George Maple on tour
Fresh from sell-out shows in New York and Los Angeles, Australia’s own electro-soul queen George Maple has added more dates to her national tour. Tickets to the London-based singer’s Sydney and Melbourne gigs sold out quickly to fans of her recent EP and its tracks Talk Talk and Vacant Space. She’ll be supported by local artists Joy, Jimmy2sox, Moon Holiday and Touch Sensitive on tour.
George Maple, Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane on 23 April, then Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide
Sydney writers festival
Contemplating how to live is the task set for this year’s Sydney writers festival guests. Those charged with untangling the perennial dilemma include former prime minister Julia Gillard, performers Alan Cumming and David Walliams, best-sellers James Patterson and Michael Connolley, and local heavy-hitters Richard Flanagan, Helen Garner and Don Watson. Talks by Norman Doidge, author of The Brain that Changes Itself, Douglas Coupland, who coined the term Generation X, and mortician and blogger Caitlin Doughty are sure to be highlights.
Sydney writers festival, Walsh Bay, Sydney, 18 to 24 May
Adelaide cabaret festival
National treasure Barry Humphries takes up the reins as artistic director of the Adelaide cabaret festival, presenting a line up of 152 performances of 350 artists over 14 days. Cabaret stars Meow Meow, Bernadette Robinson and Lady Rizo will parry with performers Eddie Perfect, Adam Hills and Tex Perkins. Humphries also promises appearances from his own artist roster including Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna.
Adelaide cabaret festival, Festival theatre and others, Adelaide from 5 to 20 June
The Rivers of China
Emerging theatre company Don’t Look Away is dedicated to reviving Australian theatre gems, and now director Phil Rouse turns his eye to playwright Alma De Groen’s rarely performed The Rivers of China. First staged in 1987, the play centres around the last days of author Katherine Mansfield in 1923 and is set against those of a young man who wakes up in the 80s to find himself in a fascist female-dominated society. Two very different narratives, both questioning the roles of the artist and women in society, issues that remain relevant to this day.
The Rivers of China, Theatre Works, St Kilda, 20 to 30 May
True North arts festival
Think local, perform local as emerging artists, writers and musicians come together for the annual three-day True North arts festival in Preston. Victorian College of the Arts students will present a collection of new works entitled Frisk, the living statue garden party will see statue artists – yes really – emerge from stillness in a choreographed piece, and local and interstate artists will present paper, sculpture, video, sound and performance artworks for interactive collaboration Ahhhh Space.
True North arts festival, Darebin Arts & Entertainments Centre, Preston, 17 to 19 April
