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The presence of great home-grown and international theatre in the Festival has never been stronger, says Andrew Kay

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Cheek By Jowl’s new production of Macbeth is a dark and disturbing look at Shakespeare’s Scottish play. Andrew Kay had a sneak preview

Cheek By Jowl are perhaps best known for their intensely physical theatrical form. Working on an international platform and in several languages, their reputation for excellence and innovation is second to none. One comes to expect the highest level of stage craft, thought-provoking interpretation and visual magic – and they deliver. Read the rest of this article »

Artist, writer, painter, composer, performer and legend Brian Eno talks to Andrew Kay about guest curating the 2010 Brighton Festival

It’s a warm spring afternoon and I am in London for a concert. With time to spare I drift into the Victoria and Albert Museum and look at a few favourites along with some new works. I eventually wander into the theatre section and, in a final cabinet, come across an exhibit that has an almost iconic place in my own cultural history. It’s a tiny outfit made of black satin with the most outrageous shoulders, which rise in huge plumes of black feathers.

I remember it well. It was of course worn by Brian Eno, or Eno as we then knew him, and it comes from his days in the avant garde artschool/glam-rock band Roxy Music. I remember seeing them for the first time on The Old Grey Whistle Test and the buzz in school the following morning. For us, Bryan Ferry was the least interesting thing – it was Eno who stood quietly, looked almost alien and simply twiddled knobs. Read the rest of this article »

As he enters his third year as Chief Executive of England’s largest arts festival, Andrew Comben talks to Andrew Kay

Do you feel you are fully in control of the role now?
Do you ever feel fully in control? No, that’s flippant, last year was a roller coaster as we had to put together a programme from my arrival in 2008. There were a few things that had been on the cards for a while but most of it was new and there were, of course, the things that were influenced by the involvement of Anish Kapoor. This time we have had more time and also the privilege of working with Brian Eno for a more extended period of time. That influence is more fully realised in the programme and a number of our new commissions have come to fruition. Things like dreamthinkspeak, which we commissioned back in 2008 and will be seen this year. Likewise Hofesh Shechter, who in 2008 was working towards this new full length piece, Political Mother, which we will see premiered this year. Read the rest of this article »