Brighton Festival 2013: Intro

Sense and non-sense. Erich Kästner’s much-loved book Emil And The Detectives and its world. The phrase ‘vergiss mein nicht’ meaning ‘forget me not’.

We’re here to celebrate everything the arts has to offer, and these three themes act both as the foundation and a starting point for exploring the 150 events that make up this year’s Brighton Festival. You’ll find them woven between the many programming strands of the festival – providing links between theatre, dance, music and circus performance. They can also be seen across our run of literary and debate events, our many free outdoor performances and the visual arts and film on offer throughout May.

Thanks to Michael Rosen’s involvement as Guest Director this year, we’ve been more explicit than ever before in articulating these interconnecting themes. He has brought a polymath’s ingenuity to Brighton Festival’s programme – although he’s known as a fantastic entertainer and a very funny man whose books are known and loved by many around the world, it’s been fascinating to delve into areas many wouldn’t necessarily associate with the best-selling poet, author and former Children’s Laureate. His mind has darted across this year’s programme, and we’ve responded to his inspiration and his direction in all sorts of ways; from events paying homage to the artists and intellectuals of Berlin in the 1920s and ‘30s to thought-provoking performance and discussion about lives lived and lives lost… not to mention the occasional bear hunt and a classical concert featuring hoovers and bees!

It’s been a great joy for me, and Brighton Festival’s programming team, to embrace Michael Rosen’s ideas and create a festival for all – I hope you enjoy experiencing it as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.

Andrew Comben
Chief Executive
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival

Comben’s picks

How Like An Angel
Set in All Saints Church, Hove, this is a magnificent, meditative and remarkable experience. A fusion of circus and classical music, the audience promenade around the space whilst the most extraordinary acrobatic work goes on at height, all accompanied by vocal ensemble I Fagiolini.
Tuesday 7– Friday 10 May, 7.30pm (Wed & Fri) & 9.30pm, All Saints Church, Hove

Casus – Knee Deep
Featuring two performers from Circa – who famously left audiences awestruck following their eponymous performance at Brighton Festival 2011 – this show from Brisbane company Casus showcases contemporary circus at its very best. Breathtaking.
Tuesday 14–Saturday 18 May, 7.30pm & 2.30pm (Sat only), Theatre Royal Brighton

Musik Kabarett
Bringing together the likes of German cabaret star Nina Hagen, David McAlmont, Jamie McDermott and The Irrepressibles for a Brighton Festival exclusive packed with musical performance, we’ll be transforming Brighton Dome’s Concert Hall into a special cabaret space for one night only.
Saturday 25 May, 8.30pm,
Concert Hall, Brighton Dome

BBC Symphony Orchestra
Playing a selection of work from Mendelssohn, Brahms and Hartmann, this special concert features the young – and hotly tipped – violinist Veronika Eberle and young American conductor James Gaffigan. The orchestra is comprised of some of the world’s greatest musicians, so you really are experiencing the best of the best.
Tuesday 14 May, 7.30pm,
Concert Hall, Brighton Dome

My Life After
I’ve wanted to bring this moving, thought-provoking and very entertaining show to Brighton Festival for a couple of years, so you can imagine how delighted I am to welcome Argentinean playwright Lola Arias to the city for a three-day run of this documentary theatre piece.
Friday 24–Sunday 26 May, 8pm (Fri) & 7pm (Sat & Sun), Corn Exchange, Brighton Dome

Mozart Massin C Minor
Often referred to as the ‘Great Mass’, this piece is generally considered to be one of Mozart’s greatest works and is the ideal closing concert to Brighton Festival 2013. Performed by Britten Sinfonia and Brighton Festival Chorus, the evening also features Mozart’s Oboe Concerto in C major, K314 and the European premiere of Tarik O’Regan’s Chaâbi.
Sunday 26 May, 7.30pm Concert Hall, Brighton Dome