With only a few performances left in the 2015 Adelaide Festival of Arts season, the event will have its largest attendance in 5 years. Audience numbers are still being collated but are expected to exceed 560,000.
The third festival for director, David Sefton, the signature of this year’s event was free programming on a grand scale. Blinc, Curated by Joel Cockrill and Craig Morrison, was the largest work within the festival, and turned Elder Park and surrounds into a giant spectacular outdoor digital art gallery. Since its opening on the 27th of February social media pages have henceforth been awash with photos of the giant 3D trumpeting elephant, Elephantastic!, the seemingly floating LED lights in the rotunda entitled Submergence, and A-Synchron, the series of changing projections shown on the facades of the Festival Centre and Parliament House.
Also free at this year’s festival was a showing of selected work from one of the world’s most important living artists, Bill Viola, with exhibitions stretching the entire length of festival across multiple venues including the Art Gallery of South Australia, St Peter’s Cathedral and the Queens Theatre.
Sefton’s commissioned works created specifically for the festival have been a raving success, with opinions split on the re-imagined Tommy, by Eric Mingus, and emotions overflowing for Kid Koala’s Nufonia Must Fall (follow the links to read our reviews).
Director, David Sefton says he could not be more pleased with the quality of this year’s festival, and Festival Chief Executive, Karen Bryant says “Bringing the best, never before seen work to Australia and making sure the widest possible audience have the opportunity to see that work has always been the core aim of the festival. We are delighted that audiences have turned out in their droves to enjoy the handpicked events that make this festival so special.”
Always a Festival draw card, Adelaide Writers’ Week has once again achieved capacity crowds. Robert Dessaix, Julia Gillard, Dan Barber, Helen Garner, David Marr and Roxane Gay amongst the most popular sessions. Setting new records, Writers’ Week also achieved a 17% increase in book sales across the event.
Final numbers will be collected throughout the coming week with continuing shows in Black Diggers, the stories of unsung indigenous war heroes at Her Majesty’s Theatre; The Cardinals by Stan’s Café at the Flinders Street Baptist Church; and the decidedly adults-only Beauty and the Beast featuring Julie Atlas Muz and Mat Fraser at the Dunstan Playhouse (follow the links to read our reviews).
The 2015 Adelaide Festival of Arts has seen 889 artists and writers from over 20 countries take part in 150 performances of 42 separate events. There have been 22 Australian premieres and 26 Adelaide exclusives. There were sell-out seasons of Azimut, Dylan Thomas – Return Journey, Beckett Triptych and SmallWaR, and memorable debuts it Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and the yet to play Danny Elfman’s Music from the films of Tim Burton (follow the links to read our reviews).
Paul Rodda
When: 27 Feb to 15 Mar
Where: Various Venues
Bookings: bass.net.au
Recently opened to the public, the Adelaide Convention Centre’s new West Building City Suite Foyer played host to Emma Hack’s latest exhibition entitled New Work as part of the official launch of the Emma Hack Art Prize which was opened to the public on the same day.
Guests were treated to a glass of champagne as they took a first glimpse at the exhibition before being ushered downstairs to view both the Art Prize and a new exhibition by Natasha Natale entitled Decomposition in Nature.
This year’s Art Prize includes 36 finalists – up from a usual 30 due to tied scores – whose works are on display at the Adelaide Convention Centre from now until the 28th of March. The display is part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
The free event will showcase the works, which are from a range of media in contemporary art. The theme of the 2015 Art Prize is ‘Humanity in Nature’.
The art prize, now in its second year, is for South Australian artists only and awards the amount of $5000 to its winner as chosen by the judging panel which includes Emma Hack, Christopher Orchard and The Barefoot Review’s own, Samela Harris – a regular arts critic for the website.
The major winner will also receive an opportunity to exhibit within the Adelaide Convention Centre’s Centre ArtBeat, a new initiative developed by the Adelaide Convention Centre to help local artists exhibit their work to local, interstate and overseas visitors to the centre.
As well as the major prize the event also features a People’s Choice prize of $2000, which is sponsored by Raw Pearls.
The winners of both prizes will be announced at the closing event on the 28th of March at 12pm.
If you are interested in seeing the works of the 36 selected artists, head over the the Adelaide Convention Centre during the opening times and check it out.
More information is available online at emmahackartprize.com or on the Adelaide Fringe website.
Paul Rodda
When: 11 to 28 Mar
Where: Adelaide Convention Centre
Bookings: This event is Free. Check online for opening hours.
Photography by Paul Rodda
No. Little Egypt’s Speakeasy is not an Alexandrian night club.
It is the burlesque world of a legendary performer called Little Egypt.
Hence, stepping into The Deluxe in The Garden of Unearthly Delights will take audiences not far away but far ago - to the 1950s and into the working world of a wonderful “whiskey-soaked” exotic dancer.
As the show’s creator, Lucian McGuinness explains: “The real Little Egypt was a pre-war vaudeville fictional character inhabited by several performers. Our Little Egypt is based loosely on the subject of the Lieber & Stoller song written in the 1950s... to us she's a strong matriarch, a desired sex symbol and ultimately our hero.”
McGuinness has been working long and passionately on this show which began as Little Egypt’s Burlesque, a rhythm and blues revue which featured in the Spiegeltent in the Sydney Festival of 2012.
"We've built this show from the ground up,” says McGuinness.
“We began at the foundations with that incredible groove of rhythm & blues music which sits just outside the early rock & roll that oldies stations play and we'll all heard.
"Over the last few years with each run we've added characterisations, dances, narrative elements and ultimately purely theatrical characters. We update it and refine it every season. We also collect gorgeous new cast members!”
The cast of 14 is described as "Sydney’s hottest performers” and the soundtrack is said to be “scorching”.
Among the performers is Miss Burleque Sydney, a Voice finalist and a rhythm and blues band. They’re jetting in from all over the country for the big weekend.
It is not a passive sit-down-and-watch show. The Deluxe gets a makeover so that audiences will walk right into the 1950s and Little Egypt’s Speakeasy. Those in the know may frock up to the 50s to be more in the mood although it is not required dress.
But, the idea is that audience members kick up their heels, dance and have a Speakeasy experience. It is “immersive” theatre. The soundtrack includes Fats Domino, Big Mama Thornton, Ray Charles and, importantly, The Coasters whose song, Little Egypt, was one of the inspirations for the show.
There is a story line, however. It describes an R&B club under threat from external forces. It’s an old story that keeps on keeping on through the eras, albeit this one is emphatically 50s.
"We pack A LOT into seventy minutes,” declares McGuinness.
“Our audiences rave about the super fast and tight pace, the quality and danceability of the live music and the spectacle of Little Egypt's routines and the drama surrounding the club”.
“Slick, sexy and funny,” says one critic. “Dirty dancing, debauchery and some real good soul,” says another.
Samela Harris
Presented by Grande Moustache
Over the long weekend, from Tuesday March 5 at the stroke of midnight and then through to Sunday. The Deluxe. GUD.
When: 5 to 8 Mar
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
Adapted from a Media Release.
Patch Theatre’s artistic director, David Brown has been awarded the ‘Mickey Miners Lifetime Achievement Award’. The award, which is presented by the International Performing Arts for Youth organisation (IPAY), recognises an individual’s outstanding contribution to the performing arts for young audiences.
IPAY is a leading international membership organisation that supports the professional community of performing arts for young audiences. The annual showcase event, which was held over 4 days from 21 - 24 January 2015, is a platform for companies to showcase their work on the international stage with the aim of securing international touring throughout North America.
The award, known as the ‘Mickey Miners Lifetime Achievement Award’ is named after the former curator of Performing Arts for Children at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Dave Brown joins an illustrious group of individuals to receive the award, all of whom have made outstanding contributions to the performing arts for young people; previous recipients include Mary Rose Lloyd, Saskia Janse, Onny Husinik and Jim Morrow.
“We are absolutely delighted that Dave Brown has received this year’s Mickey Miners Lifetime Achievement Award,” CEO of Australia Council, Mr Tony Grybowski, said.
“This is a very prestigious award, given to a person who has made a significant impact on the field of the performing arts for young audiences, and it is the first time an Australian has received this honour. “
Dave Brown has been at the helm of Patch Theatre for more than 20 years, and this recognition puts another feather in his cap. Brown is recognised nationally and internationally as a pioneer in creating new and highly innovative theatre work specifically for children, and is considered a leader in this highly specialised field.
IPAY Executive director Boomer Stacey has said “Dave's imprint and influence ripples throughout our professional members, to emerging artists and most importantly has positively impacted thousands … of young people around the world. Acknowledging Dave Brown and Patch Theatre also pays tribute to the amazing community of artists in Australia dedicated to creating and presenting outstanding performing arts for young audiences. They are an important voice at our ... Showcase”.
Aside from the awards, the showcase is an opportunity for companies to present works to a network of producers, presenters, agents, artists, educators and students involved in all forms of theatre, music, dance, circus and puppetry from around the world.
Patch Theatre was one of 17 companies selected from over 120 applicants to showcase their work ‘The Moon’s A Balloon’, a vibrant production that celebrates balloons, play, friendship, creativity and connection. It’s a delicious visual-theatre feast inspired by the EE Cummings poem of the same name that reveals how amazing possibilities arise from the simplest of things.
‘The Moon’s A Balloon’ will play at Adelaide’s Odeon Theatre in Norwood from 3 - 21 August, with sessions at 10:30 am & 1pm for schools. Following the Norwood season the show will tour to the Barossa, Noarlunga and Golden Grove before heading on a regional South Australian tour.
For more information or to book visit patchtheatre.org.au
Cellar Door Wine Festival. Adelaide Convention Centre.
In the lead up to the 2015 Cellar Door Wine Festival at the Adelaide Convention centre The Barefoot Review was invited to judge a cook-off in the style of the "Meet, Make & Eat" Masterclass. The class, which will take place at the festival on the Saturday and Sunday, is an exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ cooking experience where you get to do exactly what the title suggests; meet people; make food together; and eat your creations!
As part of this adventurous activity attendees meet in the Festival before heading into an exclusive-access kitchen to prepare dishes using local goodies, all under the careful eye of an Adelaide chef and Eat Local Representative! Once plated up to perfection attendees make their way back to the Festival’s Farmers Market to enjoy the feast!
We were invited to judge a 6 dish cook-off prepared by 2 teams of festival ambassadors. The menu, made from locally sourced ingredients, included; Kinawooka Mussels with Smoked Pork and Hills Cider; a Salad of Hot Smoked Harris Salmon with Pickled Fennel, Endive, Dill and Fetta; Seared Dry-Aged Beef Rump, Tuna Mayonnaise and Crostini; Dry Spiced Rubbed Chicken; Honey and Prosciutto Baked Figs with Goats Cheese and Rocket Salad; and Pea, Coriander and Sour Cream Fritters with a Smoked Salmon, Preserved Lemon and Snowpea Tendril Salad.
There are 2 classes on each day at 12.00pm or 1.30pm. Saturday 21st will see guests mentored by Paul Baker, head chef at The Botanic Gardens Restaurant, and Tze Khaw, executive chef for the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Sunday 22nd will see the return of Tze Khaw this time joined by eat local representative Kane Pollard from the Topiary Cafe.
As well as the Masterclasses the festival will be showcasing over 170+ food and wine producers, from internationally renowned brands to niche boutique stars. The Festival provides endless opportunities to learn about emerging trends and exotic new varietals brought to you by South Australia’s top wine and food makers.
Bookings for the Masterclasses are essential, so to avoid disappointment head over to cellardoorfestival.com to buy your tickets.
The festival runs from Friday the 20th to Sunday the 22nd of February at the Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide.
Paul Rodda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422579428&v=WDJJGuf9Ov0&x-yt-cl=85114404
Meet, Make and Eat video produced by The Barefoot Review and Chris Daniels Productions.
Host: Paul Rodda
Direction: Chris Daniels
Camera Operation: Chris Daniels and Paul Rodda
Editing and Post Production: Chris Daniels
For more information visit chrisdaniels.com.au or thebarefootreview.com.au