Brighton Festival 2012
Festival Director Andrew Comben talks about this year’s Guest Director Vanessa Redgrave and shares his highlights
“Of course I need to start by saying how thrilled we are to have Vanessa Redgrave Guest Directing this year’s bold and enticing Brighton Festival programme. Last year Brighton Festival took a new direction inviting Aung San Suu Kyi to be our guest director and we witnessed the incredible response of this community to her inspiration.
“With her we created a festival that reflected the importance of the arts in promoting freedom of speech, human rights and democracy. Our audience demonstrated its enthusiasm for the festival which invites artists at the forefront of creative endeavour and at the same time does not shy away from exploring the purpose of the arts to understand ourselves, each other and the world in a deeper way.
“I could think of no more fitting artist than Vanessa Redgrave, who has demonstrated throughout her extraordinary career not only astonishing artistic achievements and the rigorous pursuit of her craft, but the sincerity, conviction and energy to engage the world and with the world around her and to speak on behalf of those who cannot. It is for this reason we invited her to become this year’s guest director and we are honoured by her acceptance.
“We aim to celebrate Vanessa, her ideas and what she represents through our varied programme across three weeks of music, dance, theatre, art, film, books and debate, family and outdoor events.
“We also commission and produce an ambitious programme of local, national and international work across all genres and this year there are no less than 28 commissions, premieres and exclusives.”
COMBEN’S highlights
dreamthinkspeak – The Rest Is Silence
Brighton Dome and Festival’s Associate Company are in the process of creating their take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet and due to massive popularity we’ve already extended their festival run by two weeks. This will be a wonderful new interpretation, a visual deconstruction that will no doubt give a whole new perspective on this well-known play.
Wed 2 May–Fri 8 June, various times, Malthouse Estate Warehouse
A World I Loved
Vanessa Redgrave, in collaboration with Mariam Said, has prepared a performance of narration, music and poetry, based on the acclaimed memoir of Wadad Makdisi Cortas. This very special world premiere from our guest director is an event not to be missed.
Sat 12 May, 7.30pm, Theatre Royal Brighton
Hotel Pro Forma – War Sum Up
Some projects can only be shown in a festival and this is one of them. Here we mix electronica, surreal designer costumes, manga, opera, Japanese Noh theatre, choirs and installation art into a superbly brilliant stage show. You have to see it to believe it and it’s incredibly wonderful.
Fri 25 May, 8pm, Concert Hall, Brighton Dome
Trisha Brown Dance Company
We are delighted to welcome Trisha in her 75th birthday year as she opens her UK tour at Brighton Festival with the UK premiere of ‘Les Yeux et l’âme’ and other works. Once you see her works it’s easy to understand why she is America’s most acclaimed choreographer.
Tues 8–Wed 9 May, 8pm, Concert Hall, Brighton Dome
Générik Vapeur – Waterlitz
The group who last came in 2011 with blue men who then pegged up real cars on the Old Steine are back with a new enormous scale outdoor piece. The highest quality street theatre with explosive pyrotechnics and breath-taking aerial stunts will wow and best of all, it’s completely free!
Sat 26 May, 9.30pm, Black Rock
To book tickets – 01273 709709
www.brightonfestival.org
