Biggest festival beckons

Photo: RICHARD EDMONDSON

WE NEED AUDIENCES: Bay of Islands Arts Festival director Sue James wants a full house at The Centre at Kerikeri on Friday when the 17th festival opens.

The theatre lights are dimmed and some of New Zealand's top performance artists are ready to take the stage.

So, where are you?

Bay of Islands Arts Festival director Sue James hopes she won't sound like an Australian tourism commercial when the 17th festival swings into action on Friday.

The trust, which organises the biennial festival, is spending a record $200,000 on top-notch acts this year and needs big audiences to recoup about $53,000 of costs not met by sponsorship.

"They're big shows and we're putting them on for next to nothing. It's pretty good stuff. We can't do better," says Ms James.

Highlights of the month-long festival, which includes more than 20 performances at 10 venues across the Far North, include festival opener Nimby Opera's Cunning Little Vixen.

"It's a wonderful story with exquisite singing. It won awards for its graphic art."

Ms James is equally excited by Co Theatre Physical whose show Ooh Baby Baby combines acrobatics, aerial dance and comedy into a raunchy, cabaret-like act.

"We've got a great big scaffold and they're up and down it and all over the stage. It's just amazing."

Kiwi rockers Elemeno P and These Four Walls complete a weekend line-up of acts who aim to pack plenty of punch.

"We've got the first big rock concert in the Kerikeri Domain. This festival is pretty special."

Other artists include comedian Te Radar, the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and music from countries that share the same latitude as New Zealand.

"We're calling the programme 35 Degrees South."

Ms James says most performances will be staged in Kerikeri out of necessity.

"The Centre is the only place we can bring top level groups to."

But there will be at least one show in Kaitaia, Rawene, Opononi, Kaikohe and Russell.

"Last time we had a tour of 28 shows but it was exhausting and disappointing in all sorts of ways.

"We either had an audience overflow or not enough people. It was hard for the artists."

The trust is subsidising shows two-to-one to make the festival as affordable as possible. "Most prices are between $20 and $25. The top price is $30."

Ms James appeals to the public to check out the festival website www.boiarts festival.co.nz or see the brochure in last week's Northern News.