The Birds Conference – new production/season begins Wednesday 2 September 2015

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Birds Confereance lampThe Birds Conference began life in 2014 with a short three night season as part of La Mama Theatre’s Explorations series. Now the show is back at La Mama for a two week season. The production is very different to last year’s show, with the addition of Simon Fisher on visuals, and a quite different tone and flow to the story. Rehearsals have often been jaw-dropping affairs, with powerhouse performances by our Naghal (storyteller), Elnaz Sheshgelani. I am providing music, joined on some nights by Ren Walters. Official blurb follows:

The birds of the world gather to embark upon a perilous journey to find the Simorgh, a mythical Persian Phoenix-like bird.

In the end, only thirty remain and find nothing but their own reflection in the lake.
In that moment they come to the non-dualist realisation that we are the “One that has no Other”; there is no separation.

Through her personal reconstruction of a lost, ancient, pre-Islamic form of Persian storytelling, “Naghali”, Elnaz Sheshgelani takes you through the seven levels of self-discovery embodied in this story.

A unique style of puppetry, masks, dance and Persian singing draws the audience to a magical place to experience the timeless nature of our humanity – that which connects us to one another.

Tickets are selling fast (Opening Night already sold out), book yours quick to avoid disappointment.

2-13 September, 2015

Wed 6.30pm
Thu 7.30pm
Fri 7.30pm
Sat 7.30pm
Sun 4pm

(no shows Monday or Tuesday)

La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton

Tickets

Facebook event

Upcoming performances/events, September-November 2015

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2-13 September 2015 – The Birds Conference @ La Mama, Melbourne, Australia. Facebook event.

27 September 2015, 10am-5pm – Liquid Architecture: Facebook Chorus @ National Gallery of Victoria – Great Hall, Melbourne, Australia. Facebook event.

1 October 2015, 7:30pm – Improv Idol @ Wesley Anne, 250 High Street, Northcote, Australia. Facebook event

10 October 2015 – THIS Ensemble, MARP (Malaysia Australia Raft Project) @ ACCA forecourt, Grant Street, Southbank, Melbourne, Australia.

THIS Ensemble Country Victoria tour:

  • 29 October 2015 (evening) @ The Avoca Project, Avoca, Victoria, Australia
  • 30 October 2015 @ Jeparit, Victoria, Australia
  • 31 October – 1 November 2015 @ Nati Frinj Biennale, Natimuk, Victoria, Australia
  • 2 November 2015 @ Dimboola, Victoria, Australia

7 November 2015, 1:30pm – Solo performance, Antechamber @ Footscray Community Arts Centre, Australia. Facebook event.

8 November 2015, 11am-4pm – Re::set @ Abbotsford Convent, Victoria, Australia. Facebook event.

26 November 2015, 8pm – duo with Adam Simmons, 100:25:1 @ Conduit Arts, 83 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Facebook event. Tickets.

Improv Idol!

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improvidollogo

Who will be Australia’s first King or Queen of improvised music?

This idea has been kicking around in my head for a while. In some ways, it follows on from my Good Improv/Bad Improv game piece/structured improvisation that has been played a few times over the past couple of years. It was at a performance of Good Improv/Bad Improv last year that I mentioned the idea of Improv Idol to Carmen Chan (who was performing that day), who said she’d be interested in working with me to make it a reality.

I’ve always been interested in the competitive nature of some improvisers; where one player seemingly plays over the top of the rest of the ensemble, and ends up being hailed a star. I wanted to come up with a format that would push this idea to the fore and see where we end up, and have some fun along the way. I’m also really interested in seeing how performers react to the situation where they are aiming to win the vote of a majority of an audience, and also what kind of performances audiences favour.

And so Improv Idol is born, a ‘talent show’ where the audience votes for their favourite member of an improvising ensemble, who then progresses through to the next round, guided by a panel of expert judges. It will be a lot of fun, and interesting as well.

Applications are open now – get yours in before they close on 4 September. Do you have what it takes to be Australia’s first Improv Idol? I think you do!

Australia chooses its first Improv Idol at the Wesley Anne in Northcote, Thursday 1 October 2015. I will be your humble host. Judges announced soon.

What does it mean to be a composer in Australia today? More Talk, Less Action returns this Thursday.

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MTLA 2014

More Talk, Less Action is back for a free, one-off event at The Channel (on the side of the Arts Centre, next to Fattos overlooking the Yarra).

Join Clinton Green, Greg Wadley and three artists working closely with contemporary composition – Kate Neal, Sean Baxter and Alexander Garsden – as they explore the question: What does it mean to be a composer in Australia today? We’ll interpret this question on several levels: Philosophically – Where does composition stop and improvisation begin in an age of open-ended and graphical scores? Practically – How are software, new instruments and the Internet impacting how composition is done and what is composed? Career – What challenges do composers face, and what advice would our panel offer a young Australian contemplating life as a composer?

Thursday 13 August 2015 (7:30pm) – free entry
Kate Neal, Sean Baxter, Alexander Garsden
Venue: The Channel, Arts Centre, Melbourne.
Facebook event