AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Lynda & Jools Topp
What better way to celebrate the Festival's 25th anniversary than to bring back the headline act from that very first year? Lucky for us all, it's the glorious, audacious and hilarious Topp Twins!
Among New Zealand's national treasures, Lynda and Jools Topp have performed around the world as an original comedy-music duo for more than 25 years. The identical twins re-invent themselves on stage, changing character, musical style and gender with ease.
Armed with guitar, mouth-harp and spoons, they deliver original songs and character comedy with their unique trademark style of spontaneity, audience participation, incredible harmonies and some of the best yodelling this side of anywhere.
"Expect the unexpected! The Topp Twins are guaranteed to have you laughing or crying with sheer joy" FINANCIAL TIMES, UK
"Break down doors to see them." THE AGE
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
The Dust Palace
From New Zealand’s leading circus company comes a tenacious all-wombs troupe whose breath-taking performances are wrapped in an all-knowing nod and cheeky wink.
The WonderWombs is a chance to investigate and celebrate physicality, delve into the mysteriousness and wonder of our minds, and maybe even have a laugh at ourselves. This is physical circus at its best, with all the multi-skilled performers using theatre, acrobatics and comedy to present a night of risk, splendour, story and hilarity.
With its soundtrack a range of buzzing beats, rap, poetry and more, The WonderWombspromises a night of acrobatic athletes, whose risqué hustle explores and celebrates strength in its many forms.
"Dazzling talent with true, and utterly genuine meaning... The WonderWombs is a slippery and devilish performance." THE CREATIVE ISSUE
"A sparkling, juicy, feminist manifesto that laughs and mocks and brawls and riots all the way to the finish line." NOTHING EVER HAPPENS IN BRISBANE
Warning: R16, full-frontal nudity, strobe, coarse language and adult themes.
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
A Nightsong Production
Written by Carl Bland
Directed by Ben Crowder & Carl Bland
Mr Red Light is a man who attracts bad luck. So naturally, when he tries to rob a bank he fails miserably - and ends up in a pie shop dealing with three very uncooperative hostages and the world's worst police negotiator.
As time ticks by, Mr Red Light and his captives play a game of getting to know you. With nowhere to run and nothing to lose, they form an unlikely bond. And mysteriously, Mr Red Light seems to know more about his hostages' lives than is possible.
From the award-winning team behind Te Po, Spirit House and 360, Mr Red Light uses everything from pathos to slapstick to dig into the meaning of life. Suddenly the pie shop is a place where anything can happen.
"Full of ideas and never dull, complicated and never confusing, unafraid to mix stupid jokes with very sly subversion." METRO
Warning: contains coarse language, scenes with a gun and gunfire.
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Footnote New Zealand Dance
From the creative brilliance of Arts Laureate Ross McCormack comes a darkly cinematic new work performed by renowned national dance company, Footnote New Zealand Dance.
The Clearing is a dance-theatre work inspired by the mysterious energy that exists within forests, hollows and hills, and the supernatural stories we tell ourselves about these spaces. Set against a compelling score by acclaimed sound designer Jason Wright, the occupants of The Clearing are caught, sheltered and threatened within an otherworldly terrain. Here, in this precarious environment, they wrestle with the elements and with each other.
Like a beautifully shot, indie thriller film, The Clearing overflows with vivid imagery and mesmerising performances.
“An absorbing piece of dance-theatre.” Dr Ian Lochhead, The Press
“Every dancer is beautifully controlled, totally committed, and clearly connected to the piece and to each other.” Kerri Fitzgerald, DANZ
“Footnote…can place this work on the world stage.” Kerri Fitzgerald, DANZ
Parental guidance recommended for children under 13 years. Please note, this show contains haze.
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand's most inventive and theatrical chamber orchestra, Blackbird Ensemble, presents an awe-inspiring homage to the inimitable Icelandic pop artist, Björk.
Björk: All is Full of Love is an audio feast of Björk's finest songs across the decades, reimagining her much-loved classic albums from Debut through to Medulla and Utopia.
Taking to the stage with signature flair, Blackbird Ensemble showcases a fine cast of vocal talent and extraordinary visual design to evoke the themes that provide so much inspiration to Björk herself.
The line-up features the talent of singer-songwriter Anna Coddington, the psychedelic soul of Mara TK, andthe dream-pop of Priya Sami, accompanied by strings, brass, woodwind, keys and percussion, with custom arrangements by Silver Scroll-winning composer and director Claire Cowan.
"This show is absolutely mesmerising." ANIKA MOA
"The bijou spectacle of Blackbird Ensemble is something to hear and behold ... with frisky fiddles and punchy saxes ... don't miss out on the magic." NZ HERALD
"Alternative, theatrical, impressive, emotional, memorable." OTAGO DAILY TIMES
Claire Cowan - Best Original Music in a Series for Hillary
2017 APRA Silver Scroll Award
Claire Cowan - Outstanding potential as a film and TV composer
2017 APRA Professional Development Award
