The 2015 Brisbane Festival is set to circumnavigate the globe, from Africa to Asia and America, with a heady mix of the meaty and the merry in Artistic Director David Berthold’s first program.
Hundreds of dance, theatre, opera, circus and cabaret performances, as well as a packed music, family and community program will take over the city for the month of September.
Four shows, never seen before in Australia, will put a spotlight on the impossibly complex history of the Congo, including the world premiere Prize Fighter; a modern-day fable of a Congolese boy orphaned by war and forced to become a child soldier.
Jetting to Singapore, three productions exclusive to Brisbane will serve as a timely celebration of the arts in the 50th anniversary year of the garden city’s independence. Across the Pacific to the United States, in an Australian first, a new dance form will confront issues of social injustice, from police brutality to the prison system’s failures.
Back home, the Festival will extend its reach at South Bank, with more bars and food stalls than ever and a new big top housing a monumental three-stage event comprising a breathtaking show, unique food experience and tantalising after party.
The Spiegeltent will once again take pride of place by the river with an outstanding line-up of music from around the world and outrageous late-night cabaret. Three weeks of fun will end with Sunsuper Riverfire, one of the biggest and most-loved events on Queensland’s calendar, taking over the skies on Saturday 26 September.
The 2015 Brisbane Festival runs 5 – 26 September, with the full program to be announced on Thursday 25 June. For more information, visit: www.brisbanefestival.com.au for details.
Image: Fear and Delight