take private confusion and turn it into a shared experience with any audience of new besties.
Most of my neighbors only speak to me when they see me with my German husband. I am also a loner, so part of me doesn’t mind. But comedy helps me hang the laundry out on the line and ask the question that burns in my heart: “Do you see this too?” It allows me to take private confusion and turn it into a shared experience with any audience of new besties.
How do international and German audiences respond to the show?
International audiences usually “get it.” They understand what it feels like to be marginalized as an outsider and still have to go back out there day after day. That recognition can be cathartic.
German audiences, for the most part, understand that my show reflects how German culture can be seen from the outside. My take on Germany is a mixed bag, though. I don’t simply dump on Germany or German culture, which is probably a relief. There is criticism, but there is also affection.
International audiences usually “get it.” They understand what it feels like to be marginalized as an outsider and still have to go back out there day after day. That recognition can be cathartic.
German audiences, for the most part, understand that my show reflects how German culture can be seen from the outside. My take on Germany is a mixed bag, though. I don’t simply dump on Germany or German culture, which is probably a relief. There is criticism, but there is also affection.
How do you feel about living in Germany now?
I love living in Germany, and I am aware that I have an enviable status compared to many people who do not have a lifetime pass, or even secure status, here. I will never be from here, and that is okay too.
Germany has given me stability, clean air, and beautiful views. That is already a lot. I like who I have become by living here. And therefore, my comedy is filled with love for these people who have picked me up and said, “Yes, we’ll keep this one.” (And that is the heart of my act…I don’t like feeling like a puppy who comes with papers, and yet…I’m happy to be the chosen one.)
I love living in Germany, and I am aware that I have an enviable status compared to many people who do not have a lifetime pass, or even secure status, here. I will never be from here, and that is okay too.
Germany has given me stability, clean air, and beautiful views. That is already a lot. I like who I have become by living here. And therefore, my comedy is filled with love for these people who have picked me up and said, “Yes, we’ll keep this one.” (And that is the heart of my act…I don’t like feeling like a puppy who comes with papers, and yet…I’m happy to be the chosen one.)
Why do you think this story is universal?
Looking for where you fit in, and how you fit in, is universal. I think my story acts like a fairytale meets a cautionary tale: it is about belonging, survival, misunderstanding, and the strange magic of finding yourself in a place that never expected you.
Looking for where you fit in, and how you fit in, is universal. I think my story acts like a fairytale meets a cautionary tale: it is about belonging, survival, misunderstanding, and the strange magic of finding yourself in a place that never expected you.
Is Coach Bee different from Comedian Bee?
Coach Bee and Comedian Bee are two completely different people. On stage, Comedian Bee is more of a heightened persona. She is based on my personality, but she is much more naïve, confused, and overwhelmed by everything she encounters. Coach Bee has tools. Comedian Bee has questions.
Coach Bee and Comedian Bee are two completely different people. On stage, Comedian Bee is more of a heightened persona. She is based on my personality, but she is much more naïve, confused, and overwhelmed by everything she encounters. Coach Bee has tools. Comedian Bee has questions.
What role does your partner play in the show?
I don’t make my partner the central theme of the show. I would say he is more of an innocent bystander. Loving my partner grounds me. Wherever he is, I feel grounded. His family has also been very loving toward me, and they have become a kind of petri dish of acceptance that I am deeply grateful for.
I don’t make my partner the central theme of the show. I would say he is more of an innocent bystander. Loving my partner grounds me. Wherever he is, I feel grounded. His family has also been very loving toward me, and they have become a kind of petri dish of acceptance that I am deeply grateful for.
What would you say to another Black expat sitting alone in their apartment?
I would tell another Black expat sitting alone in their apartment to go out, join meet-ups or local groups, and start socializing. The first step can feel like jumping into cold water. It will be a shock to your system, but keep putting yourself out there and adapting. You may meet some idiots. But you will also meet people who are warm, welcoming, and kind. When you find those people, hold on to them.
I would tell another Black expat sitting alone in their apartment to go out, join meet-ups or local groups, and start socializing. The first step can feel like jumping into cold water. It will be a shock to your system, but keep putting yourself out there and adapting. You may meet some idiots. But you will also meet people who are warm, welcoming, and kind. When you find those people, hold on to them.
Bee vs The Village is performed on Sunday 9th August at The Bill Murray in Camden as part of the Camden Fringe. For tickets and more information visit https://camdenfringe.com/events/strudelbach-bee-vs-the-village-a-black-comic-in-germany/
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