tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post899331560112229965..comments2024-02-18T19:36:43.844+11:00Comments on theatre notes: Melbourne Festival: here we goAlison Croggonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-37626696314943861732011-07-26T09:05:24.092+10:002011-07-26T09:05:24.092+10:00Happened to browse the program, and have to say it...Happened to browse the program, and have to say it is actually pretty bloody good! There's some fantastic stuff in there, the Hofesh Schechter work and the other dance pieces will definitely need a look. A great program I reckon. Me very excited.<br /><br />The other thing that struck me about reading the program was the opening page, usually the preserve of talking heads that take the the scorpionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-83321271168247676062011-07-18T07:48:55.631+10:002011-07-18T07:48:55.631+10:00Imagine if we took the opportunity away from Intra...Imagine if we took the opportunity away from Intralot and Tattersalls to run/profit from gaming and ran those lotto events as they do in the UK where the cash gets spent on things such as arts and culture.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-57246948189082784862011-07-17T18:15:31.943+10:002011-07-17T18:15:31.943+10:00Just for comparison: taken from a 2006 Age report:...Just for comparison: taken from a 2006 Age report:<br /><br /><i>The Melbourne International Arts Festival receives $5.5 million from the State Government and $400,000 from the City of Melbourne each year.<br /><br />The festival's annual turnover is $8 million-$9 million, with the remainder of its budget comprising sponsorship, donations, money from foreign governments, and box-office Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-68882547607978102842011-07-17T17:54:20.568+10:002011-07-17T17:54:20.568+10:00and the entry price to the "Becks Beer" ...and the entry price to the "Becks Beer" event at the Forum was sweet - $15 a ticket. No becks this year and th tikets are $45. BummerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-5145252781379299112011-07-17T17:44:53.455+10:002011-07-17T17:44:53.455+10:00Looking at the annual report, it is a small budget...Looking at the annual report, it is a small budget for a festival... wonder how much of that income is sponsorship dollar? This program does seem a loss less substantial than past festivals. Almost half the content of one of Kristy Edmunds programs. I personally don't mind a sponsor logo on the back or on the guide's cover - or naming a bar if it means more art works make it in to the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-91897863291053964142011-07-17T17:35:11.957+10:002011-07-17T17:35:11.957+10:00Scorpion, Foxtel doesn't have naming rights on...Scorpion, Foxtel doesn't have naming rights on the Melbourne Festival, although it is a major sponsor. And given that government funding worldwide is heading downwards (look at Holland) where do you suggest the money for these kinds of events comes from? Because you can be sure they wouldn't happen without some kind of subsidy.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-17581347155087515022011-07-17T14:37:23.183+10:002011-07-17T14:37:23.183+10:00That presumes the festival would get smaller witho...That presumes the festival would get smaller without their support. Perhaps if we took away your job the festival could afford a small indie show? That I might prefer.<br /><br />It also presumes that I would complain if they did pull their support. Which may or may not be the case. There is a difference between a logo on the back of the program or some small branding exercise which is the scorpionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-83238682337468491212011-07-16T18:20:39.229+10:002011-07-16T18:20:39.229+10:00Scorpion,
Would you prefer no corporate support of...Scorpion,<br />Would you prefer no corporate support of the Festival and it to become even smaller? I bet you'd be the first to complain if they were all to pull their support.<br /><br />Local companies receive great exposure being in an international Festival and greater exposure to audiences who may not usually take a punt on their work. their choice reallly...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-34301645417850356852011-07-15T10:55:48.159+10:002011-07-15T10:55:48.159+10:00Weird - my live link didn't work. Trying again...Weird - my live link didn't work. Trying again for Nick Pickard's Drum piece:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2791672.html" rel="nofollow">www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2791672.html</a>Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-26536033275083751422011-07-15T10:25:31.300+10:002011-07-15T10:25:31.300+10:00Thanks Jeff and Scorpion. I'm not especially i...Thanks Jeff and Scorpion. I'm not especially interested in Sydney/Melbourne rivalry, but Jeff has a point. Nick Pickard wrote an interesting piece for The Drum recently <a rel="nofollow">looking at the heavy Sydney investment in musicals</a> which might be pertinent here. The Sydney Festival has more than twice the budget of the Melbourne Festival. <br /><br />I agree the Sydney mainstream Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-62761381003570652122011-07-15T08:12:55.827+10:002011-07-15T08:12:55.827+10:00Sydney has made a concerted effort to out spend Me...Sydney has made a concerted effort to out spend Melbourne on arts of late including on commercial musicals and the Sydney Festival to which I was specifically referring. There is competition for arts events and the measurable economic benefits they bring. Art is bankable and the artists that make it must follow the support. I do agree, scorpion, that Sydney main stage theatre companies are jeff busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683706363863266647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-85431543945093440752011-07-15T05:35:07.905+10:002011-07-15T05:35:07.905+10:00The art sydney has failed to produce seems a littl...The art sydney has failed to produce seems a little harsh. The city has far better art than it has, well, city, and lets face it, much of the theatre at least coming out of Sydney is absolutely ricocheting out of the box. This nonsense that Sydney doesn't make good work is increasingly that, nonsense. For the facts are pretty simple, Sydney do have top artists and great art. Enough of the scorpionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-83526310566385196672011-07-14T23:08:37.193+10:002011-07-14T23:08:37.193+10:00Yes Alison Sydney has the cash to buy the art it h...Yes Alison Sydney has the cash to buy the art it has failed to produce and meanwhile here the key shows of the home grown talent are self presenting while the fest and its sponsors glow with minimal expenditure. Ahh smoke and mirrors......jeff busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683706363863266647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-50879193564682591512011-07-14T10:09:41.158+10:002011-07-14T10:09:41.158+10:00Hi 4Coffins - the launch was a bit of an oddity, b...Hi 4Coffins - the launch was a bit of an oddity, but to be fair, I've never been at a launch which wasn't rich with superlatives. Perhaps the most interesting aspect is the focus on home-grown talent as a major drawcard: it may be that necessity is the mother of invention, but that's a mighty shift. Melbourne certainly has the goods.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-67099809426081293082011-07-14T06:14:49.484+10:002011-07-14T06:14:49.484+10:00perhaps it's gone where the purple light show ...perhaps it's gone where the purple light show went...the scorpionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-42777573914579601462011-07-14T00:38:40.247+10:002011-07-14T00:38:40.247+10:00Spot-on commentary Alison, right down to the "...Spot-on commentary Alison, right down to the "card carrying" - what an odd launch.<br /><br />Am I the only one who feels this program is a little staid, then? I couldn't agree more with your comment that we are missing something unexpected or new. Revolution + Rebellion? Perhaps an ironic title?? Certainly seemed so with the giant propagandic big screens brainwashing me.<br /><br /Richard Pettiferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00916298496154973547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-89558821118726026832011-07-13T17:21:24.280+10:002011-07-13T17:21:24.280+10:00Bloody spam. But because of you, Casey, I'll l...Bloody spam. But because of you, Casey, I'll leave that one up. It's too funny.<br /><br />Thanks CN. You are quite correct, it's not Red Stitch's MF debut. Amendment pronto!Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-44548213980137404742011-07-13T17:02:03.705+10:002011-07-13T17:02:03.705+10:00I agree with Search for Daily Deals - incisive as ...I agree with Search for Daily Deals - incisive as usual.Casey Bennettohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00069992763893159912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-41321001078483844412011-07-13T16:51:39.794+10:002011-07-13T16:51:39.794+10:00I'd agree with you guys, your thoughts that yo...I'd agree with you guys, your thoughts that you would like to deliver for the readers is well done. Though you all had different ideas, but then it's great.Search for Daily Dealshttp://www.odusee.com.au/daily-deals/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-77645545422594256932011-07-13T15:43:02.257+10:002011-07-13T15:43:02.257+10:00BTW Alison, Red Stitch have actually been in the F...BTW Alison, Red Stitch have actually been in the Festival before. Kristy programmed The Night Season (dir. Ailsa Piper) back in 2005 if memory serves.<br /><br /><i>Chastity: I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? <br />Bianca: I think you can in Europe.</i>CNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-72422088538886033702011-07-13T14:42:36.432+10:002011-07-13T14:42:36.432+10:00Yes, the local work is VERY exciting. And that'...Yes, the local work is VERY exciting. And that's some recommendation for Political Mother! Moving right up my list...Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-21135364301972218232011-07-13T14:26:48.805+10:002011-07-13T14:26:48.805+10:00Hi Alison,
I'd agree with the previous commen...Hi Alison,<br /><br />I'd agree with the previous commenter that the reason I'd attend is to see the local work, esp. BalletLab, Chunky Move and Back to Back. But if possible, I'd really like to see Political Mother again. It played in Sydney last year and was so extraordinary that I had to immediately see it again. Probably the most viscerally exciting work I've seen in the last David Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00206474261372528319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-89076626368757402332011-07-13T12:27:48.889+10:002011-07-13T12:27:48.889+10:00As a Sydneysider I am much more tempted to come to...As a Sydneysider I am much more tempted to come to Melbourne for the rich offerings from local companies - what a great body of new work has been pulled together from them. The international offerings, however, evoked a sense of ennui to this festival goer. While wonderful, the Manganiyar Seduction must be onto its 3rd or 4th touring company, it seems like time Schaubuehne Berlin set up an Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com