Dunedin Fringe launches with a splat
The 2010 Dunedin Fringe Festival kicked off with the launch of 80 paintbombs, creating Dunedin’s largest artwork in the Octagon midday Thursday 18th March.
The series of splatters signalled the start of the festival. At the lunchtime event, paintballs were launched by twelve prominent Dunedin artists and business professionals onto a 3m by 4m purpose-built wall. Festival Director Paul Smith joined forces with Deputy Mayor Syd Brown to throw the first bombs, creating a bright yellow, black and red instant artwork.
The launch featured local, national and international artists. Local sound artist Peter Mason joined the festivities with his giant thunderous sheet metal sound machine, purpose built for the event. Australian act ‘Asking for Trouble’ performed a short piece and visiting artists I Heart Camping and Camp Dunedin were interviewed by host Shay Horay, the infamous Rubberband Man.
Director Paul Smith says that Festival Launch was a great opportunity for the lunchtime crowds to get a small but exciting slice of the Festival to come. “It a sample of some of the fantastic acts we have performing this year, as well as a great way of celebrating all that is Fringe”.
This year’s festival will run over 11 days from the 18 to 28 March and feature over 50 events. The artists are a mix of the established and emerging, all with a passion for their work and piles of talent. The Dunedin Fringe Festival is a celebration of contemporary, experimental art and performance by local, nationals and international artists. Performers range from comedians, dancers and actors to musicians and performance artists.
Building on its success from last year, a popular event in this year’s programme is likely to be ‘Fringe Inventions’, the only exhibition of Chindogu in New Zealand. The strange and amusing Japanese art of Chindogu are everyday inventions designed to make life a little easier but which are also completely impractical. The exhibition will be held at the Otago Settlers Museum from 20-28 March.
The Octagon will be the hub of Fringe activities, however events will take place all over town including The Regent Theatre, The Fortune Theatre, 12 Below, The Globe Theatre, Allen Hall Theatre, The Empire, Sammy’s and Chicks Hotel in Port Chalmers.
BACKGROUND ON 2010 DUNEDIN FRINGE FESTIVAL
50+ Events over Eleven Days
Organised by a dedicated team of staff and guided by the Dunedin Fringe Festival Arts Trust, the 2010 Dunedin Fringe Festival runs over 11 days from the 18-28 March and features over 50 events. The artists are a mix of experienced and emerging, all with a passion for their work and piles of talent. Over 20 shows are world premiers specially created for the Festival and many others are touring events new to Dunedin and New Zealand.
Experimental and Innovative Art in all Art forms
Director, Paul Smith, says the Festival provides a platform for artists to push boundaries and present their latest work. “The Fringe is all about supporting experimentation, innovation and fresh new ideas. Taking risks is what the Fringe is fundamental to the philosphy of the festival, both for artists and audiences. We want people to step outside their comfort zone and tap in to the wealth of talent that the Fringe provides.”
From comedy, dance and theatre to music, performance and visual art with much blurring of the boundaries in between, the 2010 Dunedin Fringe Festival programme has something for everyone, with acts for all-ages held in a range of venues across the city.
Comedy Programme Major Highlight
This year’s programme contains a huge comedy programme with popular and up-and-coming comedians performing new work, including 2010 Billy T Award nominee TJ McDonald, and crowd favourites Simon McKinney and Irene Pink to name only two of 14 comedy shows. “With such outstanding talent, one major hotspot will undoubtedly be the Polson Higgs Comedy Club at XII Below,” says Smith. The Polson Higgs Comedy Club will host three shows a night in the most action packed season of comedy Dunedin has ever seen.
Nationally & Internationally Significant Shows
Other highlights include The Busking Blitz, where sword-swallowing and chainsaw-juggling street theatre performers are set to enliven the Otago Farmers’ Market; the seductive and subversive daring areial show Burlesque As You Like It – Not a Family Show to be held at the Regent Theatre; and the Blue Oyster Gallery’s Performance Series, a showcase of performance art practitioners from throughout New Zealand.
International performers include French dance troupe Cie Porte K/L, Aboriginal dancer Vicky Van Hout, Scottish folk sensation Eddi Reader, Chimera Dance Collective and Asking for Trouble from Australia. These artists are complemented by eleven events from Auckland and many more from Dunedin, which is known for the vitality of its arts community.
To round-up each evening, the Festival Club will be open late and offering a diverse programme of music, comedy and a nightly episode of a radio play called Doom Gravy- A radio disaster in six parts. Finally, the Fringe Awards Night will be held to recognise outstanding achievement in each art form category on the 28th March and to celebrate this year’s Festival.
HISTORY
The Dunedin Fringe Festival was first launched ten years ago and is a much-anticipated event on the Dunedin arts calendar. The 2009 Dunedin Fringe attracted an audience of 10,000 and the Festival continues to grow.
The Fringe format is unqiue in that we have an open-access philosphy where artists choose the Festival. “This facilitates a high level of experimentation and makes the Fringe the place where new trends in art emerge from,” said Smith.
The full programme is up now at www.dunedinfringe.org.nz with copies of the Festival Guide available from local retailers.
Contact:
Claire Jackson, Festival Publicist
Ph. 03 477-3350 or 027 424 9711
publicist@dunedinfringe.org.nz
Festival Director: Paul Smith,
Ph. 03 477-4983
director@dunedinfringe.org.nz
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Dunedin Fringe Arts TrustFacilitating the development and presentation of Innovative and experimental art in all art forms via a high profile annual Festival.
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Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust PO Box 1331 Dunedin New Zealand www.dunedinfringe.org.nz