Hot on the heels of a world tour, the smash hit of festivals everywhere returns home! Revved up with a wild mix of new acts, all time favourites and fabulous guest stars, Finucane and Smith’s Burlesque Hour - She’s Back.
Starring internationally acclaimed Queen of Cabaret Bizarre, Mistress of Grand Guignol Moira Finucane; Japanese butoh dancer and shock cabaret artiste Yumi Umiumare; circus and burlesque star Azaria Universe, and legendary iconoclast Maude Davey with her infamous and fabled Strawberry Act.
The Italians gave it 10 standing ovations in one night “Fantastico” (Il Piccolo). Edinburgh gave it 5 stars “Hottest temptation of the festival” (The Scotsman). It stormed Slovenia’s major cultural centre “Intensive and hairsplitting physicality” (Dnevnik News), and sold three times the tickets available in Croatia “Transgressive, razor sharp and explosive” (Novi, Croatia). Tokyo hipsters crowded Yokohama’s waterfront to witness “a fantastically indecent and breath-taking night!!” (Wander Distance Magazine Japan), and New Zealanders were left “gobsmacked and hungry for more” (Taranaki Daily News).
Limited Season! DATES: 6 August – 14 September 2008 (NO SHOW Mondays & Tuesdays) TIME: Wed & Thurs 8pm. Fri, Sat & Sun 7pm, Late Show Sat 9.30pm! VENUE: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane Melbourne TIX: $38 full/$29 conc (table bookings for 4 or more!) SPECIAL OFFER: FIRST WEEK $5 OFF ALL TIX! HURRY! BOOKINGS: 03 9662 9966 or fortyfivedownstairs.com
Christchurch Sept 25 - Oct 12 The Body Festival of Dance and Physical Theatre
Byron Bay (Northern Rivers Performing Arts), Cairns (On Edge Contemporary Media & Performance), Melbourne (ACMI), Sydney (Performance Space Carriageworks), Hobart (Salamanca Arts Centre), Perth (Perth Institute of Contemporary Art) , Noosa, Brisbane World Dance Alliance & Ausdance QLD
CHIKA is a multi-layered production which crosses the genres of journalism, visual and performing arts, incorporating original live music, dance and narration, documentary images, archival video and recorded interviews to tell a story - the story of Chika Honda, a Japanese woman who spent a decade in Australian jails for a crime she has always insisted she did not commit.
Once Upon A Midnight premiered in Japan at the Kijimuna Festival in July 2008. Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival and Flinders University Drama Centre will present the Australian premiere in September 2008.
The music for CHIKA was composed by Thomas Fitzgerald, with one exquisite work, the Koto Solo by Satsuki Odamura. This unusual collaboration of instruments featuring koto, shakuhachi, wadaiko, acoustic and electric violin and keyboards, blends live music and pre recorded acoustic and electronic sounds with a unique result. It is the sum of these myriad combinations of a surreal reality that have become CHIKA's musical world.
The Chika Soundtrack features a vocal track by Yumi Umiumare.
Five female choreographers have each created a solo dance for a male dancer.
Performed in the round, this vibrant collection consists of a diverse and surprising combination of dance forms and content
An autonomously created cohesive musical composition will overlay the five individual works and be introduced to the performances for the first time on the eve before opening night.
Since completing a Bachelor in Performing Arts with Honors in Visual Culture and a second major in Drama and a minor in Dance at Monash University Melbourne, Gulsen has worked as a choreographer, writer, performer and director, as well as a workshop facilitator, dramaturge, curator and producer in the performing and visual arts. Gulsen is currently developing a new dance-theatre work entitled 'Iris' in creative partnership with Dani-Ela Kayler. "My vision for Girls on Boys is to create a diverse program which encourages new collaborations and involves taking risks. The program title is intentionally provocative marking an old primary school term for dividing into teams to play a game i.e. "Boys on girls", "Girls on boys."
Your Collection
girls on boys has come about through "Your Collection", a Dancehouse initiative that sought expressions of interest from artists to curate a season of short works. Dancehouse provides support to the artist in curating the program and presents their "collection"in a fully promoted public performance season. Like a clothing line, book of stamps or a shed full of biscuit tins, this dance collection is Gulsen Ozer's Collection.
Something to look forward to for fans of contemporary dance is a compendium of short dance films from around the world hosted by Frances Rings (Aust) and Jonzi D (from the UK)..
Launched last December at the Australian High Commission in London and screened as part of the 4th International Dance Film Festival in Yokohama, 2008, this is a unique and exciting collaboration between the ABC, the Australian Council, Channel 4 (UK) and the Arts Council England.
The first of the series of three 30 minute dance programs to be shown over consecutive Tuesday’s in Artscape, includes the especially commissioned works Dis-oriental from Sean O'Brien, choreographed and performed by Yumi Umiumare and Rosie Dennis & Samuel James with Quietly Collapsed.
Ngapartji Ngapartji
'Ngapartji Ngapartji' translates as 'I give you something, you give me something' and this concept of reciprocity is at the heart of the broader Ngapartji Ngapartji project. Using 'puntu' (body), 'inma' (song) and 'tjukurpa' (story) and performed in Pitjantjatjara, English, Japanese, Hazari and Greek, Ngapartji Ngapartji explores the impact of the Cold War on the 20th century through the prism of Trevor's family experience in the South Australian desert.
“A pure gift” Alison Croggon, Theatre Notes
“It’s a magical piece of theatre” Sybil Nolan, The Herald Sun
Writers: Scott Rankin & co-creator Trevor Jamieson
Director: Scott Rankin
Key performer: Trevor Jamieson
Performers: Yumi Umiumare, Jangala Jamieson, Saira Luther, Andrew MacGregor, Lex Marinos, Beth Sometimes, Lorna Wilson, Pitjantjatjara young people and the Ngapartji Ngapartji Choir
CHIKA is a multi-layered production & contemporary story telling, crossing genres of journalism, visual and performing arts, incorporating original live music, dance and narration, documentary images, archival video and recorded interviews.
Thank you all who contributed to the success of the CHIKA Melbourne Fundraiser - those who attended the performance, performers Anne Norman (Shakuhachi), Yumi Umiumare (Butoh), Toshi Sakamoto (Japanese traditional drum), Noriko Tadano (Tsugaru Jamisen), guest speaker Mr Remy van de Wiel (QC) and MC Yoko Davies (former producer of Japanese program, SBS Radio).
Burlesque Hour… She’s Back!
