It’s on for young and old
A city in festival mode delivers hundreds of choices
RIGHT now Brisbane is in festival mode. The city is hosting more than 500 theatre, music, circus, film and artistic events up until September 30. Of course, only the most devoted arts lovers will get to see everything that’s on the 2017 Brisbane Festival menu. Weekend Magazine popped into the city to taste-test some of the delights on offer.
Chef: Come Dine With Us
Funny AF! If you understand what AF means and you hate cooking shows and love beat box, break dancing and comedy, do yourself a favour and get yourself into the Chef: Come Dine With Us audience. Pronto!
Even if you don’t agree with any of the above, go anyway because I guarantee you will cry with laughter.
This show is the funniest thing I have seen in a long, long time. Beat box artists Seongjun Park and Daehan Wii provide jaw-dropping sound effects as a pair of rival chefs and their apprentices go head to head in a bunch of hilarious cook-offs.
Audience participation is huge in this South Korean production that is equal parts ludicrous and absurd.
And funny AF! ◗ Venue: Powerhouse, New Farm. Final show, 7.30pm, Saturday, September 16.
Fun House
THIS funny, colour-filled madhouse piece of theatre is jam-packed with music, acrobatics, dancing, singing, comedy and jumping castles.
Performed in the spacious South Bank Piazza, it is probably not the best option for children given that the humour is suggestive and often ribald.
Stars Spencer Novich and Trygve Wakenshaw are the glue that holds the 70-minute mish-mash of circus-inspired mayhem together.
Their sexy unicorn and zany rabbit personas lead the talented cast through ukulele jams, tightrope walking, trapeze, an awesome hula-hoop display and sky-high acrobatics.
◗ Venue: South Bank Piazza. Ends, September 24.
Per Te
IF you go into Per Te understanding the back story it will have a greater impact. Writer-director Daniele Finzi Pasca, of Switzerland’s Compagnia Finzi Pasca, lost his wife and long-time collaborator Julie Hamelin Finzi late last year. Finzi
was 43 years old when she died. Per Te, translated as Dedicated to You Dear Julie, is beautiful.
However, it is hard at times to follow the story. The narrative is extremely fluid as the cast “rehearses” a mish-mash of scenes that Julie planned to put into the show she never finished creating.
While you may struggle with the disjointed storyline, there is no doubt the imagery and theatrics will keep you transfixed.
The cast uses giant hoops as horses, and a snow scene is remarkable in its chilly realness. If you like European clowning, gentle acrobatics and performers with sexy accents, Per Te will not disappoint.
◗ Venue: QPAC Playhouse. Final show, 7.30pm, September 16.
Arcadia
SET up along the South Bank promenade, between the ABC studios and the Brisbane Museum, Arcadia is the place to hang out and soak up the festival atmosphere. There are plenty of fun things to do, see, hear and eat as you laze away the afternoon and evening along the banks of the Brisbane River.
The food vendors serve up gourmet options that won’t break the average family’s budget. The Salome Lounge is the place for adults to put their feet up and sip some fine wine.
The Little Creatures LIVE bar offers beer and grooves with a selection of excellent performers scheduled from Tuesday to Sunday.
Watch out for performances from Jenny Wynter, June Low, Lizzie Moore and Michael Tuahine.
And make sure you check out the famous Spiegeltent. It really is an awe-inspiring magical wonder. Thelma Plum and Ali Barter are both on Spiegeltent’s lists of upcoming performers.
Fireworks lovers will throng to the waterfront for the Riverfire spectacular on September 30. The fun starts at 4pm, with the 20-minute fireworks display to begin at a child-friendly 7pm. UV boi is the main guest for the Riverfire after-party.
◗ Venue: South Bank, Brisbane: Open every day of the festival
The writer was the guest of Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Marketing and Treasury Brisbane.