ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/02/07 13 January 2007
Australian cultural celebration in Mumbai
Australia is proud to bring a host of exciting performances to the Mumbai Festival 2007, beginning 14 January. As focus country, cultural events, including dance, music, theatre, exhibitions and films will be highlighted.
Part of AusArts India: film, arts, literature, a two-year cultural promotion program initiated by the Australian Government, Australia’s participation at the festival will provide an opportunity to the audiences to take a closer look at the diversity of Australian culture and society.
“Australia's participation in the Mumbai Festival and the presence of prominent Australian performers and artists presents an opportunity to highlight the rich cultural diversity of our country ", said Mr John McCarthy, Australian High Commissioner to India.
"Mumbai is the heart of the Indian film industry and a major cultural hub of India. To present Australian films, arts and literature in this city is a wonderful opportunity for us to highlight Australian talent. We also hope that this will further strengthen cultural links between the two countries,” said Mr McCarthy.
The performances being brought to Mumbai include:
Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit produces and performs works for the streets and the outdoors using 4-metre high flexible poles. The company has achieved a reputation throughout the world for its unique performances that combine dance, circus and spectacle in a highly accessible and entertaining way. They will present The Field - eight characters enacting an intriguing ritual of courtship and discovery, breaking hearts and bending poles to impossible angles and The Spheres which takes a whimsical look at physics, the miracle of birth and humanity's existential relationship to our planet.
*Performance: THE SPHERES (20 min) -
Gateway of India, Jan 14th as a part of the Inaugural at 7.00 pm
THE FIELD (45 min) -
Gateway of India, Jan 15th and 16th at 6.30 pm
Dislocate
On the street, in theatres and in the air, Dislocate combines the exciting form of circus with the intricacies of language and the humanity of theatre.
3 Speed Crunch Box is a fast-paced, highly humorous, frantic, ground based street theatre act about a ridiculous family of absurd stunt people. Amidst incredible acrobatics and daringly stupid feats they desperately try to get the big trick (or any trick for that matter) right.
*Performance: 3 SPEED CRUNCH BOX - P.L.Despande Complex (Podium) Jan 15th, 16th, 17th at 6.30 pm
GROWING UP – P.L.Despande Complex (Podium) Jan 16th, 17th at 5.00 pm
Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) Ensemble with Sruthi Laya Ensemble
The AAO was designed to break down the barriers between jazz and classical music, between improvised and composed music, even those between western and non-western music, for the benefit of listeners and practitioners alike. A sub-set of the Orchestra will collaborate with their Indian partners to present a stunning blend of music that encompassed both Eastern and Western musical traditions.
*Performance: INTO THE FIRE –
Gateway of India Jan 25th at 6.30 pm
Doonooch Dancers
‘Doonooch’ refers to the owl dreaming and Doonooch company members perform traditional dances and interpretations of stories from their ancestors to illustrate their Dreamtime legends. They share dance and songs hat depict aspects of Indigenous culture and traditions.
*Performance: At Maharashtra Mazha - Jan 19th at 6.00 pm
At Mumbai Theatre Festival, P.L.Deshpande, Jan 20th 4.00 pm and 7.30 pm
At the closing of Nrityotsav, Bandra Land’s End Amphitheatre, Jan 21st
Yirra Yaakin
WINDMILL BABY, winner of the 2003 Patrick White Award, is a one woman, redemption piece told by Maymay, an old Aboriginal woman who returns to the deserted Kimberley cattle station that was her home 50 years ago. Told by Indigenous voices, with the endearing characters of Wun-man, Two-man, Aunty Darbella and old Maymay, this play is delivered with the poetry of a campfire storyteller.
*Performance: WINDMILL BABY –
Ravindra Natya Mandir Jan 19th 7.30 pm, Jan 20th 4.00 pm and 7.30 pm
AusArts: film, arts, literature is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia International Cultural Council an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in partnership with Australian Film Commission and the Australia-India Council.
For further information, please contact Mr Shekhar Nambiar, Senior Public Affairs Advisor on (0) 98101 54167 or Ms Jaspreet Sharma on (0) 98182 97709.
* Please check final schedules