Sunrise on Brighton Festival 2014

Brighton Festival 2014 descends on the city in May with Guest Director Hofesh Shechter

Brighton Festival 2014 (3–25 May) is fast approaching; the line-up has been announced, the tickets are on sale, and anticipation is building! Spanning all genres, it’s the most established mixed arts Festival in the country and offers something for every taste and age. This year, critically acclaimed choreographer, dancer and musician Hofesh Shechter takes on the role of Guest Director, and the Festival promises to be richer and more eclectic than ever before.

Packing in 448 performances across 147 events in 34 venues throughout the city and beyond, and featuring a massive 37 premiers, exclusives and co-commissions – including 26 free events and events running for the full duration of the 23 days – it’s bursting with theatre, dance, music, literature, art, film, literary, outdoor, family and free events. 

The celebrations commence
with the wonderful Children’s Parade; the largest of its kind in Europe, featuring children from over 80 of Brighton’s schools. This year’s theme for the event is ‘The Arts’. The parade party atmosphere will continue throughout the day as young city musicians take to the streets to perform in various locations including Brighton Dome café-bar and the Royal Pavilion as part of SoundCity’s inaugural Pitch Perfect. 

Hofesh’s appointment as Guest Director reflects his five-year relationship with Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival. The opening nights of the Festival celebrate his new work Sun, when it comes home to Brighton at the conclusion of its first world tour. In Sun Dust – a Brighton Festival exclusive – Hofesh will discuss the creative process and philosophy of his work, whilst a collection of his dancers present some of his extraordinary and previously unseen choreography. 

Other dance gems not to be missed include Ultima Vez’s breathtaking Talk To The Demon, from renowned Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus and the world premiere of Lost Dog & Lucy Kirkwood’s Like Rabbits; an intimate and pulse-raising piece based upon the short story Lappin And Lapinova by Virginia Woolf. 

Theatre lovers will rejoice at the UK premiere of Dmitry Krymov Lab’s Opus No. 7. Conceived and produced by the renowned Russian director, the production is an immense piece of bold theatre. Brighton Festival also plays host to the world premiere of Vanishing Point’s Tomorrow; a cerebral and dreamlike piece of extraordinary theatre. Other stage highlights include Cheek By Jowl’s ’Tis Pity She’s A Whore and a Brighton-wide search for happiness in the marvellous and innovative Bring The Happy from Festival favourites Invisible Flock. 

This year’s circus programme is both expansive and genre-defying. Sinué by Feria Musica promises spellbinding and sophisticated acrobatics, whilst Pirates Of The Carabina present their jaw-dropping contemporary circus show Flown. For music fans, American singer and songwriter Cat Power is a unique treat, as she performs music from her self produced album Sun, whilst country music icon Emmylou Harris makes a rare Brighton appearance. For classical music fans, Philharmonia Orchestra return to the festival, Aurora Orchestra take a fresh look at Mahler in KlezMahler and the unmissable Angela Hewitt graces the glorious Glyndebourne stage. 2014 also marks the British composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s 80th birthday, and the Festival celebrates the occasion by presenting a weekend of special events in his honour; the highlight is a new production of his 1969 Brighton Festival commission Down By The Greenwood Side. The ever popular lunchtime concerts also provide a wealth of talent including Amarillis Trio and Aquarelle Guitar Quartet. 

Brighton Festival is renowned for its visual arts offerings, and 2014 is no exception. William Forsythe’s Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time is an exquisite exploration of choreography and art in which the viewer is invited to become involved in the work, altering the rhythm of hundreds of perpetually swinging pendulums by moving between them. The rich palette of visual delight continues in Jacob Dahlgren’s On Balance at Fabrica, whilst Yinka Shonibare MBE’s The British Library explores immigration and British culture at The Old Reference Library.  

Other programme highlights include Jeremy Deller, Zara McFarlane, David McCandless, Martin Creed, Peaches, Irvine Welsh, Hauschka and many more. 

Brighton Festival, 3–25 May 2014. For the full Brighton Festival 2014 programme and to book tickets, visit www.brightonfestival.org Tickets also available by calling 01273 709709