Update on Nelson Arts Festival

Welcome to NAF-enews #6: Update on Nelson Arts Festival

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrinnnnnng! It's a warning bell

This is the last week for our fabulous Early Bird special prices so if you are still deliberating about what shows to see, get out the diary, make up your mind and get into Everyman (or on-line) and buy your tickets now.

And it's not just price you need to consider. Interest this year is hotter than ever and there are some shows where the pick of seats is becoming seriously limited.

What makes a theatre?

We copped some flak in the Mail's letters to the editor over our use of the word 'theatre' for venues at the School of Music and the Trafalgar Centre. It was actually a good opportunity for us to explain what's going on so here's what we said in reply: '...until Nelson has a performing arts centre or a refurbished Theatre Royal, the Arts Festival will build theatres in the venues we do have - creating facilities that do justice to the out of town performances we are bringing to Nelson and to the audiences who come to see them. When Stuart Devenie performs Hatch - the Plight of the Penguins at the Nelson School of Music Theatre and when Corporacion Tango dances at the Trafalgar Centre Theatre, the audience will experience the feeling of a well-dressed proscenium arch theatre, with good lines of sight. We use the word 'theatre' to indicate people can expect these venues to be transformed beyond the auditorium and the stadium they are used to - and we can't wait until the day when this is no longer necessary.'

Tango Seats. Good news - by refiguring the layout we have managed to create some more seating for Corporacion Tango. Get in quick - it will sell out!

Become a Maker

All around Nelson people are working into the night with their Stanley knives and PVA glue. They are not up to anything dodgy - just making houses for Josephine Cachemaille's Hometown installation at the Manifest Sculpture Exhibition at Albion Square. Our publicist made the Prince Albert Hotel (it's her local and it's box-shaped - easy). Local lawyer Jeremy Glasgow has made his own home and Cawthron scientist Lincoln Mackenzie has made a great replica of the turreted Bett house that used to be on the corner of Nile Street (as per Joni Mitchell, it's now the Bett carpark).

More on carparks

They're a necessary adjunct to modern life but we are asking the good people around the DOC building and Courthouse to take a slightly longer stroll to work while the festival is on. This year we are constructing the Deutz Lighthouse on the carpark in Albion Square - and it's going to be a much better site for a bigger and more visible venue. It will give us a level playing field as they say - one that won't see our chefs wading about in their gummies if Labour weekend brings its traditional precipitation (Please not).

Have you blogged on?

The Nelson Mail festival blog is great reading - check it out at www.stuff.co.nz. It's got gossip, recommendations, inside info on performances and tickets to be won if you make some comment yourself.

Sync those lips

If you were at last year's Everyman No Talent Contest after the Port Nelson Masked Parade, you'll know it had gone about as far it could go. Juggling raw offal was going to be hard to top, so we have re-invented this part of the More FM Carnivale and it is proudly launched right now as: Everyman Lip-Synch 07. If you're a bathroom Barry Manilow or a lounge Liberace, come and strut your stuff (in silence) on Friday October 12 at 7.30pm outside Everyman. Prizes for best male, best female and best air instrumentalist. Info from sashi.eggers@ncc.govt.nz or P:546 0200.

It's no secret...

We are picking the Village of the Idiots to be a great show. It's an Anthony Donaldson production with musicians from Fat Freddy's Drop and the Black Seeds among other top Wellington bands. Don't let this one pass you by!

Going to WOW?

Don't miss Re:Fine: A celebration of Nelson and WOW creativity. The art exhibition is happening from Saturday 22 - Sunday 30 September at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts near the entrance to the Show venue on Queen's Wharf. 'Re:fine' integrates artworks by Nelson artists with award-winning WOW garments from previous shows. See the show half price on Friday September 21.

Can't have too many Friends

One of the great bargains of our times - where else do you get a deal like this?

* For just $65 you get three vouchers to shows of your choice, invitation to the Sculpture Gala on Thursday 11 October and to the 2008 programme launch plus the Festival Friends' Newsletter.

* Special Festival Friends ($120) six vouchers to shows plus all other friends' benefits.

Invite your friends, plan a spring holiday, don't delay, reply now to this email, the full programme is on-line now at www.nelsonartsfestival.co.nz

ENDS

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