Download media kit 2015 - Brisbane Festival

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MEDIA KIT 2015
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL MEDIA KIT 2015
CONTENTS
Brisbane Festival overview Theatre
Prize Fighter Macbeth The Importance of Being Earnest Beautiful One Day Dance
Flexn Le Cargo RAPcity Desirelines Music
Coup Fatal A State of Grace:
The Music of Tim and Jeff Buckley Rise for the Oceans Cabinet of Curiosities Black Angels Thum Prints Symphony for me QSO & Simone Young Paul Lewis Renée Fleming Front Yard Music – Extended Play Cabaret
Velvet Lady Rizo Hot Brown Honey Circus
Il Ritorno Fear & Delight FLOWN 1
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
17
The Spiegeltent
The Spiegeltent overview Club Swizzle Megan Washington Conrad Sewell Charlie Lim Halfway 49
51
53
54
56
58
We Two Thieves Los Coronas Bahamas Fox Capture Plan 60
62
63
65
Family
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
33
34
35
37
38
40
42
Theatre Republic
Theatre Republic overview Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It Best Of Dead Royal Richard II The Voice in the Walls Visual Arts
Film
44
46
47
Family events overview 66
68
70
72
74
76
78
Treasury Lights goa Project Art From the Margins Perception William Jolly Bridge Art Projections Experimenta Recharge 81
82
84
86
87
88
Film events overview 89
BRISBANE FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
Thursday 25 June 2015
Brisbane Festival 2015 - 456 ways to indulge in September
Brisbane Festival today revealed Artistic Director David Berthold’s first program - an unprecedented line-up boasting
456 shows, seven world and 13 Australian premieres, four new commissions and a new Festival Village at South
Bank named ‘Arcadia’ that will occupy a site five times the size of previous years.
Stars including Bernard Fanning, Megan Washington, Tim Winton, Martha Wainwright, Tom Thum, Lady Rizo, Marcia
Hines, Paul Lewis and Renee Fleming will join exciting emerging talents in Brisbane from 5 to 26 September.
A stunning mix of the meaty and merry, embracing dance, theatre, circus, cabaret, opera, hip hop, film, visual arts and
more, will see Brisbane Festival circumnavigate the globe, bringing some of the most provocative and innovative
performances ever to grace Australian stages from 11 countries and five continents.
Premier and Minister for the Arts, Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Queensland Government supported Brisbane
Festival with an annual investment of $5.14 million through Arts Queensland.
“Brisbane Festival is a major cultural and tourism drawcard, bringing together international and local productions, and
providing a showcase for Queensland companies and talent,” the Premier said.
From the USA, Flexn is a new, politically charged work from street dance pioneer Regg Roc and Peter Sellars,
arguably America’s greatest living theatre and opera director, created in an era of unrest following the rulings on
Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York.
Exclusive to Brisbane Festival, Flexn is accompanied by Beautiful One Day, which tells the very Australian story of the
death of Mulrunji Doomadgee in police custody on Palm Island and the subsequent uprisings.
To complement Flexn’s Brooklyn roots is a collection of Australian street-inspired shows: Hot Brown Honey’s allfemale feats of hip hop passion and politics; beatboxing virtuoso Tom Thum’s collaboration with Queensland
Symphony Orchestra (QSO) Thum Prints; and RAW Dance Company’s free opening day dance-off RAPCity.
Four outstanding productions from or inspired by Democratic Republic of Congo will shine a light on the war-ravaged
yet vivacious nation. All premieres, exclusive to Brisbane Festival, they include:
The staggeringly good Coup Fatal by dance theatre living legend Alain Platel, countertenor Serge Kakudji and 13
musicians from Kinshasa; Macbeth recast with Congolese warlords by provocative South African director Brett Bailey;
Le Cargo by dancer/choreographer Faustin Linyekula; and Prize Fighter, a world-premiere Congo-to-Brisbane story by
one of Australia’s most exciting young playwrights.
To mark its 50th anniversary of independence, Singapore is also under the spotlight with five exclusive shows: The
Importance of Being Earnest by Singapore’s “sexiest theatre company” W!LD RICE; a compelling one woman show,
Best Of; and music courtesy of T’ang Quartet, Margaret Leng Tan and Charlie Lim.
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The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Graham Quirk said there would be an incredible 164
free events in September.
“From a free QSO concert Symphony for Me to the Clem Jones City Hall Concerts to the incredible Sunsuper
Riverfire, everyone will have the opportunity to be a part of the celebrations,” Cr Quirk said.
Managing Director at Treasury Casino & Hotel, the Principal Partner of Brisbane Festival, Geoff Hogg said he was
thrilled to announce a new free event – Treasury Lights.
“Following the tremendous success of the Colour Me Brisbane lightshow on Treasury’s façade during last year’s G20
cultural celebrations, we are delighted to ignite our beautiful buildings yet again with a light and sound spectacular for
all of Brisbane to enjoy,” Mr Hogg said.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said that some big subjects would be explored, including colonial
legacies, environmental issues and the relationship between race and authority, but among the serious conversations
there would be some serious fun.
“A festival should offer a myriad of pathways. People can see single shows that catch the eye, but part of the
exhilaration is to see shows that connect and cumulate,” Mr Berthold said.
“We are creating fabulous festival hubs where everyone can gather, eat, drink and converse. Do not miss out on three
weeks of new worlds and magical memories that will lift your spirits beyond the drum and dust of daily life.”
The new Brisbane Festival Village – Arcadia – will have two big performance tents, fabulous food and four bars,
games, 3D chalk installations, sensational shows, mind-blowing music and much more. Club Swizzle and Fear &
Delight, presented by Audi – the newest, delicious, decadent shows from the makers of La Soirée and LIMBO – play
nightly in the two tents.
Cabaret and circus lovers can also indulge in the boogie wonderland of Velvet with Marcia Hines, the award-winning
family show FLOWN from the UK’s Pirates of the Carabina at The Courier-Mail Piazza and Il Ritorno, a world premiere
work from Brisbane’s incredible, internationally celebrated company Circa.
Music lovers can revel in nightly shows in The Spiegeltent including Megan Washington and 4ZZZ is Forty - a starstudded celebration of the last four decades - and opera experiences from the baroque to romantic eras and beyond.
A State of Grace: The Music of Tim and Jeff Buckley will feature Martha Wainwright, Casper Clausen, Willy Mason,
Camille O’Sullivan, Steve Kilbey and Cold Specks, led by Gary Lucas with his band Gods and Monsters.
Tim Winton, Bernard Fanning, Katie Noonan, Jessica Watson, Professor Iain McCalman and Ignatius Jones will join
forces for the world premiere of Rise for the Oceans, a multimedia tribute to Australia’s marine ecosystem.
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Theatre Republic at QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct at Kelvin Grove, will once again be a pulsing festival hub bringing an insurgence of thought-provoking and politically charged works with headline acts including Adrienne
Truscott. Audiences are invited to linger in the Theatre Republic garden bar with a nightly program of free music and
artist chats, and tempting artisan tastes.
“There is so much more in the 2015 program - backyard film screenings, artist talks, the National Indigenous Theatre
Forum, art and photography exhibitions and countless free performances, with Sunsuper Riverfire capping it all
spectacularly,” David Berthold said.
“The best way to discover something for you is to hit the Brisbane Festival website or come down to Arcadia at South
Bank and immerse yourself in its wonders.”
Brisbane Festival is proudly supported by its Principal Partner, Treasury Casino and Hotel.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
Jaishri Johnstone | 0404 188 615 | [email protected]
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THEATRE
PRIZE FIGHTER
Prize Fighter
World premiere play puts realities of the Congo in the boxing ring
Emotive theatre work Prize Fighter will make its world premiere at Brisbane Festival from Saturday 5 to Saturday 26
September 2015, bringing the voice of the Congo to La Boite Theatre Company inspired by up and coming playwright
Future D. Fidel’s own story of fleeing the war torn country.
A co-production between Brisbane Festival and La Boite, Prize Fighter will transform the Roundhouse Theatre,
Australia's only purpose-built theatre-in-the-round, into a spectacular boxing arena showcasing the story of Isa, a
talented young Congolese boxer.
Played by Pacharo Mzembe, one of Queensland’s most talented young actors, Isa’s powerful left hook offers a new
life in Australia, but as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career he is faced with his greatest opponent – his past.
After being orphaned by war and forced to become a child soldier by the very people who killed his family, Isa
struggles to confront his past as the production transcends in time and space between the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) and Australia.
Prize Fighter is the debut play of Future D. Fidel, a Playwright-in-Residence at La Boite, who was forced to flee from
the DRC as a child following the civil war in 1996. After eight years in a Tanzanian refugee camp, Fidel and his
siblings were granted refugee status in Australia and travelled to Brisbane.
Pacharo Mzembe performs alongside his brother, Gideon Mzembe, and Sophia Emberson-Bain, forming an allBrisbane cast in lead roles. At a young age, the two Mzembe brothers came to Australia from Malawi with their
parents, their casting celebrating the local African Australian community.
This year Brisbane Festival has programed the Congo Connection series, which brings five works focusing on the
Congo to Festival audiences, including Macbeth, Prize Fighter, Coup Fatal, and Le Cargo.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said despite his challenging start in life, Future was an incredible
success story, having been awarded the Young African Australian Star Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2014.
“Prize Fighter is a confronting story that will touch local audiences by revealing the unspoken realities of the Congo,
and the adversities faced by those living there,” Mr Berthold said.
“Written with incredible authenticity, this work will be undeniably emotive for audiences, through the strong connection
between the protagonist’s life and that of Future himself.
“Premiering on the opening night of Brisbane Festival, we expect Prize Fighter to be a highlight of the 2015 program
that will set the tone for the rest of the Congo Connections series.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Prize Fighter is presented by Brisbane Festival and La Boite Theatre Company.
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ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sat 5 to Sat 26 Sept 2015
WHERE: Roundhouse Theatre, La Boite
DURATION: 90 minutes
TICKETS: Adults from $44, Concession from $30, Student from $25, Youth (30 & under) from $30
(not available on
Preview performances), VIP Package from $53 (including ticket, program & drink) ($3.20 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or La Boite on 07 3007 8600
MORE INFORMATION: This production contains haze effects, violence, sexual references and adult themes.
Meet the Artists forum following the Wed 16 Sept performance. The Sat 19 Sept 2pm Matinee performance will be
AUSLAN interpreted.
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THEATRE
MACBETH
Macbeth
Macbeth becomes Congolese warlord in Australian premiere at Brisbane
Festival
A radical retelling of Macbeth, the classic tale of ambition and tyranny by provocative South African theatre-maker
Brett Bailey will appear exclusively at QPAC’s Playhouse from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 September for Brisbane
Festival 2015.
Set in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the appropriation of Verdi’s opera Macbeth turning it into a thrilling 80-minute ride - unashamedly shines a light on the under-reported mineral resources war
raging in the country that has killed millions in the past 20 years.
The plot sees a group of Congolese refugees stumble upon a trunk filled with sheet music, costumes and gramophone
recordings of Macbeth.
The theatrical paraphernalia is the catalyst for a dramatic retelling with the Macbeths as warlords and the three
witches as double-crossing businessmen, while Dunsinane is transported to the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.
Macbeth has been adapted from Verdi’s original score by Belgian composer Fabrizio Cassol, who also collaborated
on Congolese baroque music theatre work Coup Fatal - another Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane at this
year’s Festival.
Ten rich-voiced South African singers and a 12-piece on-stage chamber orchestra, the spirited trans-Balkan No
Borders Orchestra, will perform under the baton of Serbian conductor Premil Petrovic.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Brett Bailey’s radical reworking of Macbeth was a theatrical
triumph.
“I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen Macbeth. But when I saw Brett’s version, I saw the story afresh and
knew it had to be seen in Brisbane. Its theatrical mastery, musical energy and striking wit are all at the service of
shedding direct light onto issues that are often too complex for the media,” Mr Berthold said.
“This is indisputably a great night at the theatre, with almost 30 brilliant artists on stage, and I’m so happy we were
able to secure it exclusively for Brisbane Festival.”
Macbeth premiered in Cape Town in 2014 at Artscape and has toured across the globe, earning five star reviews.
Brett Bailey is the Artistic Director of Third World Bunfight whose controversial art installation Exhibit B sparked
protests across Europe with performances cancelled at London’s Barbican last year.
This year Brisbane Festival has programed a series of productions focused on the Congo including Macbeth, Prize
Fighter, Coup Fatal, and Le Cargo.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
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Macbeth is presented by Brisbane Festival and Opera Queensland in association with Queensland Performing Arts
Centre.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Tue 15 to Sat 19 Sept 2015
WHERE: Playhouse, QPAC
DURATION: 100 minutes
TICKETS: Adults from $55, Concession from $50, Groups $55 (a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
MORE INFORMATION: This production contains adult themes, coarse language, violence, strobe and sound
pressure effects. Sung in Italian with English projected surtitles.
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THEATRE
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
The Importance of Being Earnest
Singapore’s leading director stages Wilde’s comic masterpiece with all-male
cast at Brisbane Festival
Singapore’s “sexiest theatre company” W!LD RICE will bring the Australian premiere of its provocative adaptation of
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest to Brisbane Festival in an exclusive season from Friday 11 to Sunday
13 September 2015 at QPAC’s Playhouse.
Offering a twist on one of Europe’s literary classics, Singapore’s leading theatre and film director, Glen Goei, casts an
all-male ensemble, telling the story of two wealthy single men who lead double lives to escape from the tiresome
conventions of society and pursue their potential love interests.
The play follows the men as their deceptions begin to unravel around them and they face the impending
consequences, offering a fresh perspective on the themes of identity, marriage and the satire of society.
th
The production will feature sets inspired by 19 century English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, a sensational
international cast dressed by fashion doyen Frederick Lee and a live string quartet from Queensland Conservatorium.
W!LD RICE, named Singapore’s “sexiest theatre company” by Lonely Planet, is renowned for interpreting classic
works of Western artistic expression with a distinctive local flavour.
The Importance of Being Earnest is the headline show of a series of works from Singapore, which new Artistic Director
th
David Berthold has programed for his first Brisbane Festival to mark the 50 anniversary of Singapore becoming
independent from Malaysia.
Other works include a compelling one woman show, Best Of, the world’s best toy pianist Margaret Leng Tan in
Cabinet of Curiosities, Singapore’s premier string quartet T’ang Quartet in Black Angels, and Charlie Lim - the pride of
Singapore’s music scene.
David Berthold said 2015 was a timely year to reflect and celebrate the art and culture of the nation, which like
Australia lives in a postcolonial world.
“Glen Goei is hugely influential within the Singapore arts scene and it will be an honour for Brisbane Festival to host
one of his most internationally lauded works to date, celebrating the incredible theatrical talent of one of Australia’s
closest neighbours,” Mr Berthold said.
“His skillful interpretation challenges literary conventions, while continuing to capture the fun, humour and wit of
Wilde’s comic masterpiece, enabling audiences to see this timeless classic in a completely new way.”
The production premiered in Singapore in 2009 and won three awards at the 2010 Life! Theatre Awards, including
Best Production. It was restaged in 2013 to critical acclaim and has also enjoyed success outside of Singapore,
having played to full houses at the Macao Arts Festival in 2014.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
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The Importance of Being Earnest is presented by Brisbane Festival, Griffith University and Urbis.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Fri 11 to Sun 13 Sept 2015
WHERE: Playhouse, QPAC
DURATION: 155 minutes
TICKETS: Adults from $40, Concession from $35, Groups $40
(a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
MORE INFORMATION: The Sat 12 Sept 2pm performance will be AUSLAN interpreted.
9
THEATRE
BEAUTIFUL ONE DAY
Beautiful One Day
Confronting theatre work gives voice to local Indigenous community
The 2004 death of Mulrunji Doomadgee while in police custody will be explored during Brisbane Festival with
performances of Beautiful One Day at QPAC from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
The theatrical documentary, based on the circumstances of the death and consequent social uprising, the torching of
the local police station and the declaration of a State of Emergency, asks important questions about the relationship
between race and authority.
Beautiful One Day will show alongside Flexn, a politically charged work created by Peter Sellars and Reggie (Regg
Roc) Gray in an era of large-scale unrest following the rulings on Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New
York.
United by a shared outrage, Sydney’s Belvoir and Ilbijerri - Australia’s longest running Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander theatre company - came together with the common goal of transforming the community’s anger into a
gateway of understanding and new possibilities.
The production beautifully interweaves personal stories of the performers with court transcripts, interviews with Palm
Island locals and moving re-enactments.
Starring in the production’s cast are three residents of Palm Island, including Doomadgee’s niece, in their first stage
appearances. In performances that resonate with authenticity, the production captures the remarkable humanity,
wisdom and strength of a community.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said as the people of Palm Island continued to demand justice for
Doomadgee, Beautiful One Day would provide a vital platform to continue the debates that remain unresolved 25
years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
“Indigenous incarceration rates are off the charts and this production speaks very directly to some of the forces that
inform the problem. It is fulsome in its expression,” Mr Berthold said.
“This powerful work will give audiences an insight into the resilient nature of Palm Islanders and evoke important
questions on the future of this community and others like it.”
Beautiful One Day played at London's Southbank Centre as part of the Origins Festival of First Nations and will have
its first performances on Palm Island immediately before Brisbane Festival.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Beautiful One Day is presented by Brisbane Festival in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
10
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 23 to Sat 26 Sept 2015
WHERE: Cremorne Theatre, QPAC
DURATION: 80 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $38, Concession $35, Groups $35 (a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
MORE INFORMATION: This production is 15+ and contains coarse language.
This production has been supported by the Balnaves Foundation, the Besen Family Foundation and the Australian
Government through the Australia Council for the Arts and the Indigenous Cultural Support Fund.
11
DANCE
FLEXN
Flexn
Brisbane Festival secures Australian premiere of Peter Sellars’ compelling
new dance work
In an Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane Festival, QPAC will host the hypnotic dance work Flexn, a
collaboration between famed director Peter Sellars, dance pioneer Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and 15 astounding
dancers from Brooklyn, from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
Created in an era of unrest following the rulings on Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York, Flexn is
a jaw-dropping collaboration, deeply imbued with the shape of race relations in contemporary America.
Reggie Gray is a pioneer of one of the world’s newest dance forms ‘flex’. After gaining popularity on the American
dance show Flex N Brooklyn, Gray and his team HyperActive became known as innovators in the global dance scene,
with Gray himself developing the popular style of ‘pausing’ featured in Flexn.
The innovative and sometimes controversial Peter Sellars, renowned for his unique staging of classical and
contemporary theatre works and operas, joined Gray to assemble a crew of 15 dancers within the ‘flex’ community
from the very neighbourhoods where the flex movement emerged.
Characterised by pausing, snapping, gliding, bone breaking, hat tricks, animation and contortion, sometimes poetic,
sometimes aggressive, flex evolved from the Jamaican bruk-up style found in Brooklyn dance halls and reggae clubs
over the last 10 years.
The dancers in Flexn have created their own choreography, performing as individuals and groups to tell heartwrenching stories through breathtakingly beautiful movement. Part protest, part dance party, part collective
autobiography, Flexn rails against social injustice, from police brutality to the failure of the prison system in America.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Flexn was a profoundly compelling piece of dance that spoke to
the African American experience, but could also resonate with audiences worldwide.
“I saw Flexn in New York earlier this year and immediately began talks with Peter Sellars and Regg Roc. Here was a
work that was an explosive and deeply expressive new dance form responding to an American story that will not go
away,” Mr Berthold said.
“This is artistic expression right at the pivot point of social change, and what a coup to get it to Brisbane so soon.
“The performance will captivate and move audiences as the dancers create stirring narratives with their bodies and
bring the stage to life in the final weekend of the Festival.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Flexn is presented by Brisbane Festival and Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
12
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 23 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Playhouse, QPAC
DURATION: 90 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $55, Concession $50, Groups $50 (a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
13
DANCE
LE CARGO
Le Cargo
Powerful African dance transports audiences to Congo in national premiere
Le Cargo, a masterful blend of dance, song, music and storytelling by internationally renowned Congolese dancer and
choreographer, Faustin Linyekula, will make its Australian premiere at Brisbane Festival in an exclusive season at
QPAC from Wednesday 16 to Saturday 19 September 2015.
Marking the first and only solo performance of Linyekula’s career, Le Cargo takes audiences on a stunning visual and
auditory journey, inspired by his story of returning home to the Congo after spending many years of dancing and
choreographing in Europe.
Together with Kenyan Opiyo Okach, Linyekula co-founded Gàara, the first contemporary dance company in Kenya in
1997. After building his career between Africa and Europe, he returned to the Congo in 2001 to establish the
multidisciplinary Studios Kabako in Kinshasa, which later moved to his home city, Kisangani.
During the performance, Linyekula constructs an honest and revealing dialogue with himself, expressing doubts over
whether his contemporary blend of words and movement qualifies as dance in the eyes of his ancestors. He voices
concerns that his approach may be too political or verbose in comparison with the more traditional forms recognised
by them.
Le Cargo is a mesmerising marriage of body and spirit and will captivate audiences, while highlighting the important
role of art in cultural expression and the discovery, or rediscovery, of identity.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Linyekula was an incredible storyteller and would move
audiences with his intimate portrayal of the Congo.
“Through his artwork, Faustin challenges audiences’ perceptions of Africa and reclaims the power to construct his own
identity and that of his nation,” Mr Berthold said.
“It is a profoundly thought-provoking work that investigates the history of the Congo in a way that written material
cannot, using the body as a way to tell an enriching story of heritage and culture.
“Le Cargo is a serious dance work in which Faustin delivers a stirring performance to the beat of African drums – his
personal story and unique delivery of it will tug at the heartstrings.”
The work, which was first created in 2011 and has been touring across Europe, Africa and North America, will form
part of the Festival’s Congo Connections series.
This year Brisbane Festival has programed a series of productions focused on the Congo including Macbeth, Prize
Fighter, Coup Fatal, and Le Cargo.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Le Cargo is presented by Brisbane Festival.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
14
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 16 to Sat 19 Sept 2015
WHERE: Cremorne Theatre, QPAC
DURATION: 55 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $39, Concession $35, Groups $35
(a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
15
DANCE
RAPCITY
RAPcity
RAPcity hip hop showdown returns to Brisbane Festival
Brisbane's RAW Dance will bring RAPcity to the heart of Brisbane Festival at South Bank Cultural Forecourt, for a free
street culture explosion showcasing Queensland’s most talented hip hop and break dancers on Saturday 5 September
2015.
The event will see crews of all ages and abilities battle it out for a total prize pool of $5,000.
RAW Dance brought RAPcity to Brisbane Festival in 2014, attracting thousands of festival-goers to the high-energy
battle ground.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the Festival was thrilled to have RAPcity return in 2015.
“This year RAPcity will be part of our opening night celebrations, and will once again allow Festival crowds to
experience a different art form within the Brisbane cultural scene,” Mr Berthold said.
RAW Dance has been a successful contributor to Brisbane Festival for many years, bringing the world premiere of
Electronique in 2008, Beautiful Noise in 2011, and the hugely popular Untapped in 2013.
The Brisbane-based dance company was formed in 1998 by Andrew Fee at only 18 years of age. The company has
since expanded to employ 50 people across Australia, touring live performances locally and internationally, and
delivering dance education programs to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe each year. In 2011, the
company performed a sell-out Off-Broadway season of Untapped in New York City, and will head back over in
February 2016.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
RAPcity is presented by Brisbane Festival.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sat 5 Sept 2015
WHERE: Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 180 minutes
TICKETS: FREE
16
DANCE
DESIRELINES
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 9 June, 2015
MUSIC YOU CAN SEE, DANCE YOU CAN FEEL
COLLUSION PREMIERES DESIRELINES FOR BRISBANE FESTIVAL
Image: FenLan Photography
Dance, music and animation collide in Desirelines, the electric new chamber ballet by Collusion set to
premiere at the Judith Wright Centre during Brisbane Festival this September.
A desireline is the dirt track across the land; it is the path that people find, but only when they want to. Do you follow
the group, or follow your heart? Walk the established path, or forge a new one?
Striking a new balance between live music and dance, Desirelines places three musicians and four dancers at the
intersection between choice and obligation, bound by a gleaming stainless steel set that inscribes the music across
the stage.
Musicians are too often hidden behind their music stands, but Collusion director Benjamin Greaves wanted to
integrate the musicians physically into the performance. His concept also sees the musical scores projected directly
onto the set, creating a visual landscape for Desirelines that enables the musicians to interact freely in the space as
they perform a virtuosic new score composed by Susan Hawkins.
“Projecting Susanʼs score across the stage gives us a pathway to follow musically, while allowing us the freedom to
find our own desirelines between the notes”, Greaves said.
Individual desires emerge as Collusion physically cut across the space and the soaring music, which also features
masterworks by Sculthorpe and Ibert.
A team of incredible artists will bring Desirelines to the Judith Wright Centre stage in September, including Gareth
Belling (Choreography), Susan Hawkins (Composition), Pete Foley (Animation), Leigh Buchanan (Costume Design),
and Ben Hughes and Cameron Goerg (Lighting Design). They will be joined by Collusion musicians Benjamin
Greaves (Violin), Diana Tolmie (Clarinet), Danielle Bentley (Cello) and four dancers; Nathan Scicluna, Melissa
Tattam, Mariana Paraizo and Michael Smith.
“We started work on this more than a year ago, but ideas about desire and choice have been with me a long time,
since reading Peter and Richard Wherrettʼs memoir Desirelines many years ago”, choreographer Gareth Belling said.
“While not based on the book, our production is focused on the way your heart can lead you in directions you never
expected, yet end up exactly where you need to be”.
“The choreography uses balletʼs structure, or form as a starting point to explore the individual performersʼ movement
desirelines. It is muscular and musical, emotional and engaging: it beats with the blood of real human desires” says
Belling.
continues…
For further information, images and interview opportunities, please contact
Amanda Lawson, Marketing Manager I Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
07 3872 9005 I [email protected]
17
PRODUCTION OVERVIEW
Dance, music and animation collide in an electric new chamber ballet.
Desirelines are the improvised tracks created by people who defy the ways designed for them by others. Three
musicians and four dancers use gleaming stainless steel tracks to navigate a digitally animated landscape in this
powerful melding of contemporary ballet and new chamber music.
In this original concept by Benjamin Greaves, Gareth Bellingʼs choreography is etched onto the performers by Susan
Hawkinsʼ soaring original compositions, while Pete Foleyʼs animation maps a concrete visual landscape that floats
with Leigh Buchananʼs whimsical costumes.
Collusion Music is Queenslandʼs own original fine art music and dance ensemble. Together for 13 years, this group of
award-winning chamber musicians, in collaboration with composers, a choreographer and dancers, creates evocative
performances underpinned by heart, beauty and warmth.
Presented by Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane Festival and Collusion Music
This project has been supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts
funding and advisory body.
DESIRELINES I COLLUSION MUSIC
Dates Wed 2 to Sat 5 September
Time 7:30pm Duration 55 mins, no interval
Tickets $36 - $29
Venue Performance Space, Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
420 Brunswick St (Cnr Berwick St), Fortitude Valley
Bookings www.judithwrightcentre.com or 07 3872 9000
CREATIVE TEAM
Concept Design: Benjamin Greaves
Choreography: Gareth Belling
Composition: Susan Hawkins
Animation/Projection Design: Pete Foley
Costume Design: Leigh Buchanan
Lighting Design: Ben Hughes and Cameron Goerg
Production Manager: Carly OʼNeil
Choreographic Associate: Amy Hollingsworth
Musicians: Benjamin Greaves (Violin), Danielle Bentley (Cello) and Diana Tolmie (Clarinet)
Dancers: Melissa Tattam, Michael Smith, Nathan Scicluna and Mariana Paraizo
BIOGRAPHIES
About Collusion
Collusion is Queenslandʼs own original fine art music and dance ensemble. Together for 13 years, this group of award-winning
chamber music musicians, in collaboration with composers and a choreographer and dancers, bring together exceptionally strong
performances.
Collusion is continually developing new repertoire of very high quality while underpinning its programming with heart, beauty and
warmth. Flexible in size and content, collaborating to make large shows, and bespoke intimate experiences as well, Collusion fits
its performances to suit its audiences. Collusion enjoys sharing its concerts and performances with audiences of all ages and
cultural persuasions. From the smart end of town, with Queensland Ballet, at the Australasian Clarinet and Saxophone Convention,
Crossbows Festival and World Forum on Music, to the magical world of imagination and joy at centres for people with disabilities
and other community settings and schools.
Benjamin Greaves - Concept Design and violinist
An Australian National Academy Music Scholar and Westpac Scholarship holder at Queensland Conservatorium, Ben studied with
the renowned Carmel Kaine. He enjoys a successful career, having performed with Qld Symphony, Camerata of St Johnʼs as
principal 2nd violin, guest leader and soloist, SXS Bangalow Festival, Queensland Ballet, Circa, Katie Noonan, Elixir, Adelaide
Cabaret, Brisbane and Queensland Music Festivals, Crossbows, Restrung and for Susan Hawkinsʼ EP. International studies were
taken in the Czech Republic and Belgium. He has toured extensively throughout Australia with Collusion and the Köln Chamber
Orchestra. He was a violinist for the QPAC South Pacific Season and other QPAC seasons.
Director/Manager of the ensemble, Ben has been a member of Collusion since its foundation in 2002.
For further information, images and interview opportunities, please contact
Amanda Lawson, Marketing Manager I Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
07 3872 9005 I [email protected]
18
BIOGRAPHIES
cont
Gareth Belling - Choreographer
Australian choreographer Gareth Belling danced with Queensland Ballet from 2002 to 2012, and since 2005 has created works for
Queensland Ballet, Collusion, Expressions Dance Company, Queensland University of Technology and independently. He
graduated with a Master of Fine Arts (Dance) from Queensland University of Technology in 2015.
In 2011 Gareth was selected for a JUMP Mentorship with Nils Christe, the Swiss International Coaching Project for
Choreographers, an Impulstanz Research Project and received an Arts Queensland Career Development Grant. He created
bittersweet for Queensland Ballet, Scorched Earth for Brisbane Festival and his first full-length work, Transient Beauty with
Collusion Music in 2012.
Now an active independent dance maker, he created for Queensland Balletʼs 2013 Elegance season and travelled to China and
Hong Kong on an Australia China Council research scholarship. In September 2015 he will premiere his new chamber ballet
Desirelines with Collusion at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts.
Susan Hawkins - Composer
Susan Hawkins has international experience as a composer collaborating in contemporary dance, animation, theatre, and
sculptural sound installation – with highlights including performances at Tate Britain (UK) and the San Francisco International Arts
Festival (USA). She has been artist in residence with CESTA (for the 11th Arts Festival of International, Interdisciplinary
Collaborations, Czech Republic) and the Bundanon Trust (Australia), has participated in the International Course for Professional
Composers and Choreographers (UK). She's also dabbled in radio, having created a feature documentary for Encounter for ABC
Radio National (Australia).
In 2011 Susan released her second EP, LIGHT FROM BELOW, receiving extensive radio play across the ABC network (Radio
National, Triple J and Classic FM), and community radio through the AIRIT program. In 2012 Susan collaborated with Gareth
Belling and Collusion on a number of cross-disciplinary projects, and produced several videos for her sound work.
For further information, images and interview opportunities, please contact
Amanda Lawson, Marketing Manager I Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
07 3872 9005 I [email protected]
19
MUSIC
COUP FATAL
Coup Fatal
‘Joyous madness’ of Coup Fatal to open Brisbane Festival 2015
Internationally acclaimed Congolese music theatre work Coup Fatal will make its Australian premiere on the opening
night of Brisbane Festival, Saturday 5 September 2015, at QPAC’s Playhouse.
Like nothing ever seen on Australian stages, Coup Fatal was created by trailblazing dance theatre maker Alain Platel,
Congolese countertenor Serge Kakudji, conductor and guitarist Rodriguez Vangama, composer Fabrizio Cassol, and
12 incredible musicians from Kinshasa.
This exuberant mix of baroque arias and Congolese pop, rock and jazz made its world premiere at Wiener
Festwochen in Austria last year, followed by performances at Holland Festival in the Netherlands and Avignon Festival
in France. French newspaper Le Figaro described the performance as ‘A joyous and uplifting madness’.
Coup Fatal will head to Australia in September to appear exclusively at Brisbane Festival.
Inspired by the flamboyant ‘sapeurs’, the Congolese dandies who blank out the horrors of war and violence with a
penchant for lavish designer clothes and extravagant behaviour, Coup Fatal is quintessential baroque: an emphasis
on cocky elegance as a way to challenge fate.
Since WWII, almost six million people have died as a result of wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo, half of them
under five years old.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the 2015 program focused on the Democratic Republic of
Congo and would give audiences an insight into the troubled nation’s vibrant culture.
“Coup Fatal speaks to the experience of a nation right in the heart of Africa and the site of some of the greatest
atrocities since WWII. The grace and charm and musical joy of this show is just breathtaking - a unique experience
from a nation with an astonishing history,” Mr Berthold said.
“The soaring vocals of Serge Kakudji combine with some infectious music on African instruments, great costumes and
spirited dance to put a spotlight on the effervescent resilience of the Congolese people.”
Kakudji, who devised the idea of Coup Fatal with Paul Kerstens from Brussels’ KVS theatre, works internationally but
has returned home to collaborate on the project with 12 consummate (and cheeky) musicians from Kinshasa.
One of the world’s greatest dance theatre makers Alain Platel (whose work Out of Context - for Pina sold out at
Brisbane Festival 2011) teamed up with dancer Romain Guion to create the theatrical form, with musical direction by
Brussels composer and guitarist Rodriguez Vangama and high-voltage ‘cross-overist’ Fabrizio Cassol.
The set is designed by Freddy Tsimba, who creates huge sculptures of cartridge cases he collects in Congolese war
zones.
Coup Fatal, a production by KVS and les ballets C de la B, will run for a very short season from 5 to 8 September
2015.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
20
This year Brisbane Festival has programed a series of productions focused on the Congo including Macbeth, Prize
Fighter, Coup Fatal, and Le Cargo.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Coup Fatal is presented by Brisbane Festival and Philip Bacon Galleries.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sat 5 to Tue 8 Sept 2015
WHERE: Playhouse, QPAC
DURATION: 100 minutes
TICKETS: Adults from $55, Concession from $50, Groups $55
(a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
21
MUSIC
A STATE OF GRACE: THE MUSIC OF TIM AND JEFF BUCKLEY
A State of Grace: The Music of Tim and Jeff Buckley
Brisbane Festival hosts Buckley tribute featuring Martha Wainwright
A State of Grace: The Music of Tim and Jeff Buckley, featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright, will
head to Brisbane as part of its world premiere tour for two performances at QPAC’s Concert Hall on Friday 25 and
Saturday 26 September 2015.
The stunning narrative concert is one of the major closing performances of this year’s Festival, celebrating the brilliant
yet complicated lives of rock legends Tim and Jeff Buckley.
It will bring together images and stories with six stellar singers and musicians with close connections to Tim and Jeff –
Martha Wainwright, Casper Clausen (of Efterklang), Willy Mason, Camille O’Sullivan, Steve Kilbey and Cold Specks,
led by guitarist/producer Gary Lucas with his band Gods and Monsters – to recapture the magic of their songs.
This is a moving, definitive portrait of two of the most beloved voices in rock, overseen by Gary Lucas, the legendary
New York guitarist/composer who worked closely with Jeff, co-writing the immortal songs Grace and Mojo Pin.
Before folk-rock icon Tim Buckley died in 1975 aged 28, his son Jeff had met him only a handful of times. Leaving
behind a timeless and eclectic collection of eight studio albums, Tim’s legacy quickly served as a musical touchstone
for his son, influencing Jeff’s own artistic expression and musical endeavours.
st
Tim also influenced his contemporaries Van Morrison, James Taylor and Leonard Cohen, and 21 century acts such
as Fleet Foxes and Beth Orton.
Jeff Buckley completed just one studio album before tragically drowning at 30, but Grace, released in 1994, made him
one of the most influential musicians of his time. Earning him fans including Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Chris
Cornell and Thom Yorke, his album touched millions and is today regarded as a classic.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the concert was sure to appeal to a very wide range of music
lovers.
“The opportunity to experience the matchless music of Tim and Jeff Buckley, through the remarkable gifts of the artists
we have gathered, is one many people will be thrilled by. It will be a profoundly poignant show,” Mr Berthold said.
“The artists we have assembled are legends in their own rights. Martha Wainwright is a glorious singer with her own
complex family heritage, and Irish-French chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan and Australian rock legend Steve Kilbey are
unrivalled in their fields. It is not hard to see why this show is set to create a stir.
“My guess is that A State of Grace will be incredibly popular, so I encourage people to get in quick and book tickets so
they do not miss out.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
A State of Grace: The Music of Tim and Jeff Buckley is presented by Brisbane Festival.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
22
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Fri 25 and Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Concert Hall, QPAC
DURATION: 160 minutes (interval)
TICKETS: Adults from $70
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
23
MUSIC
RISE FOR THE OCEANS
Rise for the Oceans
Tim Winton and Bernard Fanning join forces to celebrate the world’s oceans
In an extraordinary union of Australian icons, Tim Winton, Bernard Fanning, Katie Noonan, Jessica Watson and
Professor Iain McCalman will take to the stage at QPAC’s Concert Hall for the world premiere of Rise for the Oceans
on Saturday 5 September 2015.
This creative multi-media celebration of our incredible oceans is an initiative of the Australian Marine Conservation
Society (AMCS) and partnership with Brisbane Festival.
Directed by Vivid Sydney Creative Director, actor, journalist and shock rock musician Ignatius Jones, these five
acclaimed and much-loved personalities will join other special guests to tell their stories of the sea in this bold event, a
highlight of the Festival’s opening night celebrations.
From four-time Miles Franklin Award-winner and Patron of the AMCS Tim Winton reading selected passages from his
novels, to Australia’s beloved musical son Bernard Fanning performing a series of sea-themed songs, Rise for the
Oceans will also feature projections, illuminated sculptures, stunning light and animated art.
Brisbane-born singer-songwriter Katie Noonan, around-the-world-solo sailor Jessica Watson and natural historian Iain
McCalman, will also take centre stage to share their homage to Australia’s oceans and reefs and the extraordinary
creatures that inhabit them, in their own unique performances.
On the 50th anniversary of AMCS, this multi-media homage explores every aspect of the marine realm, from the
tiniest planktonic shrimp to the largest wonder of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Rise for the Oceans would be a rare opportunity to be in the
presence of these extraordinary Australians.
“Audiences will see these luminaries in a completely different way – it will be a raw, honest and profound event,” Mr
Berthold said.
“Brisbane Festival is a perfect platform for exploring public issues in an entertaining and creative way, and we hope
this event will get people thinking about the fragility and importance of our oceans and reefs.”
AMCS is the voice for Australia's ocean wildlife. It is an independent charity, staffed by a committed group of
professional and passionate scientists, educators and advocates.
For 50 years it has changed the face of marine protection in Australia, including stopping oil and coal mining on the
Great Barrier Reef and securing it as a World Heritage marine park.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Rise for the Oceans is presented by Brisbane Festival and Australian Marine Conservation Society in association with
Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
24
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sat 5 Sept
WHERE: Concert Hall, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
DURATION: 90 minutes
TICKETS: Premium $80, Adults $50-$70, Groups $60-$70 (a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
25
MUSIC
CABINET OF CURIOSITIES
Cabinet of Curiosities
Famed avant-garde artist brings cabinet of curiosities to Brisbane Festival
Margaret Leng Tan will bring the Australian premiere of her mesmerising one-woman show, Cabinet of Curiosities, to
Brisbane Festival for an exclusive one-off performance on Wednesday 9 September 2015 at QPAC’s Cremorne
Theatre.
Hailed as the “queen of the toy piano” by The New York Times, Tan has established herself as a major force in the
American avant-garde and is also recognised as a classical performer who uses unconventional instruments including
toy drums, soy sauce dishes and cat food cans.
She has appeared on American public television, at the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and venues across the world
with her beguiling musical offerings and was the first woman to earn a Doctorate in Musical Arts at The Juilliard
School. In her 70th birthday year, Tan will wow Festival audiences with a rare combination of music, theatre and
choreography.
Cabinet of Curiosities will highlight Tan’s creativity and brilliance as she performs arrangements by renowned
innovative composers David M. Gordon, Alvin Lucier, James Joslin, Ge Gan-ru and Phyllis Chen.
Her performance of David M. Gordon’s Diclavis Enorma will engage keyboards, microtonal call bells and tape
playback, while her delivery of electro-acoustic pioneer Alvin Lucier’s Nothing is Real will see The Beatles’ Strawberry
Fields Forever waft from a teapot.
Taking on the Alice in Wonderland-inspired Hatta by young English composer James Joslin, inspired by Alice’s 150th
birthday, audiences will be invited down the rabbit hole as Joslin’s miniature music drama unfolds on toy pianos, an
amplified chess and tea set, electric kettle and alarm clock, all presided over by the Cheshire Cat.
Tan’s rendition of Shanghainese composer Ge Gan-ru’s Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!, a Peking-opera-inspired melodrama
for voice self-accompanied by a 16-piece toy orchestra which she will also perform, was described by The New York
Times as “a powerfully moving experience”.
The centrepiece of the show will see Tan use toy pianos, toy instruments and other oddities to deliver Curios by
Chinese-American composer Phyllis Chen, commissioned for the 2015 Singapore International Arts Festival, which
revolves around the bizarre, enchanting world of the carnival.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Margaret Leng Tan was an example of what made Brisbane
Festival so diverse.
“Margaret’s work bypasses perceived boundaries of the ‘usual’ concert experience and creates a new level of
connection with audiences. It is wonderful to welcome such a pioneering and influential artist to Brisbane,” Mr Berthold
said.
Cabinet of Curiosities is part of Brisbane Festival’s Singapore series, which will also feature powerful performances
including The Importance of Being Earnest, Charlie Lim, Black Angels and Best Of.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
26
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Singapore Series is presented by Brisbane Festival and Singapore Airlines.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 9 Sept
WHERE: Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
DURATION: 100 minutes (interval)
TICKETS: Adults $30, Concession $25, Groups $25 (a $6.95 fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
27
MUSIC
BLACK ANGELS
Black Angels
Singapore’s leading string quartet strikes a chord at Brisbane Festival
Singapore’s renowned T’ang Quartet will make its Australian premiere in a special one-off performance of its Black
Angels concert at Queensland Conservatorium on Wednesday 23 September 2015, as part of Brisbane Festival’s
th
celebratory series marking the country’s 50 anniversary of independence.
The T’ang Quartet is renowned for pushing artistic boundaries, seamlessly reinterpreting classical work for
contemporary fans while still appealing to traditional audiences.
st
nd
The talented ensemble is made up of Ng Yu-Ying (1 violin), Ang Chek Meng (2 violin), Leslie Tan (cello) and Lionel
Tan (viola) and was formed in 1992 when the members performed in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
As well as being a playful reference to the names of the group members, T’ang is a nod to their Asian heritage,
symbolising the golden age of cultural expression in the Tang Dynasty.
The performance will explore the musical visions of darkness and light in three exquisite pieces.
The central piece will cast a dark shadow on the stage through American composer George Crumb’s 1970
composition Black Angels – a maniacal alchemy of electric string instruments, glass rods, crystal glasses and tam-tam
gongs that resurrects uneasy memories of the Vietnam War.
th
It is framed by the hope, light and healing of the 12 century prayer 3 antiphons composed by Hildegard von Bingen, a
German writer and philosopher and John Tavener’s mystical The Hidden Treasure from 1989.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the T’ang Quartet was one of Singapore’s greatest musical
exports and would give the audience a taste of the country’s exciting arts and culture scene.
“As well as being talented musicians individually, the powerful connection and unity between the group adds another
dimension to their stunning performance,” Mr Berthold said.
“The T’ang Quartet has unmistakable charisma and energy, while being technically impeccable and wonderfully
innovative. This special performance is sure to captivate audiences and add an exciting new edge to classical music.”
The critically acclaimed group has toured worldwide and has also collaborated and performed with many
contemporaries from around the world, including Malaysian-born New Zealand concert pianist John Chen, Irish pianist
Fingin Collins, American pianist Marian Hahn, German-born Australian classical guitarist Karin Schaupp, and
American cellist Carter Enyeart.
Black Angels will form part of the Festival’s Singapore series, alongside The Importance of Being Earnest, Best Of,
Cabinet of Curiosities and Charlie Lim.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Black Angels is presented by Brisbane Festival and Griffith University.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
28
Singapore Series is presented by Brisbane Festival and Singapore Airlines.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 23 Sept
WHERE: Conservatorium Theatre, Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $35, Concession $30, Groups $30 (a booking fee applies)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
29
MUSIC
THUM PRINTS
Thum Prints
World’s best beatboxer battles it out with Queensland Symphony Orchestra at
Brisbane Festival
In an unconventional Brisbane collaboration, global beatboxing sensation Tom Thum will team up with the full forces
of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) for the world premiere of Thum Prints at Brisbane Festival on Friday
18 September 2015.
To be performed at QPAC’s Concert Hall, groundbreaking composer Gordon Hamilton has weaved his musical magic
to create an exhilarating composition that fuses beatboxing and classical music, pushing sonic boundaries in a way
that has never been done before.
Expect a musical watershed that hovers somewhere between jazz, hip hop and an off-the-wall Rite of Spring. Tangles
of symphonic colour mix with electrifying grooves, and fleeting strands of Faure, Pharoahe Monch and vintage hip hop
morph in risky rhythmic tension.
The concert will also include a performance of Philip Glass’s Symphony No.4 Heroes, based on the seminal David
Bowie/Brian Eno album. It will be conducted by Jessica Cottis, hailed in the UK music press as “the one to watch” and
fast gaining an international reputation as one of the most exciting conductors of the younger generation.
Beatboxing virtuoso Tom Thum has performed at festivals across the globe, including Brisbane Festival in 2012,
selling out shows from Berlin to New York. His 2013 TEDx video, The orchestra in my mouth, is the world’s most
watched TEDx video with almost 40 million views on YouTube.
Usually performing solo, Thum Prints is a career defining performance for the young vocal percussionist and follows a
scaled-back season of the show which sold out at Brisbane Powerhouse in May.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Thum Prints would appeal to a vast audience.
“Combining the virtuosic abilities of Tom Thum, sheer brilliance of Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Gordon
Hamilton’s cutting-edge concerto, this event will appeal to musically-minded types as well as those after a great night
of entertainment,” Mr Berthold said.
“Flawlessly combining elements of classical and contemporary music, this trio of home-grown talent perfectly
embodies the rich and innovative cultural scene in Brisbane.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Thum Prints is presented by Brisbane Festival, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Datacom and is proudly
supported by RACQ and Black Bird Bar & Grill.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
30
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Fri 18 Sept
WHERE: Concert Hall, QPAC
DURATION: 120 minutes
TICKETS: Premium $60, Adults $40 - $50, Concession $35, Groups $40 - $55 (a $6.95 transaction fee applies per
transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
31
MUSIC
SYMPHONY FOR ME
Symphony for Me
QSO puts locals in the spotlight in Symphony for Me
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) will offer members of the community a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take
to QPAC’s Concert Hall stage as a special guest in Symphony for Me, a free, family-friendly concert on Saturday 19
September 2015 as part of Brisbane Festival.
Prior to the concert, Brisbane Festival and QSO will call out to locals to share their favourite piece of classical music
and the story behind why the composition is so significant to them.
A number of entries will be selected, then on the night participants will be invited on stage to tell audiences the story
behind their chosen piece, with Andrew Lofthouse directing the conversation.
Following this, participants will take a front-row seat on the conductor’s podium to watch the full-forces of the QSO
perform their selected number, under the baton of Australian-British conductor Jessica Cottis.
Applicants don’t have to be classical music devotees to enter – it can be a tune heard as a child, in a movie, or linked
to a significant life event, but one that is close to their heart.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Symphony for Me was a rare opportunity for the public to take
part in a grand orchestral production and for the community to connect with fellow residents.
“This is a wonderful chance to experience the magic of the Concert Hall from a performer’s perspective and get upclose-and-personal with the renowned QSO,” Mr Berthold said.
“To be on the stage where some of the world’s greatest artists have performed will be a thrilling experience and I
guarantee participants will never forget the moment.
“Audiences will be moved not only by beautiful music, but by locals’ cherished personal stories.”
To take part in Symphony for Me visit brisbanefestival.com.au and register for this one-of-a-kind opportunity.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Symphony for Me is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by Channel Nine and Black Bird Bar &
Grill.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sat 19 Sept
WHERE: Concert Hall, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
DURATION: 140 minutes (interval)
TICKETS: Free
BOOKINGS: Reserve your free tickets at brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
32
MUSIC
QSO & SIMONE YOUNG
MEDIA RELEASE
25 June 2015
Two Australian powerhouses join QSO for a profound
Mahler program
Following a sell-out performance in 2014, esteemed Australian conductor Simon Young returns to
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) continuing her Mahler odyssey in Brisbane on Saturday 12
September in the QPAC Concert Hall.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty hot night,” Young describes the program featuring Mahler’s epic Sixth
Symphony, a monumental work with the force of over 100 orchestral musicians and the famous hammer
blow of fate.
“When that hammer comes smashing down for those three hammer blows you can physically feel the
tension and engagement of everyone involved,” Young said.
This program also showcases acclaimed Australian soprano Lisa Gasteen performing the beautiful texts in
Mahler’s Rückert Lieder song cycle. “Lisa Gasteen is absolutely perfect for them,” Young said.
Simone Young is internationally recognised as one of the leading conductors of her generation. She was most
recently General Manager and Music Director of the Hamburgische Staatsoper and Music Director of the
Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg.
Lisa Gasteen is greatly admired in the industry not only for her poignant voice and exemplary diction but also
for her integrity as an artist and colleague, and the emotion she imbues in the characters she portrays.
Be sure to witness this Brisbane Festival highlight as two international stars perform with Queensland
Symphony Orchestra. Tickets available at qso.com.au
Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Brisbane Festival present
QSO & SIMONE YOUNG
Saturday 12 September at 7.30pm, QPAC Concert Hall
Featuring: Conductor Simone Young, Soprano Lisa Gasteen
Program: Mahler Rückert Lieder, Mahler Symphony No.6
Pre-concert talk at 6.30pm
BOOKINGS qso.com.au
Kath Rose - Queensland Symphony Orchestra T: (07) 3357 9054 M: 0416 291 493 E: [email protected]
33
MUSIC
Media Release
TOURING 27 AUGUST – 12 SEPTEMBER
musicaviva.com.au/Lewis
A great piano recital is chamber music in its purest form, intimate
but universal. In the hands of a master such as Paul Lewis, it can
be a transcendent experience and a personal sharing of ideas and
emotions.
Music by Brahms lies at the centre of this program. His Ballades
op 10 were written when he was a very young man, and their easy
melodiousness is tempered by melancholy. The Intermezzi op 117
came at the other end of his life, when his vows of retiring were
often stalled by the creation of new pieces of innovative beauty.
Brahms always struggled with ‘the heavy tread’ of Beethoven, the
great master whose works, he felt, were so good as to make life
almost impossible for the composers who came after him. Paul
Lewis will bookend this program with two of Beethoven’s last
works for piano, highlighting the musical relationships between the
composers.
PAUL LEWIS
PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata no 30 in E major, op 109
BRAHMS Four Ballades, op 10
Three Intermezzi, op 117
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata no 32 in C minor, op 111
PAUL LEWIS
PIANO
BRISBANE PERFORMANCE | WEDNESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 7PM
QPAC Concert Hall, Cnr Grey and Melbourne Sts, South Bank
Brisbane concert presented in association with Brisbane Festival.
Media Enquiries: Cassie Etwell,
Media & Communications Manager,
Musica Viva
T 02 8394 6658
E [email protected]
The word ‘monumental’ is sometimes applied too lightly, but here it’s
completely apt. With these late sonatas Beethoven did what he had
previously done to the concerto and the symphony – turned them
from showpieces or mere entertainment, into art.
34
MUSIC
RENÉE FLEMING
4 May 2015
AMERICAN SUPERSTAR SOPRANO RENÉE FLEMING NOW COMING
TO QUEENSLAND
ONE NIGHT ONLY AT QPAC – 7 SEPTEMBER 2015
"A superstar by any measure"
THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in collaboration with the Brisbane
Festival has attracted one of the world’s most sought after opera singers, Renée
Fleming, to perform her first Queensland performance in over a decade on QPAC’s
Concert Hall stage this September.
Fleming is a multi Grammy award winning star with a sparkling career that spans
three decades and has seen her grace the world’s greatest opera stages and concert
halls from The Metropolitan Opera New York to La Scala Milan, and the Winter
Palace in St Petersburg.
Fleming will enchant audiences in this rare Australian appearance performing several
of her signature works including Ravel’s Shéhérazade and selections from
Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne, accompanied by pianist Richard Bado.
Known as the ‘People’s Diva’, in 2014 Fleming was the first opera singer to perform
the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl, and was selected to perform on the
balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Queensland Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
Concert in 2012. Fleming also performed at the inauguration of Barack Obama in the
Lincoln Centre Memorial and National Mall in Washington DC in January 2009.
QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said bringing an artist of this magnitude provides
a great opportunity for Queensland audiences to witness one of the world’s finest
sopranos right on their doorstep.
“Over 30 years we have fostered relationships with artists and companies both
across Australia and internationally to attract some of the world’s best live
performance experiences.
“Working with one of Australia’s finest theatre directors, David Berthold to bring
Fleming during his inaugural year as Artistic Director of the iconic Brisbane Festival
is a great achievement. Such collaborations are key to our ability to attract such
significant artists to our state.
cont...
35
...2
“This concert is only her second ever performance at QPAC and is not to be missed,”
said Mr Kotzas.
David Berthold said this performance by Renée Fleming will be a standout event
during this year’s Brisbane Festival.
“I’m a massive admirer of Ms Fleming. Her luxurious lyric soprano voice and warm,
charismatic stage presence combine to make her one of the most engaging singers
in the world. I am sure Queensland audiences will relish this rare opportunity to
experience her singing live at QPAC,” said Mr Berthold.
In addition to being a four-time Grammy Award winner and receiving 14 nominations,
Renée Fleming also has three honorary doctorates and was awarded the National
Medal of Arts in 2013, America’s highest honour for an individual artist, presented by
President Barack Obama.
Don’t miss Renée Fleming in one concert only on Monday 7 September 2015.
Tickets go on sale on Monday 18 May from 9.00am. To join a waitlist please go to
qpac.com.au. For bookings visit qpac.com.au or phone 136 246.
-ENDSQPAC AND BRISBANE FESTIVAL PRESENT:
Renée Fleming
In Recital for One Night Only
WHEN:
WHERE:
TICKETS*:
BOOKINGS:
Monday 7 September 7.30pm
Concert Hall, QPAC, Cultural Precinct,
South Bank, Brisbane
Refer to qpac.com.au for current pricing
qpac.com.au or 136 246
For further information, images or interviews please contact: Cindy Ullrich
Publicity Manager QPAC ph (07) 3840 7589 or mobile 0434 366 038 or
[email protected]
For a high resolution Renée Fleming image please click here
36
MUSIC
FRONT YARD MUSIC – EXTENDED PLAY
June 2015
QPAC’S FRONT YARD MUSIC EXTENDS PLAY FOR
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
When Brisbane Festival fever hits the city this September you can be sure the
Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) will play host to the fun FREE
entertainment you have come to know and love.
Front Yard Music Extended Play will run nightly throughout the festival (excluding
Sundays) on QPAC’s Melbourne Street Green from 5pm to 8pm, 5 to 26 September
2015.
Enjoy generous helpings of iconic genres including Latin, jazz, rock, folk, soul
amongst the setting of QPAC’s luscious front yard.
Extend your QPAC experience with the outdoor program of FREE live music
perfectly complementing the shows that are taking place inside QPAC’s theatres
each night.
Front Yard Music Extended Play allows you to kick back and discover your new
favourite music act, dance your heart out or just enjoy the evening soaking up the
festival flavour. It is one of the many new initiatives taking place throughout QPAC’s
30th anniversary year that invites you to come, participate, relax and make QPAC
your place throughout Brisbane Festival.
Join us on QPAC’s Melbourne Street Green, home to FREE live music during
Brisbane Festival. The full program* is available at qpac.com.au or call 07 3840 7444
for more information.
-ENDS-
WHEN:
TIME:
WHERE:
TICKETS*:
BOOKINGS:
Nightly (excluding Sundays)
5 to 26 September 2015
5pm to 8pm
Melbourne Street Green, QPAC,
Cultural Centre, South Bank, Brisbane
Refer to qpac.com.au for current
pricing
qpac.com.au or 136 246
*Front Yard Music Extended Play program is correct at time of issue. Changes can be made
without notice please check qpac.com.au for the most up to date program.
To download a high resolution image – click here
For further information, images or interviews please contact: Inga Tracey,
Publicity Manager QPAC ph (07) 3840 7984, mobile 0478 406 459 or
[email protected]
37
CABARET
VELVET
Velvet
Hedonistic party starring Marcia Hines the hottest ticket in town
Iconic disco diva and ARIA Hall of Famer Marcia Hines will join an international cast of cabaret and musical talent to
bring Velvet, one of the most anticipated new shows on the global festival circuit, to Brisbane Festival from
Wednesday 16 to Saturday 26 September 2015 at Brisbane Powerhouse.
On the back of a sold-out season at Adelaide Fringe earlier this year, award-winning Smoke & Mirrors director Craig
Ilott takes audiences on an electrifying trip to ‘70s disco glamour and abandon.
Marcia Hines will perform alongside hugely popular singer-songwriter Brendan Maclean who featured in The Great
Gatsby, hoola-boy extraordinaire Craig Reid, New Orleans Burlesque Queen Perle Noire, dreamy muscle-man and La
Soirée headliner Stephen Williams, and Smoke & Mirrors alumnus Mix-Master Joe Accaria.
Velvet is a dizzying trip through dangerous acts of abandon, dance and live vocals, set in a glamorous nightclub
complete with a pulsating discotheque soundtrack. The show weaves a subtle narrative around reimagined classic
hits, lacing the night with nods to the excess of the 1970s.
Fuelled by funky beats, skilled performers present a dazzling show of combustible energy and create a disco inferno.
For anyone who loves Coming Out and Le Freak, this glitter-ball world will be the hottest ticket in town.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Velvet would take audiences straight to the disco era in a fun,
sexy and highly entertaining performance.
“Velvet was the hit of Adelaide Fringe Festival and I expect Brisbane audiences will embrace it,” Mr Berthold said.
“It will turn Brisbane Powerhouse into a nightclub of flashy lights, disco balls, sequined costumes, astounding vocals
and acrobatics, and a soundtrack you cannot help but dance to.”
Velvet will perform a season at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August before heading to Brisbane Festival.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Velvet is presented by Brisbane Festival and Organised Pandemonium.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
38
WHEN: Wed 16 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
DURATION: 80 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $58, Concession $55, $Groups $55 (a transaction fee applies - $3 single ticket & $6 multiple
tickets)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
39
CABARET
LADY RIZO
Lady Rizo: Unescorted
New York Cabaret superstar Lady Rizo spices up The Spiegeltent
Global cabaret icon Lady Rizo will head to Brisbane to perform her fiercely entertaining show Lady Rizo: Unescorted
for the first time at Brisbane Festival’s Spiegeltent on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2015 after sell-out
seasons in Edinburgh, London and her hometown New York.
Rizo is a world-renowned composer, comedienne and performance artist, who first exploded onto the New York stage
in 2004 with her signature mix of elegance, glamour and wit.
Her incredible career includes a Grammy win in 2010 for her collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma on the album Songs of Joy
and Peace, recording with dance music legend Moby on his ninth studio album, and the 2012 Time Out and Soho
Theatre Edinburgh Cabaret Award, the Fringe’s first ever prize created to recognise cabaret work.
In 2005, she co-created the cult ‘caburlesque’ show Lady Rizo and the Assettes, an exciting blend of theatre,
burlesque, cabaret and performance art. She continues to perform with the Assettes today, as well as having a solo
residency at Joe’s Pub, a popular New York haunt, which hosts Lady Rizo: Unescorted.
With a voice described as a mix between Peggy Lee, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse, Rizo revitalizes the art of
cabaret with youthful exuberance and contemporary flair.
Her performance seamlessly brings together vintage arrangements with pop songs from every decade, with a
songbook spanning Judy Garland to the Pixies.
In the critically acclaimed Lady Rizo: Unescorted, the vibrant chanteuse is backed by an exciting group of musicians
led by world-renowned guitarist and cellist Yair Evnine.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Lady Rizo was an incredible performer with an alluring stage
presence that would leave audiences mesmerised.
“Her sensational vocals beautifully recapture the magic of vintage compositions, while stamping a soulful and
contemporary edge on every performance,” Mr Berthold said.
“Transporting audiences on a journey through the decades, the stage will be brought to life in a fun-fuelled night of
song and comedy, making it a cabaret show like no other and one not to be missed at this year’s Festival.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Lady Rizo: Unescorted is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
40
WHEN: Sat 12 and Sun 13 Sept
WHERE: The Speigeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $45, Concession $42, Groups $42
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
41
CABARET
HOT BROWN HONEY
Hot Brown Honey
Feisty burlesque brings colour, culture and controversy to Brisbane Festival
Provocative burlesque show Hot Brown Honey will make its highly anticipated return for Brisbane Festival at the Judith
Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts from Wednesday 16 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
Hot Brown Honey brings together an exciting mix of dance, poetry, comedy, circus, striptease and song, taking
audiences on a journey from the simmering shores of Polynesia to the bogan streets of Australia, from Africa and Asia
to the life of a single mother and DJ, undressing difficult topics with humour and wit.
The show is directed by Lisa Fa’alafi, co-director of Polytoxic, a Brisbane-based dance and theatre company inspired
by the traditions of the Pacific.
Fa’alafi created Hot Brown Honey alongside her co-star and musical director Busty Beatz, an award-winning
composer and hip-hop theatre pioneer, and talented Circus Oz performer Candy Bowers.
Alongside Fa’alafi and Beatz, Australian singer songwriter Ofa Fotu, Brisbane-based beatboxer Hope Haami, circus
aerialist Crystal Stacey and Indigenous contemporary dancer Juanita Duncan make up the cast.
The sassy ensemble pushes the boundaries of traditional burlesque, revitalising the genre to explore and challenge
racial, cultural and gender stereotypes.
In an explosion of colour, culture and controversy, the group stamp their signature style on the performance, bringing
a contemporary, satirical and political edge to the stage.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Hot Brown Honey was a vibrant and spirited show that would
turn audience expectations of burlesque on their head.
“The talented cast are incredible singers, dancers, performance artists and storytellers, who will bring their own brand
of fierce wit and charisma to the Festival,” Mr Berthold said.
“This is a defiant production. It interrogates stereotypes and attitudes in a way that will challenge, entertain and
empower audiences.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Hot Brown Honey is presented by Brisbane Festival and Briefs Factory in association with Judith Wright Centre.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
42
PRIZE FIGHTER
WHEN: Wed 16 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Performance Space, Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
DURATION: 95 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $38, Concession $35, Groups $35
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
43
CIRCUS
IL RITORNO
Il Ritorno
Brisbane Festival commissions world premiere fusion of circus and baroque
opera
Commissioned by Brisbane Festival, award-winning Brisbane circus company Circa will perform the world premiere of
its groundbreaking new fusion of circus and baroque opera, Il Ritorno, at Brisbane Powerhouse from Tuesday 8 to
Saturday 12 September 2015.
Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz in collaboration with Adelaide-based composer Quincy Grant, the
th
production will retell Claudio Monteverdi’s 17 century Il Ritorno D’Ulisse in Patria, one of the first modern operas.
An outstanding cast of singers and accompanists will join the famed members of Brisbane’s own Circa ensemble to
chart the epic journey of Greek hero Ulysses as he travels home after 20 years of war and wandering the globe.
The story unravels as his faithful wife Penelope is forced to choose one of the many suitors she had previously
resisted, unaware Ulysses is soon to return.
Fusing Circa’s world-renowned stripped-back acrobatics with baroque opera, the production puts a unique twist on
Monteverdi’s classic work, combining it with folk songs and new compositions, as well as percolating it through the
lens of Primo Levi’s accounts of post WWII European displacement.
At the heart of Il Ritorno is the longing to return home – saturated with loss and war, this production is deeply moving,
utterly human and a profound hymn of togetherness.
Circa is renowned for pushing artistic boundaries and creating powerful works of circus art that challenge and
captivate. Under the direction of Lifschitz, Circa’s award-winning work has been seen in 32 countries across six
continents.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Yaron Lifschitz was an incredible innovator, skilfully combining
circus and opera without compromising their individual qualities.
“It’s a great thrill to lead the commissioning of this work from one of the world’s great performance companies, which
happens to call Brisbane home. We’re joined by London’s Barbican and festivals in Germany and France, which
suggests to me that this theatre event will go on to have a long international life, just as several Circa shows have
already enjoyed,” Mr Berthold said.
“Yaron is a master of redefining circus as an art form that blows away all expectations. I think Il Ritorno will be one of
the great highlights of the Festival.”
Following Il Ritorno’s premiere at Brisbane Festival, the production will embark on a highly anticipated world tour.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Il Ritorno is presented by Brisbane Festival and Aurecon.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
44
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 9 to 12 September
WHERE: Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
DURATION: 80 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $45, Concession $40, Groups $40 (Transaction fee applies: $3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
45
CIRCUS
FEAR & DELIGHT
Fear & Delight
Brisbane Festival puts Fear & Delight into a brand new tent at South Bank
Brisbane Festival’s gastronomically adventurous event, Fear & Delight, will take up residence at South Bank from
Saturday 5 to Friday 25 September, luring audiences with a once-in-a-lifetime decadent culinary and theatrical
escapade.
To cater for it, Brisbane Festival will add a second tent to the South Bank Festival hub, which will be five times bigger
than in previous years.
Created by Strut & Fret, the award-winning makers of Festival hits LIMBO and Cantina, Fear & Delight is a
monumental event revealing a new world of visual and edible wonderment, all in a special tent by the River.
In phase one, the Fear & Delight arena opens early to a select few for an extravagant feast complete with artisan
wines and unexpected experiences. THE DEVIL’S BANQUET begins with a secret induction into the narrative of the
night ahead with a magic pill and unnerving canapés.
Phase two sees more people join the diners for a wickedly captivating show. The story unfolds with cult UK DJs, The
Correspondents, melding their adrenalin-inducing, jazz-infused electro with an elite international cast performing
incredible physical feats, creating a heart-racing spectacle.
The party continues as people hit the dance floor and sample blood shots at THE AFTER PARTY in phase three.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said audiences would be treated to an intriguing twist on the usual
‘dinner and a show’, combining an otherworldly food experience, breathtaking performances and the party of a
lifetime.
“Fear & Delight is a colossal show and we are putting a second performance tent down on the River right through the
Festival. We have reworked the show since its creation in Adelaide and this distilled version is an even more potent
extravaganza that will leave you salivating,” Mr Berthold said.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Fear & Delight is presented by Brisbane Festival and Audi.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Fri 4 (preview) to Fri 25 Sept 2015
WHERE: Fear and Delight Tent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 90mins (The Show), 180 mins (The Devil’s Banquet)
TICKETS: Adults from $50 (The Show)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
46
CIRCUS
FLOWN
FLOWN
Australian premiere circus spectacular flies into Brisbane
An award-winning show that changed the way the UK’s biggest arts festival Glastonbury commissioned new circus is
coming to Brisbane Festival for its Australian premiere and exclusive season from Friday 11 to Friday 25 September
2015.
Acclaimed circus company Pirates of the Carabina (POC) was formed in 2011 to create a new show - FLOWN - for
Glastonbury Festival. Its massive popularity resulted in the establishment of the Glastonbury Arts Commission award
as a platform for new circus companies.
Since then, with the support of producing company Crying Out Loud, FLOWN has toured across the UK, France and
Sweden and won a Total Theatre Award for Physical/Visual Theatre at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The comically chaotic circus performance will land at The Courier-Mail Piazza for two weeks in September, bringing
family-friendly, high-energy antics that invite festival-goers to come inside, look behind the scenes and delight in the
absurdity of contemporary circus life.
Bursting with live music, aerial, acrobatics and stunts, FLOWN will take audience expectations of a circus and turn
them on their head.
Accompanied by a roaring live soundtrack, a motley crew of incredible artists will occasionally pause from spinning on
a wheel or dangling from a rope to tell a joke or reveal their innermost secrets, confessing the truth of a life spent
treading the boards and swinging from rafters.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the Australian premiere of FLOWN would be a jaw-dropping
performance.
“FLOWN will be a captivating night at the circus, jam-packed with thrills, surprising feats and plenty of laughter, the
perfect event for the whole family,” Mr Berthold said.
“From a flying aerialist ironing her dress, an unsuspecting acrobat getting tangled in the rigging and stuntmen dangling
from the lighting bar - never has so much going wrong seemed so right!”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
FLOWN is presented by Brisbane Festival and The Courier-Mail.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
47
WHEN: Fri 11 to Fri 25 Sept 2015
WHERE: The Courier-Mail Piazza
DURATION: 85 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $45, Child $35, Concession $40, Groups $40, Family $125
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
MORE INFORMATION: This production contains haze.
48
THE SPIEGELTENT
THE SPIEGELTENT OVERVIEW
The Spiegeltent Overview
The Spiegeltent returns with fun for all ages
The Spiegeltent will be the beacon of Brisbane Festival’s new hub ‘Arcadia’, indulging merrymakers in a wondrous
world of music and cabaret, alongside oodles of family fun during weekends and school holidays.
The riotous Club Swizzle will commandeer the ornate travelling parlour for the ever-popular 9pm cabaret show, rolling
into town with a cavalcade of gravity-defying acrobatics, infectious live music and hilarious antics, all set on a bar.
Reigning over the chaos is New York nightlife icon, comedian and “the hardest working middle-aged man in show
business”, Murray Hill.
Cabaret fanatics best mark the second weekend of the Festival in their diaries, as Grammy Award-winning New York
superstar Lady Rizo seduces crowds with a songbook stretching from Judy Garland to the Pixies, peppered with her
own rousing anthems and shameless flirting in two special shows.
This year’s music program is plucked and primed from around the world. To kick it off, ARIA Award-winning, multi
platinum indie queen Megan Washington will return home with her crushing vocals, off the back of her new album
There There.
Get a dose of the east with the impossible-to-describe, Fox Capture Plan, who hover above Japanese atypical jazz,
and Singaporean multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter Charlie Lim, who will melt hearts with his oldsoul croon.
Spain’s best surf rock band, Los Coronas, will get hips shaking with their high octane live show, while Afie Jurvanen,
aka Bahamas, will mull sunsets and making out with crooked smiles, with a little bit of the Caribbean direct from
Canada.
Following a sold-out show at Brisbane Festival in 2013, Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds is back for round two, this
time joining forces with Janus Rasmussen of Bloodgroup in side project Kiasmos, to warp minds with spine-tingling
electro.
There is no shortage of home-grown talent, with an exclusive concert from one of Australia’s best rock bands,
Halfway, who will be joined by Kamilaroi Elder Bob Weatherall; the delicate, Americana folk gospel and soul of We
Two Thieves; and a solo show from Conrad Sewell, who is riding high from a performance at Coachella and special
guest spot on Ed Sheeran’s recent sold-out Australian tour.
th
Local institution 4ZZZ will throw its 40 birthday in The Spiegeltent with a showcase of seminal acts integral to
Brisbane’s music scene over the last four decades, including Jeremy Neale, Screamfeeder, Ups & Downs and Ed
Kuepper.
With plenty of stuff to keep adults up late, the little ones will get their fair share of the fun with a chock-full family
program, jump started by The Listies Make You LOL!, a manic adventure with alien attacks, toilet paper cannons and
the rudest word in the world.
The Mudcakes will sing about the delicious ups and downs of family life in their funtastic kindie rock show Music for
Little Monkeys and David Collins, one half of the Umbilical Brothers, will present The Luck Child, a story about the
luckiest boy in the world, an evil king and a three-headed hound from hell.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
49
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said The Spiegeltent was a playground for the young and young at
heart.
“The magic of The Spiegeltent is in the eye of the beholder. Adults can be shocked and dazzled by cabaret or bask in
world-class music at night, and during the day, kids can laugh until they cry with our adventure-fuelled family
program,” Mr Berthold said.
“The space will open until late, so come down, simply soak up the atmosphere and discover why The Spiegeltent is
the place to be seen every September.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
The Spiegeltent is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation and Brisbane
Marketing.
The Spiegeltent Music Program is proudly supported by The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
50
THE SPIEGELTENT
CLUB SWIZZLE
Club Swizzle
Sassy new Spiegeltent show set to sizzle at Brisbane Festival
The creators of Olivier Award-winning La Soirée, which previously sold-out two seasons at Brisbane Festival, will bring
their brand new show Club Swizzle to the Festival’s iconic Spiegeltent for a sassy night of entertainment from
Saturday 5 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
In the glamorous Spiegeltent, in the heart of the ‘Arcadia’ festival hub at South Bank, the Club Swizzle bar will come
alive. A devilish and downright cheeky evening of outrageous cabaret, air-defying acrobatics and infectious musical
revelry will transpire, courtesy of the most debaucherous souls in show business.
Reigning over the chaos is New York nightlife icon, comedian and “the hardest working middle-aged man in show
business”, Murray Hill. Named as one of the Top 100 most influential performers in OUT Magazine and one of the top
12 gender-bending performers in New York City by Time Out, Hill is also the premier and exclusive host for
international burlesque superstar Dita Von Teese.
Club Swizzle’s soundtrack comes courtesy of its house band, Mikey and the Nightcaps, a band with a repertoire as big
as its bar tab, and cabaret chanteuse, the inimitable Christa Hughes, will also grace the stage.
The boisterous Swizzle Boys - Daniel Catlow, Joren Dawson, DJ Garner and Ben Lewis - will shake things up behind
(and on top of) a bar while showing off their testosterone-fuelled acrobatic skills. Flipping, tumbling and flirting their
way through the show, these charismatic boys will pour your drinks and steal your hearts.
Rounding out the cast is an eclectic mix of sexy sirens, fierce divas and incredible entertainers with an irresistible
sense of good old-fashioned showmanship.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said there is a huge appetite for this calibre of cabaret.
“Club Swizzle is an outrageous and fun-fuelled show with the crème de la crème of saucy acts. It will provide great
nightly entertainment in the Spiegeltent,” Mr Berthold said.
Club Swizzle made its world premiere at Sydney Opera House earlier this year and due to popular demand extended
its season by a month.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Club Swizzle is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by Executive Channel, Hit105 and Oaks Hotels
& Resorts.
Parental guidance advised for this event (some bad language).
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
51
WHEN: Thu 3 and Fri 4 (preview) to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 120 minutes (interval)
TICKETS: All tickets $70
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
52
THE SPIEGELTENT
MEGAN WASHINGTON
Megan Washington
Iconic Australian chanteuse opens Spiegeltent music program
Headlining The Spiegeltent, two-time ARIA Award-winner and multi-platinum selling artist Megan Washington – one of
Brisbane’s greatest musical exports – is one of the mind-blowing performers opening this year’s Brisbane Festival on
Saturday 5 September.
Washington will kick-off The Spiegeltent music program on opening night, following a completely sold-out national
album tour in February for her sophomore record There There.
Co-written with Sam Dixon, an Australian writer and record producer who has worked with vocal powerhouses such as
Sia, Adele and Christina Aguilera, Washington’s incredible album was met with rave reviews from fans and critics
alike.
Punctuated by Washington’s trademark lyrical hooks and lush, new-romantic pop references, the album mines
new depths in a chronicle of a woman discovering the moral complexities of love, with each song telling the story of
people in her life.
Following her acclaimed anthem-filled debut album I Believe You Liar (2010), and the majestic mini-album Insomnia
(2011), Washington appeared as a mentor on The Voice Australia and inspired the world with her revealing personal
story via a TEDx Talk on ABC’s Australian Story.
Her appearance at Brisbane Festival will coincide with the Tangents Tour – Washington’s first ever run of stripped
back, intimate appearances throughout every Australian state and territory.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Megan Washington was an exciting raw talent in the music
scene, who would open Brisbane Festival in style.
“Megan is a QUT and Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University graduate whose rare vocals have seen her forge
an incredibly successful career,” Mr Berthold said.
“Her hypnotic stage presence, powerful vocals and poetically candid lyrics will bring The Spiegeltent to life and give
audiences a musical experience they will not forget.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Megan Washington is presented Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
53
THE SPIEGELTENT
CONRAD SEWELL
Conrad Sewell
Major new Australian talent returns home for Brisbane Festival
Hailed as “pop’s rock-loving rising star” by Rolling Stone, Brisbane-born singer and songwriter Conrad Sewell will
head to Brisbane Festival on Thursday 17 September 2015 for a special one-off performance at The Spiegeltent,
marking his first ever headline gig.
Riding on a high after performing at Coachella 2015, securing a prestigious special guest appearance on Ed
Sheeran’s sold out 13-date Australian tour and being announced as the support for Maroon 5’s national tour, the 25year-old newcomer is making waves in the national and international music scene.
He has generated serious buzz with his single Start Again, and last year he showcased his phenomenal vocals and
songwriting skills when he penned and performed on Kygo’s smash hit Firestone. With over 200 million streams on
Spotify globally, the track propelled Sewell into the spotlight, peaking at #1 on iTunes in 10 countries.
To pursue his music career, the Brisbane local moved to LA and was signed to independent label 300 Entertainment
by industry icon Lyor Cohen, who has helped build the careers of multi-platinum selling artists such as Jay-Z and
Kanye West.
His debut single Hold Me Up was co-written and produced with Brian Lee – who has worked with internationally famed
artists such as Lady Gaga and Icona Pop – and LA-based producer Louis Bell.
After showcasing his incredible vocal range and fresh song lyrics, his second single Start Again also created a buzz,
going gold and reaching #1 on the ARIA charts. The hit track was co-written with Jamie Hartman, who has worked
with power vocals including Christina Aguilera and Joss Stone.
Sewell is one to watch as he continues to put his soulful stamp on the music industry and build his network of
dedicated fans around the world.
He will perform at Brisbane Festival before taking on crowds in Sydney Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth
where extra show dates have been added to meet demand.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Conrad Sewell is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly presented by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
54
WHEN: Thu 17 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
55
THE SPIEGELTENT
CHARLIE LIM
Charlie Lim
Singapore’s rising star to perform at The Spiegeltent for Brisbane Festival
Singapore’s hottest musical export, young independent singer-songwriter Charlie Lim, will bring sounds stretching
from acoustic melancholia to electronic-pop to Brisbane Festival’s Spiegeltent on Tuesday 8 September 2015.
The 27-year-old first made waves across the Asia-Pacific music scene in 2011 with his self-titled debut EP, which
received critical acclaim and led to a seven-city tour.
He has performed alongside the likes of Kimbra, Sigur Rós and Lucy Rose, and graced stages at The Gathering,
Clockenflap and Jarasum International Jazz Festival. In 2014, Lim sold-out two shows at The Esplanade’s Mosaic
Music Festival – a first for a Singaporean artist.
Lim is also well known in the Melbourne music scene, having spent a few years in the city while studying a Bachelor of
Music.
His latest record, TIME/SPACE, which was released in June and went straight to the top of the iTunes Singapore
charts, is a meticulous representation of his inimitable artistic brooding and insatiable demand to push the boundaries
of pop music.
The quintessential Charlie Lim experience ultimately lies in the live show. Whether as a solo act, or with his superband The Mothership, Charlie meticulously sculpts a musical narrative so mesmerising that audiences often find
themselves rudely jolted back into reality upon its conclusion.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Charlie Lim was already a superstar in Singapore and his
beguiling vocals were quickly catching attention across the world.
“Brisbane Festival is only the second Australian festival to showcase Charlie Lim, and what better stage of his career
to do that than now as he fast tracks his way to international prominence,” Mr Berthold said.
th
Lim’s performance is part of Brisbane Festival’s Singapore Series, which marks the 50 anniversary of the nation’s
independence, and also includes The Importance of Being Earnest, Cabinet of Curiosities, Best Of and Black Angels.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Charlie Lim is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation and Brisbane
Marketing.
Singapore Series is presented by Singapore Airlines.
The Spiegeltent Music Program is proudly supported by The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
56
WHEN: Tue 8 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 mins
TICKETS: Adults $30, Concession $28, Groups $26
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
57
THE SPIEGELTENT
HALFWAY
Halfway
Australian rock band shakes up The Spiegeltent with Indigenous collaboration
One of Australia’s best rock bands, Halfway, will head to The Spiegeltent on Wednesday 9 September 2015 for a very
special concert, performing songs from their award-winning album Any Old Love, as well as excerpts from A Restless
Dream, their remarkable new collaboration with Bob Weatherall, a Kamilaroi Elder and social activist.
The talented eight-piece band will celebrate a successful 15 years together back in Brisbane, where they first formed
in 2000.
The group’s three original members – John Busby, Elwin Hawtin and Chris Dale – originate from Rockhampton, later
moving to Brisbane where they recruited Ben Johnson (bass), Dublin-born brothers Noel Fitzpatrick (pedal steel) and
Liam Fitzpatrick (banjo/mandolin), John Willsteed (guitar) and Luke Peacock (keys/guitar).
Halfway shot to success in 2004 with their debut album Farewell to the Fainthearted, produced by iconic Australian
producer Wayne Connolly who has worked with acclaimed artists such as The Vines and Josh Pyke.
In 2006, Halfway released their second album Remember the River, produced by Wayne Connolly and renowned
Australian musician Rob Younger of punk-rock band Radio Birdman. The album generated rave reviews and was
included in The Courier-Mail’s Top 10 albums of 2006.
John Busby and Chris Dale were awarded with Queensland’s most prestigious songwriting award in 2008, The Grant
McLennan Fellowship, with the panel including members of the infamous indie rock band The Go-Betweens. This
award sparked a partnership with Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens, who helped to produce Halfway’s third album
An Outpost of Promise.
Forster also helped produce Halfway’s sensational fourth album Any Old Love, which was released in 2014 to critical
acclaim, winning the AIR Carlton Dry Independent Music Award for Best Country Album. Halfway also won Song of
The Year and Best Roots song for Dulcify at the 2015 Queensland Music Awards.
Brisbane Festival’s concert will see the talented band collaborate with Weatherall, Chairman of the Centre for
Indigenous Cultural Policy in Brisbane, who has been working for many years on the repatriation of Aboriginal
remains. His incredible stories are at the heart of this powerful work-in-progress, with full performances being planned
for 2016 and 2017.
Halfway and Weatherall will also be joined by special guests on the night. In the past, Halfway has performed with
international and national acts such as The Black Keys, Gomez, You Am I, Josh Pyke, Band of Horses and Gary
Louris.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Halfway is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane Marketing and
The Music.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
ENDS
58
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 9 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
59
THE SPIEGELTENT
WE TWO THIEVES
We Two Thieves
Award-winning songstress and indie-folk frontwoman join forces in The
Spiegeltent
We Two Thieves, the powerful union of two unique singer-songwriters – Emily Lubitz of Australian indie-folk band
Tinpan Orange and ARIA-nominee Mama Kin – will perform at Brisbane Festival in The Spiegeltent on Thursday 10
September 2015 to showcase their enchanting debut album At Midnight We Ride.
As the sensational lead vocalist of critically acclaimed Tinpan Orange, Emily Lubitz has enjoyed the success of four
albums since 2004 – Aroona Palace, Death, Love & Buildings, The Bottom of the Lake, and Over the Sun – building
her a dedicated fan base. She also sang the vocals for Dumb Ways to Die, a public service campaign created by
Metro Trains Melbourne in 2012, which became an internet sensation around the world.
Mama Kin has released two successful albums, Beat and Holler and The Magician’s Daughter. The latter was
nominated for ARIA and AIR awards for Best Blues and Roots Album. The talented songstress was also awarded a
WAM Award for Folk Act of the Year 2013 and was named Port Fairy Folk Festival Artist of the Year this March.
The pair is joined by skillful instrumentalist and harmony singer, Dave Mann of the Dave Mann Collective, completing
the ensemble of folk-soul warmth.
Together, We Two Thieves bring to the stage a beautiful combination of Americana, folk, gospel and soul, alongside
transcendent vocal harmonies.
Their stunning debut album At Midnight We Ride presents a heartfelt musical journey peppered with tales of
mischievous lovers, broken hearts, tender rebels and an undaunted celebration of the treasures of life.
With a mesmerising catalogue of songs, the group’s debut album offers an artful blend of power and delicacy with a
joyful and playful edge that is apparent in their charismatic performances on stage that are as much about the songs
as the stories that unfurled them.
We Two Thieves head to Brisbane Festival after enjoying a sold-out national tour, including performances at Port
Fairy Folk Festival, Blue Mountains Music Festival, Darwin Festival and support performances with The Waifs and
John Butler Trio.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
We Two Thieves is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
60
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Thu 10 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
61
THE SPIEGELTENT
LOS CORONAS
Los Coronas
Spanish rock-n-rollers bring the surf to Brisbane Festival
Los Coronas, Spain’s greatest surf rock band, will serve up a high-energy fiesta at The Spiegeltent on Tuesday 22
and Wednesday 23 September 2015.
Founded in 1991 by band members Fernando Pardo and David Krahe, the group was named after the Californian
town of Corona – home to the flagship factory of guitar giant Fender. With the brand’s iconic guitars being recognised
as the instruments of the rock revolution, the choice of name encapsulates the timeless spirit of rock-n-roll Los
Coronas incorporate into their work.
Influenced by the music of leading instrumental rock bands The Shadows and The Ventures, as well as American surf
rock guitarists Dick Dale and Jerry Cole, the signature sound of Los Coronas is a mix of rock and ‘60s Californian surf,
combined with a taste of traditional Spanish and flamenco melodies.
The five-piece band – made up of Fernando Pardo (guitar), David Krahe (guitar), Roberto Lozano (drums), Javier
Vacas (electric bass) and Yevhen Riechkalov (trumpet) – is unique in its sound and has transformed the genre of
instrumental rock with its exciting and fresh mix of musical genres.
One of Spain’s greatest musical exports and a leader in the surf-rock music scene, the group’s rare musical career
spans two decades in which they have released 12 albums and generated rave reviews from national and
international tours.
The spirited group is renowned for their dynamic live shows and charismatic performances, promising to stir up The
Spiegeltant with two incredible concerts.
Los Coronas first visited Australia in 2012 with a 12-date tour that travelled to venues and festivals across the country.
Following the success of their debut visit, the group returned early last year for a second tour that was met with
popular acclaim.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Los Coronas is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Tue 22 and Wed 23 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $39, Concession $36, Groups $34
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix 13 62 46
62
THE SPIEGELTENT
BAHAMAS
Bahamas
Rising international star Bahamas warms up The Spiegeltent
Multi-JUNO Award-winner Alfie Jurvanen – known by his stage name Bahamas – will head to The Spiegeltent at
Brisbane Festival on Thursday 24 September 2015 to showcase his beautifully melodic vocals and powerful lyrics.
The Canadian-born singer-songwriter grew up listening to the country sounds of iconic singers such as Vince Gill,
Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt, and taught himself how to master the guitar.
Since 2009 he has been writing songs about sunsets and love affairs, with his unique musical exploration of
relationships. Bahamas’ debut album, Pink Strat, was released in 2009 to critical acclaim and was nominated for a
2010 JUNO Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year, quickly catapulting him into the spotlight.
His success continued with the release of his second album, Barchords in 2012, which was also nominated for a
JUNO Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year in 2013, while Bahamas himself was nominated for Songwriter of
the Year.
The rising star released his third album in 2014, Bahamas Is Alfie, enjoying rave reviews and being awarded the #1
spot of the Top 20 Albums of 2014 listed by CBC Radio One’s popular arts and culture magazine show, Q. The album
also won the award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2015 JUNO Awards, with Bahamas securing the
lucrative award for Songwriter of the Year.
Bahamas Is Alfie is the next step in the evolution of Jurvanen’s songcraft, guitar mastery, and melodic pop hooks –
providing stunning arrangements of strings, brass, winds, orchestral percussion and chamber choruses that transport
the listener to a place of resolve and comfort.
The talented musician has worked with an array of Canadian stars such as indie-pop icon Feist, popular alternativecountry singer Jason Collett and four-piece indie rock band Zeus.
He has also supported many international artists including American singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, critically
acclaimed alternative rock band Wilco and Robert Plant – the iconic lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin.
Bahamas will head to Brisbane Festival off the back of his highly anticipated tour around the US and Canada.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Bahamas is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane Marketing
and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
63
WHEN: Thu 24 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 mins
TICKETS: Adults $39, Concession $36, Groups $34
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix 13 62 46
64
THE SPIEGELTENT
FOX CAPTURE PLAN
Fox Capture Plan
Japan’s Fox Capture Plan makes Australian debut at Brisbane Festival
Up-and-coming Japanese contemporary jazz rock trio, Fox Capture Plan, will make its Australian debut in an
exclusive performance at Brisbane Festival’s Spiegeltent on Sunday 6 September 2015.
Inspired by the likes of Japanese musician, composer and actor Ryuichi Sakamoto, Grammy and Academy Awardwinning Burt Bacharach and Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl, this is a band with an original personality and huge
talent.
With big piano chords and pop melodic hooks they conquer classics from Björk, Oasis and Massive Attack as well as
offering up brilliant original material.
Formed in 2011 in Tokyo, Fox Capture Plan’s first full length album Trinity won the 2013 Jazz Japan Award for Album
of the Year. Successful tours of Hong Kong and China led to a second full length album Bridge.
With Ryo Kishimoto on piano, Hidehiro Kawai on double bass and Tsukasa Inoue on drums, their beautifully crafted
songs with catchy syncopated melodies will get your head bobbing, feet tapping and fingers feeling the groove.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Fox Capture Plan is presented by Brisbane Festival and proudly supported by South Bank Corporation, Brisbane
Marketing and The Music.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Sun 6 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $39, Concession $36, Groups $34
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
65
FAMILY
FAMILY EVENTS OVERVIEW
Family Program
Brisbane Festival’s fun-fuelled family program set to make crowds LOL
This year Brisbane Festival will play host to a mix of three hilariously messy and educationally interactive children’s
events, as part of its Family Program at the iconic Spiegeltent during September school holidays and weekends.
On Saturday 19 September, Australia’s most sought after family comedians will make Brisbane Festival crowds laugh
out loud in The Listies Make You LOL!. The gloriously anarchic production has sold out shows across the world and
includes alien attacks, toilet paper guns, spew, the rudest word in the world and the most disgusting pair of undies.
The Listies make you LOL! has won countless awards including Best Production for Children at the 2013 Sydney
Theatre Awards (suitable for ages 5 to 12).
The Luck Child, performed by one half of The Umbilical Brothers David Collins and directed by Jonathan Biggins (The
Wharf Revue), will show from Tuesday 22 to Friday 25 September. The winner of Best Production for Children at the
2014 Adelaide Fringe Festival, the show is based on an old Russian folk tale and will take children on a journey
following the luckiest boy in the world, an evil king and a three-headed hound from hell (suitable for ages 4 to 12).
The Mudcakes’ Music for Little Monkeys, performed by Grammy, Oscar and ARIA-nominated entertainers Rick Plant
and Sherry Rich, will play from Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 September. Featuring kazoos, electric ukuleles, bongos,
and monkeys big and small singing and flying, the interactive show will also see some of the audience take to the
stage. The Mudcakes will sing about the ups and downs of family life – the wonders of new teeth, hugging, potty
training and all those things parents and kids go through. They have also been voted Top 10 children’s CD by New
York Post (suitable for ages 2 to 8).
For some extra family fun, kids can also enjoy Library on the Lawn hosted for the first time by State Library of
Queensland at South Bank Cultural Forecourt from Saturday 12 to Friday 25 September. The educational book affair
will be home to a pop-up storytelling and play space, where there will be tales under the trees and performances sure
to please, with an assortment of kids books as well as a selection for the adults.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said this year’s Family Program would provide a wonderful mix of
entertainment for children to get involved with and enjoy the Festival.
“From brilliant comedy and Russian folk tales to interactive music and dance, these shows are specifically designed
for children and are entertaining, educational and most of all fun,” Mr Berthold said.
Other productions for younger festival-goers include The Voice in the Walls, an audio-immersive performance for 9 to
12 year olds set in Old Government House and FLOWN, a captivating jaw-dropping circus in The Courier-Mail Piazza.
Brisbane Festival will also offer free activities for the whole family including Symphony for Me, Sunsuper Riverfire,
Treasury Lights, Brisbane Airport 3D Chalk Walk and Backyard Cinema.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
The Family Program is presented by Brisbane Festival and Channel Nine.
ENDS
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
66
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
The Listies Make You LOL!
WHEN: Sat 19 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 55 minutes
TICKETS: All tickets $20, Groups $15 (4 or more)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
The Luck Child
WHEN: Tues 22 to Fri 25 Sept
WHERE: The Speigeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 45 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $27, Family $92 (2 adults, 2 children), Groups $25 (4 or more)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
Music for Little Monkeys
WHEN: Sat 12 to Sun 13 Sept
WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank
DURATION: 45 minutes
TICKETS: All tickets $20, Groups $15 (4 or more)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
67
THEATRE REPUBLIC
THEATRE REPUBLIC OVERVIEW
Theatre Republic Overview
Death, nudity and royal bashing abound at Theatre Republic
Theatre Republic, the brat child of Brisbane Festival, will invade QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct with an
insurgence of award-winning work from the independent arts scene in Australia and around the globe from Tuesday 8
to Saturday 26 September 2015.
A place to share food, wine, music and ideas, festival-goers are dared to step into the Republic to traverse the
cosmos, get camp-drenched in narcissistic megalomania, enjoy a funeral, get treasonous in the thick swamp of royal
mediocrity and set fire to an actor. This is the place to immerse yourself in brave new works at the forefront of the
independent theatre scene, and the ideas they inspire.
Rock up early and stay out late in the Theatre Republic bar with an enticing offering of pre and post-show artist chats
and a free nightly indie music program starring the likes of Michelle Xen and The Neon Wild, The Cheap Fakes and
Ayla.
Adrienne Truscott, one half of the infamous Wau Wau Sisters, throws the rules – and her clothes – out the window in
Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It, a pointed stand-up about rape, comedy and the awkward laughs in between, while
[almost] buck naked.
In another one-woman show, provocative Singaporean theatre makers, The Necessary Stage, will confront societal
expectations in Best Of. Award-winning actress Siti Khalijah Zainal plays a young Malay-Muslim woman travelling
through her day from prison to hospital revealing a contemporary vision of race, religion and cultural stereotypes in
modern Singapore.
Get to know another Singaporean woman in Saltwater, a touching evening of storytelling, conversations and food.
Dine with strangers at Jamie’s dinner table, help prepare then share a meal, and take a trip down memory lane as she
reveals the inner workings of a woman responding to loss, grief, love and commitment.
Back home, hot on the heels of a sold-out Melbourne Fringe season, MKA: Theatre of New Writing attacks
Shakespeare’s Richard II, spitting out a treasonous consanguinity of celebrity, corruption and religious self-love. With
lavish staging and a pop soundtrack, this knife-in-the-back sharp satire is a passionate play about leadership, worship
and ‘mateship’.
Giving another middle finger to the monarchy, Chris Ioan Roberts’ Dead Royal will whisk audiences to 1981 Paris,
where the Duchess of Windsor – the infamous American socialite and divorcee Wallis Simpson who caused King
Edward VIII to abdicate – invites a 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer to a doom-laden bachelorette party on the eve of
her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales.
In a searing immersive experience of biblical proportions, The City They Burned is a modern retelling of Lot and his
family. Melbourne’s most fearless indie theatre company, Attic Erratic, tackles the political landscape head-on, while
questioning the notion of the ‘greater good’.
Shrouded in mystery, Funeral takes a celebratory slant to a life lived richly and well. It is joy, death, eulogy, burial and
acceptance all wrapped up in a live art performance, but you will never, never know, if you never, never go.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
68
Also delving into the macabre, Minnie and Mona Play Dead is a play within a play that tells the story of two friends:
one wants to make believe they are cheeky unicorns and the other wants to die. This captivating black comedy delves
into the rough ground unearthed when everyone around you wants to leave. Forever.
Red Stitch Actors Theatre will present an exhilarating double-bill in Dead Centre/Sea Wall, which joins two leading
playwrights from different continents as they explore the lives of two seemingly unconnected people in unexpected
and heart-rending ways.
Flying the flag for local talent, Thomas Quirk will present the world premiere of his new work The Theory of
Everything. Solving the riddles behind black holes, popular music and why we fall in love, eight actors attempt to find
purpose by condensing the history of the 14-billion-year-old universe into one hour.
Theatre Republic will also host Experimenta Recharge: The 6th International Biennial of Media Art, an exhibition that
looks closely at the role media art plays in retelling and creating stories. Presented by Brisbane Festival, Experimenta
and QUT Precincts, it features five new commissions and more than 20 leading artists from around the globe.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Theatre Republic would be a pulsing Festival hub, housing
some of the best independent work in the world in its five venues.
“Audiences will flow from the surrounding theatres into the Theatre Republic garden bar - featuring a free nightly
program of indie music and conversations with festival artists,” Mr Berthold said.
“We have expanded activities at the site, so people can see two or three shows a night at low ticket prices.
“Come early for a drink and stay out late to savour the delectable selection of tastes from local artisan food makers,
curated by Wandering Cooks.
“Theatre Republic is the place to be if you want to see thought-provoking theatre and artists with abandon.”
Executive Dean of QUT’s Creative Industries Faculty Professor Mandy Thomas said the University was proud to once
again partner with Brisbane Festival to host Theatre Republic.
“As a university with a strong focus on creative industries research and teaching, we are committed to engaging with
the community through the arts,” Professor Thomas said.
“Our partnership with Brisbane Festival for Theatre Republic will also give our creative industries students
unprecedented opportunities to gain real-world career experience through internships and behind-the-scenes access
to performers, directors and technical staff.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Theatre Republic is presented by Brisbane Festival and QUT.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
69
THEATRE REPUBLIC
ADRIENNE TRUSCOTT’S ASKING FOR IT
Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It
Revealing one-woman show undresses difficult topic at Brisbane Festival
Adrienne Truscott, one half of the infamous burlesque duo The Wau Wau Sisters, will bring her controversial onewoman show to Brisbane Festival from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 September 2015 – a highlight of the Theatre
Republic program.
Truscott, an established choreographer, dancer, circus acrobat and writer, made her debut performance of Adrienne
Truscott’s Asking For It at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Her first attempt at stand-up comedy was met with
critical acclaim, winning her the Malcolm Hardee Award and Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award, as well as being
one of 20 artists selected nationally to receive the elusive Doris Duke Impact Artist Award.
Dressed only from the waist up and ankles down, Truscott throws the rules – and her clothes – out of the window in
this unique rhetoric about rape, comedy and the awkward laughs in between.
Featuring a pop soundtrack and commentary from George Carlin, Louis C. K. and Robert De Niro, Adrienne
Truscott’s Asking For It looks at the complex politics around rape and comedy.
Truscott offers a fresh approach to the subject, challenging the way rape has been discussed by male comedians.
One instance in particular saw American comedian Daniel Tosh make a series of jokes about rape following which a
female audience member called out “Actually rape jokes are never funny”. Tosh responded with the words "Wouldn't
it be funny if that girl got raped by like, five guys right now?” – a joke that caused widespread controversy within the
comedy world.
In Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It, Truscott’s bold comedy and stunning wit redirects the way people talk about
rape. Rather than her jokes targeting the victim, she targets the attacker and the way people discuss the subject of
rape.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It was a confronting show that
approaches difficult topics in a witty and intelligent way.
“Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It is a highly nuanced and terrifically performed show that puts high comedy at the
service of an interrogation into how we speak about rape and sexual violence,” Mr Berthold said.
“In a place where audiences can expect to be shocked and boundaries to be pushed, Truscott’s show will be sure to
get people talking at this year’s Theatre Republic.”
Theatre Republic - described as the ‘brat child’ of Brisbane Festival - will invade QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct
with an insurgence of award-winning work from the independent arts scene in Australia and around the globe from
Saturday 5 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
Ahead of its arrival at Brisbane Festival, Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It has enjoyed full houses both nationally and
internationally, running in Australia, the US and the UK.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
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70
Adrienne Truscott’s Asking For It is presented by Brisbane Festival and QUT as part of Theatre Republic.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Tue 8 to Sat 12 Sept
WHERE: The Loft, Theatre Republic, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Kelvin Grove
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
MORE INFORMATION: This production is 18+ and contains nudity, adult content and frequent course language.
71
THEATRE REPUBLIC
BEST OF
Best Of
Eye-opening one-woman show explores Malay-Muslim culture in Australian
premiere
Award-winning Singaporean actress Siti Khalijah Zainal will take centre-stage at Brisbane Festival’s Theatre Republic
in a poignant piece created especially for her by Haresh Sharma, one of Singapore’s finest playwrights, and Alvin Tan,
Artistic Director of innovative Singaporean theatre company The Necessary Stage.
An Australian premiere, exclusive to Brisbane Festival, Best Of explores current issues including racism, religion,
feminism and cultural stereotyping through the eyes of a young Malay-Muslim woman living in contemporary
Singapore.
Through collective stories and personal reflection, the protagonist takes the audience on an insightful journey through
her day, lined with her own brand of comedic wit.
Playing at La Boite Studio as part of Theatre Republic from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 September 2015, Best Of
begins with a visit to a prison, ends at a hospital, and sees Siti’s character open up about her personal thoughts,
hopes and fears, including her ongoing divorce proceedings under Sharia law.
In a delicate blend of poignant and comedic moments, Siti offers a captivating insight into modern Singapore.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said although the show would focus predominantly on Malay-Muslim
culture, it would touch on universal issues that all audiences could resonate with.
“Siti’s captivating presence on stage is effortless and she delivers her performance with passion and authenticity,” Mr
Berthold said.
“It’s wonderful to be in her company. The play confronts societal expectations with a gentle social critique and intimate
moments of personal reflection.”
The show was first performed in 2013 and has been staged four times in Singapore and Malaysia to critical and
popular acclaim.
Join Siti and the creative team from Best Of in the Theatre Republic garden bar for a series of post show discussions.
For dates and times refer to brisbanefestival.com.au.
th
Best Of will form part of Brisbane Festival’s Singapore Series, which marks the Island state’s 50 anniversary of
Independence from Malaysia. Other works in the series include The Importance of Being Earnest, Cabinet of
Curiosities, Black Angels and Charlie Lim.
It is also a highlight of the Theatre Republic program which will invade QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct with an
insurgence of award-winning work from the independent arts scene in Australia and around the globe from Saturday 5
to Saturday 26 September 2015. Featuring a nightly program of free music and artist chats in the garden bar, Theatre
Republic is the place to immerse yourself in brave new works and in the conversations they inspire.
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72
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Best Of is presented by Brisbane Festival and QUT.
Singapore Series is presented by Singapore Airlines.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Tue 8 to Sat 12 Sept
WHERE: La Boite Studio, Theatre Republic, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Kelvin Grove
DURATION: 55 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
73
THEATRE REPUBLIC
DEAD ROYAL
Dead Royal
Provocative one-man show brings madness to the monarchy
In an Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane Festival, Dead Royal, a one-man show written, directed and
performed by London-based Australian expat Chris Ioan Roberts, gives the middle finger to the monarchy from
Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 September 2015 as part of Theatre Republic.
A highlight of this year’s independent theatre program Theatre Republic, Roberts’ provocative comedy intertwines the
remarkable stories of Diana Spencer and Wallis Simpson – the infamous American socialite and divorcee who caused
King Edward VIII to abdicate.
Dead Royal will transport audiences to Villa Windsor, Paris in 1981 – the eve of Lady Diana’s wedding to Charles,
Prince of Wales. In a despair-laden bachelorette party hosted by Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, she frantically warns 19year-old Diana to flee her impending nuptials before she marries the wrong man and becomes lost in the immortal
world of royal mediocrity.
Laying bare some heinous 80’s fashion crimes and Britain’s obsession with Lady Diana, this historical melodrama
explores the notion of marrying into the royal family and how civilians that do are irreparably judged by history.
Roberts performs both roles, seamlessly transforming between the two characters, harnessing his cutting-edge comic
and dramatic skills.
The show’s captivating script also includes quotes taken from historical interviews with Wallis Simpson and Diana
Spencer. The authenticity and intimacy of incorporating their original words brings another dimension to the show, and
compliments Robert’s brand of twisted comedy by allowing audiences to feel as if they have intruded on a private
moment.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said Dead Royal was a highly imaginative piece of theatre with Chris
Roberts delivering a compelling performance.
“Roberts has a very subversive humour, but it contains tragic undertones in a way that is undeniably thoughtprovoking,” Mr Berthold said.
“Roberts is an extremely talented artist whose enthralling show will be a stand-out at this year’s Theatre Republic.”
Theatre Republic - described as the ‘brat child’ of Brisbane Festival - will invade QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct
with an insurgence of award-winning work from the independent arts scene in Australia and around the globe from
Tuesday 8 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
Audiences will flow from the surrounding theatres into the Theatre Republic garden bar – a place to share food, drink
and ideas for change. Featuring a nightly music program and conversations with festival artists Theatre Republic is
the place to immerse yourself in the works at the forefront of the independent theatre scene and the ideas that they
inspire.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
74
Dead Royal is presented by Brisbane Festival and QUT.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Tue 15 to Sat 19 Sept
WHERE: La Boite Studio, Theatre Republic, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Kelvin Grove
DURATION: 60 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
75
THEATRE REPUBLIC
RICHARD II
Richard II
Cutting-edge playwright puts politically charged spin on Shakespeare classic
MKA: Theatre of New Writing, one of Australia’s most celebrated contemporary theatre companies, brings its
provocative adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard II – inspired in part by the Rudd/Gillard years – to Brisbane Festival
from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
Featuring lavish staging and a pop soundtrack, this knife-in-the-back-sharp satire about leadership, worship and
‘mateship’ plays at The Loft in QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct at Brisbane Festival’s Theatre Republic.
Playwright, director and performer Mark Wilson, who created the comic adaptation, alongside Olivia Monticciolo (Bell
Shakespeare’s Phèdre), is a bold new voice in Shakespeare having been selected as an International Fellow at
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. His controversial interpretation of Macbeth, Unsex Me, sold out at last year’s
Melbourne Fringe Festival and toured nationally.
In this compelling follow-up, Wilson performs as Richard II alongside Monticciolo as his cousin Henry Bolingbroke – as
audiences discover the distrust and political intrigue of violent succession, which rings as true of politics today.
Exploring issues of gender politics, power and corruption with an edge of political satire, Richard II challenges the
notion of power, warning audiences that all leaders are human, corruptible and compromised.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said this politically charged work was an intelligent and defiant piece
of theatre that brought the issues of power and hierarchy in Shakespeare’s original work into a contemporary
landscape.
“In a skilfully crafted combination of comedy and tragedy, Mark Wilson creates a unique experience that will both
entertain audiences and offer a perceptive dig at Australian politics,” Mr Berthold said.
“It’s a great script and is blessed with incredible performances by Mark and Olivia. It’s Shakespeare from today’s
news.”
Theatre Republic is Brisbane Festival’s alternative theatre program, showcasing award-winning work from the
independent arts scene in Australia and around the globe. It is also a Festival destination - a place to share food,
drinks, music and discussions with a nightly program of free music and artist chats.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Richard II is presented by Brisbane Festival and QUT.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
76
WHEN: Tue 22 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: The Loft, Theatre Republic, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Kelvin Grove
DURATION: 55 minutes
TICKETS: Adults $25, Concession $20, Groups $20
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or qtix on 13 62 46
77
THEATRE REPUBLIC
Precincts
THE VOICE IN THE WALLS
media release
For immediate release
June 2015
QUT precincts and Imaginary Theatre presents an excellent local
production for children this Brisbane Festival
As Brisbane Festival fills our city with
creativity and excitement this September,
don’t forget to include your youngsters in
the activity.
Returning by popular demand for its third
season this year, ‘The Voice in the Walls’
is an incredible and unique performance
experience created especially for 9-12 year
olds.
Set in and based upon true stories from
Queensland’s iconic ‘Old Government House’ this work takes children on an audio adventure through
the house exploring hidden corners, searching for lost memories and meeting characters both real and
unseen.
The work, commissioned by QUT and created by local children’s theatre company Imaginary Theatre,
combines the best elements of live performance, gaming, historic audio tours and juvenile adventure
novels to create a completely unique experience for children. One that is exciting, at times frightening,
and very compelling for the 9-12 year olds who engage with the work unaccompanied by their adults.
Imaginary Theatre’s Artistic Director and co-creator of the work Thom Browning says: “Playwright
David Burton worked with us to write an incredible story to build our show upon. Based in truths from
Old Government House’s curious and somewhat marred history, David has extracted a thrilling and
captivating plot, twisted in some fiction and created a story that grips children and asks them to be
complicit in the actual delivery and outcome of the show.”
About the style of production Browning said “The Voice in the Walls is a bit unusual but we chose this
form because it just works for this age group. The 30 children are set up with a wireless audio receiver
and a set of headphones, and they hear portions of the story through the headphones, like an audio
tour, which also guides them through the house to meet live performers, and discover objects to
contribute to the story. It really allows the young audience to revel in their independence, it encourages
them to take risks and be actively involved in the story: all things that 9-12 year olds have told us they
want and like.”
Old Government House Curator and Historian Katie McConnel said: “I have never seen or heard of any
production like this for children, and I have never seen children this engaged in any show or tour before.
They absolutely love The Voice in the Walls and take great delight in sharing their experience with their
parents and siblings after the show. As a Historian I am thrilled that Imaginary has created a project that
allows children and families to engage creatively with our state heritage, and in a way that is both natural
and exciting to the audience. Brisbane kids really are getting something special with this show.”
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78
Precincts
media release
QUT has cafés open to occupy parents during the show, and adjacent to Old Government House are
QUT’s The Cube, Art Museum and the City Botanic Gardens; perfect for families to make a day of the
trip to the city.
Imaginary Theatre is a Brisbane-based not for profit organization dedicated to creating world class art
and arts experiences for children aged 2-12. They have had success staging theatrical adaptations of
the Tashi books, and presenting theatre and workshops for children at Brisbane Powerhouse for the
past decade.
The Voice in the Walls is supported by Brisbane Festival 2016 and is on sale now. Tickets are limited to
30 children per show, so book in fast to avoid disappointment.
The Voice in the Walls by Imaginary Theatre
Where:
Old Government House, QUT Gardens Point, 2 George Street, Brisbane
When:
21 September - 2 October, Monday - Friday, 10am & 12pm daily
Bookings: ogh.qut.edu.au or phone 07 3138 4455
Cost:
General $25 | Groups of 5+ $20 (Strictly for 9-12 year olds, no adults, teens, or younger)
– ENDS –
For more information about the production or to arrange interviews, please contact Jess Halpin
Promotional images overleaf. Please email Jess Halpin for high resolution copies.
Media welcome to attend, please RSVP to Jess Halpin.
Permission has been granted to use all quotes in this release.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jess Halpin
Senior Marketing Officer (Performing Arts)
[email protected]
07 3138 5980
Page 2/3
79
Photographs by Yan Chen
Page 3/3
80
VISUAL ARTS
TREASURY LIGHTS
Treasury Lights
Treasury Casino & Hotel switches on for a light display spectacular
The façade of Brisbane’s iconic Treasury Casino & Hotel will transform into a son et lumière spectacular for Brisbane
Festival’s Treasury Lights from Friday 18 to Saturday 26, from dusk until 11pm.
In a free Festival first, Treasury Lights will stop spectators in their tracks with its ambitious and wild light display
created by Spinifex, one of the world’s greatest creators of live public experiences and gurus behind Vivid Sydney,
How to Train Your Dragon and the Beijing Olympics.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said he was delighted to see this exciting new component in the
2015 program.
“We are thrilled to team up with Treasury Casino & Hotel to put on this magnificent light display that is set to attract
thousands. It will be a fantastic sight to see and something the whole family can enjoy,” Mr Berthold said.
Managing Director at Treasury Casino & Hotel, the Principal Partner of Brisbane Festival, Geoff Hogg said he was
thrilled to announce a new free event – Treasury Lights.
“Following the tremendous success of the Colour Me Brisbane lightshow on Treasury’s façade during last year’s G20
cultural celebrations, we are delighted to ignite our beautiful buildings yet again with a light and sound spectacular for
all of Brisbane to enjoy,” Mr Hogg said.
The Treasury Building is a heritage-listed public administration building; prior to its construction the site was occupied
by a two-story military barracks. Now known as Brisbane’s Treasury Casino & Hotel, it houses a hotel, five
restaurants, seven bars and a nightclub.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Treasury Lights is presented by Brisbane Festival and Treasury Casino and Hotel and is proudly supported by
Technical Direction Company.
ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Fri 18 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Treasury Heritage Hotel, Brisbane City
DURATION: Dusk to 11pm
TICKETS: Free
MORE INFORMATION: This production contains strobe effects.
81
VISUAL ARTS
goa PROJECT
goa Project
Snap-happy locals capture their view of Brisbane
The goa Project will see the photographic work of students and members of the community displayed on goa’s digital
network - THE goa GRID - across the city and showcased in an exhibition as part of Brisbane Festival, from Tuesday
15 to Saturday 26 September 2015.
The popular competition has been an educational initiative of Brisbane Festival for the past 18 years. So far this year,
acclaimed photographic artist Henri van Noordenburg has been running free in-school workshops for students in years
7 to 12 to help them prepare for the contest.
As well as the schools category, the competition includes an open category giving anyone who loves to dabble in
photography the chance to participate.
Participants’ photos must explore the theme ‘I am Brisbane’, shooting an original portrait reflective of someone who
represents Brisbane.
An expert judging panel will select 15 semi-finalists from each category, whose work will be displayed on goa’s giant
6x3m screens throughout the city and at a professional exhibition at Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts
during Brisbane Festival.
Winners will be announced at a special awards evening on 15 September, including a ‘People’s Choice Award’
chosen by popular vote on Brisbane Festival’s website.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said after nearly two decades the goa Project continued to inspire
students and capture the essence of Brisbane through art.
“The work produced by students, and the general public, continues to be of a high standard and it will be fantastic to
see it reflected on goa billboards throughout the city for everyone to see,” Mr Berthold said.
“This year’s theme allows participants to capture the people who make up our city, providing a really interesting way of
looking at Brisbane.”
Open category submissions for the goa Project close on Monday 13 July.
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
The goa Project is proudly supported by goa billboards. Participating schools include Brisbane State High, Runcorn
State High School, Cannon Hill Anglican College, Jabiru Community College, Sandgate and Ferny Grove State High
School.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
ENDS
82
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
WHEN: Wed 16 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Shopfront, Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
TICKETS: FREE
BOOKINGS: NA
MORE INFORMATION: brisbanefestival.com.au
83
VISUAL ARTS
ART FROM THE MARGINS
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 7 May, 2015
Entries now open for Art from the Margins Brisbane Festival
Exhibition 2015 at City Hall
Disadvantaged artists from across Brisbane will once again have the chance to exhibit their artwork in
the Art from the Margins (AFTM) Brisbane Festival exhibition in September 2015.
Entry to the exhibition is now open, with artists encouraged to submit paintings, drawings, photographs,
prints, 3D sculptures and ceramics that respond to this year’s theme: ‘Creating Wellness’.
The exhibition provides artists with public exposure, as well as the opportunity to earn a profit from
artwork sales.
AFTM Manager Anthony Anderton said the program is excited to be heading back to City Hall.
“The historic City Hall is an exceptional location for this event. Last year we exhibited more than 450
artworks from over 280 artists in City Hall – the largest exhibition in AFTM history,” Mr Anderton said.
“Our program works with some of the most vulnerable people in our community; those living with mental
health issues, disabilities and homelessness. Often these artists aren’t given the same opportunities as
mainstream artists, so we are very excited to bring the work of these talented and courageous artists, to
the people of Brisbane.”
AFTM Committee Member, artist and academic John Armstrong said the exhibition provides artists the
opportunity to share their artwork with the wider community.
“This exhibition features some truly marvellous artworks and presents us with glimpses into other worlds
where shape is given to thoughts and feelings that are sometime impossible to talk about,” Mr Armstrong
said.
“Viewing these artworks can give us an impression of the stories that may lie beyond the canvas or
paper.”
A highlight of the four-day exhibition program is the Public Art Forum on Saturday 26th September.
A panel of experts and art enthusiasts featuring Sim Luttin, Curator and Gallery Manager at Arts Project
Australia, will explore the exhibition’s theme ‘Creating Wellness’. Artists and members of the public are
invited to attend the forum.
Art from the Margins, a creative initiative of Wesley Mission Brisbane, is a not-for-profit community art
program providing disadvantaged artists with art mentoring, practical art classes and the opportunity to
exhibit their works in prominent public showcases. www.artfromthemargins.org.au
Page | 1
84
For tickets to the forum and more information, contact Anthony Anderton on 0408 873 561 or email
[email protected]
-ENDSEVENT: Art from the Margins Brisbane Festival Exhibition
WHEN: Thursday 24 September to Sunday 27 September, 10am-5pm daily, free entry.
WHERE: Sherwood & Sandgate Rooms, Brisbane City Hall, King George Square
Public Art Forum
Saturday 26th September, 1pm – 4pm (Ticketed $10) Sister Cities Room, Brisbane City Hall.
Free for exhibiting artists
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jessica Mewburn | Wesley Mission Brisbane
07 3621 4520 | 0428 608 490 | [email protected]
ABOUT WMB
Wesley Mission Brisbane is a leading not-for-profit organisation, offering community support, aged care, child care
and retirement living. The work of Wesley Mission Brisbane reaches throughout Queensland encouraging social
inclusion and strengthening communities. www.wmb.org.au
ABOUT Art from the Margins
Art from the Margins (AFTM) began in 2008 as a program to support homeless artists. The idea was born in a
Brisbane park beside a coffee van when a member of the Albert Street Uniting Church’s Servant Network was
talking with an artist living in isolation. The artist spoke about the challenges confronting artists living with
disadvantage when they try to display their work in a public space or participate in the wider arts community.
Wesley Mission Brisbane made the commitment to support artists whose creative development was limited by
homelessness, disability, disadvantage or social isolation and Art from the Margins was created.
www.artfromthemargins.org.au
ABOUT AFTM Brisbane Festival Exhibition
The first Art from the Margins exhibition was held in the Albert Street Uniting Church in 2008 and proudly
became part of the Brisbane Festival’s annual programme. In 2014, the Art from the Margins Brisbane
Festival Art Exhibition grew to attract over 400 entries by 280 local artists from South East QLD – the
biggest number of entrants in AFTM’s history. The exhibition is an opportunity for outsider and
disadvantaged artists and community art groups to showcase their artwork to a wider audience. AFTM
is pleased to announce that the 2015 exhibition will again be held in the iconic Brisbane City Hall building
in King George Square and will be part of the Brisbane Festival 2015 programme.
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85
VISUAL ARTS
PERCEPTION
Access Arts Inc
1F/24 Macquarie Street
Teneriffe QLD 4005
Phone: (07) 3254 9585
Local: 1300 663 651
Email: [email protected]
www.accessarts.org.au
Media Release
2 June 2015
ABN 82 066 160 761
Patron: His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC
Governor of Queensland
RE: Perception – an installation and exhibition by artists from Access Arts
The Camera Wanderers, a group of photographic artists who are part of Access Arts, project their view in
Perception, a fast moving photographic installation that helps kick off the 2015 Brisbane Festival at Parade
Ground, The Republic, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, on Saturday 5 September. The installation continues
until Saturday 26 September 2015.
In this installation the Camera Wanderers unpack the concept of perception through the visual language of
photography. Coming from a background of disability and disadvantage, the artists reflect on how internal
and external perceptions have shaped their life experiences.
Access Arts and KPMG have partnered to create a further exploration around Perception, in an exhibition that
complements the Camera Wanderers’ installation. This exhibition, based at KPMG in Brisbane’s CBD, runs
from 7 September–11 December 2015. It showcases the artwork of Brisbane Outsider Artists and Camera
Wanderers in an eclectic range of mediums including painting, drawing, photography, mosaic, weaving and
collage. Viewings are strictly by prior appointment only, made through the Access Arts office (07) 3254 9585.
Access Arts’ Camera Wanderers and Brisbane Outsider artists are proud to be part of Brisbane Festival. Access
Arts helps Queenslanders experiencing disability or disadvantage enjoy and excel at arts and culture.
Note to editors:
 Access Arts pioneers pathways in the arts for people with disability or disadvantage. Our vision is to
create a Queensland where everyone has access to participate, create and work in the arts. Over three
decades Access Arts has become an acknowledged leader, helping develop thousands of artists and
cultural workers who experience disability or disadvantage.
For publicity enquiries please contact:
Angela Witcher
P: (07) 3254 9585 E: [email protected]
86
VISUAL ARTS
G r a h a m
Q u i r k
WILLIAM JOLLY BRIDGE ART PROJECTIONS
Lord Mayor
MEDIA RELEASE
Iconic bridge to light up local artworks for Brisbane Festival
Brisbane’s iconic William Jolly Bridge will be transformed into a colourful canvas, with
Council teaming up with local artists to project vibrant artworks onto the bridge later this year.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said local artworks would be projected onto the bridge every
evening throughout the Brisbane Festival which runs from 5 to 26 September.
“Brisbane has a great reputation as a vibrant, creative city that attracts a range of local,
national, and international artistic talents,” Cr Quirk said.
“This is a great opportunity to celebrate the city’s artists, and what better time to show off their
talents than during the Brisbane Festival, which celebrates everything our city has to offer.”
Council will contribute $5,000 to establish the light projections, which will showcase works by
Brisbane artists Gerwyn Davies and Alice Lang.
“Visual artists Gerwyn Davies and Alice Lang are based right here in Brisbane and have
studied and worked both locally and internationally.
Both artists are great examples of our city’s rich cultural and creative resources, and it’s great
that we can provide a platform through our iconic, heritage bridge.
The William Jolly Bridge was used for art projections during the Brisbane Arts and Culture
Innovation Awards in March to celebrate the city’s creative and cultural sector, and also
featured in the G20 cultural celebrations last year.
Cr Quirk said the project was another example of Brisbane’s urban design being used to
support public art projects.
“This is another innovative way of transforming under-utilised spaces into something the entire
city can enjoy,” he said.
Gerwyn Davies and Alice Lang’s artworks will be projected onto the bridge every night from
7pm until midnight during festival time.
“I encourage all Brisbane residents and visitors to check out the projections and enjoy the
works of our talented local artists, all while celebrating the vitality of our great city.”
For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on (07) 3403 8888.
[Ends] JUNE 10, 2015
Media contact: Emily McCowat 3403 5281 or 0409 876 317
Delivering for our suburbs
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VISUAL ARTS
EXPERIMENTA RECHARGE
Venue: The Block, QUT Creative Industries Precinct – August
24 – September 26
Experimenta, Australia’s leading media arts organisation, presents Experimenta Recharge: 6th International Biennial of Media Art at
Venue: The Block, QUT Creative Industries Precinct. The exhibition is open from 24 August – 26 September 2015.
Experimenta Recharge asks does knowledge change when it is presented in different technological forms and cultural contexts? By
producing unconventional perspectives, can experimental artists illuminate existing knowledge and meaning for a new generation? Can
artists lead us to entirely new modes of consciousness?
Experimenta Recharge presents artists whose works are consciously inspired by and entangled with the past, and who use the most
contemporary of tools. The exhibition presents over 18 works from Australian and international artists, featuring five new commissions,
artist representation from every mainland Australian state, and six international artists, five of whom are being shown in Australia for the
first time.
Artistic Director Jonathan Parsons has selected multidisciplinary works that draw from photography, installation, electronic sculpture,
interactive and immersive media, robotics, bio art, live art, sound art, 3D printing, games, animation, film and video.
“Media art is inherently multidisciplinary, born out of the processing power of computer technology that made possible, for the first time,
a substantial interplay between various media. The artists in Experimenta Recharge are alert to both the intimate and the broader
cultural contexts through which they move and live. By listening, watching, thinking and making, they recharge knowledge and meaning
systems, reinvigorating these systems or radically transforming them.”
International biennial artists include, German sound art collective, Korinsky – who’s work RL2000, explores what would happen if ancient
sounds never disappeared and could be retrieved; and works from Brazilian artist Anaisa Franco’s interactive robotic sculpture series
Psychosomatics.
Australian artists include Brisbane based Svenja Kratz whose artwork Contamination of Alice Instance #8 uses the DNA of Alice, a young
girl who died in 1973 and donated her body to science, to reveal the uncanniness of having living fragments of an absent human body
present; Christy Dena whose Magister Ludi playfully investigates the recent cultural phenomena of both computer and live ‘escape room’
puzzles through an interactive game installed in a vintage school desk; Cake Industries are inviting 15 people from the Newcastle
comunity to have their portrait taken using 3D printing technology to reinstate the sense of occasion and significance of portraiture for
Simulacrum; and Raymond Zada’s installation Acknowledged, whose work speaks to the erasure of history and culture in his home town
of Adelaide.
Other artists are Japanese collective teamLab presenting 100 Years Sea, an animation which draws on traditional Japanese art and logic
to animate predicted sea level rises, the animation began on the 10th of December 2009 and runs for 100 years; and Dubai based artist
Maitha Demithan who has painstakingly digitally knitted together flatbed scans of body sections to produce luminous images of her
Emirati community.
www.experimenta.org
#experimenta
download the Experimenta Recharge audio guide and interactive app – available on the app store!
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FILM
FILM EVENTS OVERVIEW
Film events
Brisbane Festival brings a film-tastic line-up of cinematic fun to Brisbane
Brisbane Festival will host three film-tastic events as part of its 2015 program, including the Festival’s first virtual
Backyard Cinema, The Female Gaze at Palace Centro Cinemas New Farm and Singapore unbound at Griffith Film
School, South Bank.
Backyard Cinema will let all of Brisbane simultaneously celebrate the joy of film by sharing a specially selected film in
their very own special space, at the same time as it is being shown on a big screen at South Bank on Sunday 20
September 2015.
The selected live-streamed film, which will be announced closer to the time, can be viewed in backyards, local parks
or anywhere where people can congregate and fix up a screen on the first weekend of school holidays.
Brisbane Festival will even be offering tips on how to build a cinema space and how to make the best popcorn and
choc tops – with prizes on offer for the best Backyard Cinema across Brisbane.
At Palace Centro Cinemas New Farm from Monday 7 to Tuesday 22 September The Female Gaze, curated by Kiki
Fung, will showcase seven iconic indie female-focused films dating back to 1941, exploring the nuances of film
through female eyes, exhibiting atypical female characters and revealing women’s thoughts and emotions.
Common perceptions and representations of women are challenged or subverted, and desire, gender politics and
existential quests are narrated. All the films are M or 18+ rated.
Films showcased as part of The Female Gaze include The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Party Girl, Sworn Virgin, The Night
Porter, India Song and Opening Night.
Brisbane Festival and Griffith Film School will also present Singapore unbound, exhibiting a rare collection of movies
by Singaporean filmmakers, navigating Singapore film history since independence onwards, from Tuesday 22 to
Saturday 26 September.
Films showcased as part of Singapore unbound include Saint Jack, Snakeskin, The Naked DJ, Faeryville, and Seven
Letters.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold said the film line-up would offer something for everyone and an
exceptional cultural and educational experience.
“It is great to see such a diverse range of cinema, from classic family fun and old school feminist indie flicks, to
historical Singaporean films,” Mr Berthold said.
“The Festival’s first ever stream viewing Backyard Cinema is another real coup, which is all about bringing the family
together and enjoying your own personal movie experience, while feeling connected with thousands of people in
Brisbane.”
Brisbane Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council and runs from 5 to 26
September 2015. For more information visit brisbanefestival.com.au.
Brisbane Festival’s film events are presented by Screen Queensland and Griffith University.
(CONTINUED OVERLEAF)
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ENDS
For all media enquiries, contact Agency North
Michaela Tam | 0431 868 382 | [email protected]
Dawn Hewitt | 0434 883 880 | [email protected]
Backyard Cinema
WHEN: Sun 20 Sept, 7pm
WHERE: South Bank, your own backyard
TICKETS: Free
The Female Gaze
WHEN: Mon 7 to Tue 22 Sept
WHERE: Palace Centro Cinemas, New Farm
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au
Singapore unbound
WHEN: Tue 22 to Sat 26 Sept
WHERE: Cinema 1, Griffith Film School, Griffith University, South Brisbane
TICKETS: $10, closing night $15 (a fee applies per transaction)
BOOKINGS: brisbanefestival.com.au or eventbrite.com.au/e/singapore-unbound-singapore-cinema-showcasetickets-17147147580
MORE INFORMATION: This production may contain adult themes, nudity, coarse language, drug and sexual
references
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