Thursday 9 May 2013

Top picks for the Brighton Festival 4-26 May 2013


Today we hand over to another guest blogger, this time it is about the Brighton Festival which runs from 4-26 May 2013. So here is a personal preview by Elizabeth Hughes...

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the bunting is flying and the streets of Brighton are alive with excitement and anticipation. Brighton Festival started on Saturday 4th May and there’s so much good stuff to see in the next three weeks…

At the city’s regal and most historic venue, Theatre Royal Brighton, there are two amazing and very different shows; Between 14 and 18 May a breathtaking, physical act from Australia – Casus will perform a mixture of traditional and contemporary circus techniques in their new show ‘Knee Deep’. The critics call it “awe inspiring” and it’s one of the must-see shows this year.

Casus
The following week, 21 – 25 May there is a stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s much loved and heartbreaking novel, The Kite Runner. I recommend taking a large box of tissues to dry your tears when you go along to this moving production about friendship and redemption in Afghanistan.

The Kite Runner
Both shows run for several days which is great news for those with a busy or a tight schedule. Hopefully you’ll be able to slot at least one performance into your visit to Brighton.

If you are bringing children to the city this May there is a delightful and inspiring dance-theatre show at the beautiful Old Market in Hove (one of my favourite arts venues!) on 21 and 22 May. Varmints is based on the award-winning book about creatures who love nature and defend one small plant against the encroaching, noisy city. It’s a poignant and thought-provoking story which adults and anyone aged eight or over will enjoy.

Varmints
At the end of Brighton Festival, a fascinating play by acclaimed writer/director Lola Arias has its UK Premiere at Brighton Dome during the closing weekend of 24-26 May. A cast of young actors, who were born during Argentina’s dictatorship in the 70s and 80s, reconstruct the lives of their parents in ‘My Life After’. Political but playful, dark and humorous the show will be performed in Spanish with English subtitles on screens at the side of the stage. Using original clothes and objects owned by the actors’ parents it sounds intriguing and enigmatic.

Lola Arias
That’s Brighton Festival for you; profound, provocative, playful and international… I love it for bringing the best of the arts from around the world to our seaside city. Visit the website http://brightonfestival.org/ for full details then pack your sunglasses and flip flops and enjoy.

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