www.theblisspages.com - Brighton Festival 2004

Brighton Festival 2004

There were a lot of interesting events over the Brighton Festival 2004 in May, and I booked for quite a few. Some you can book online, but for others you have to ring up (and pay a £1.75 booking fee) on 01273 709709.

I went to lots of events. I went to a Buddhist Open Day at the Bodhisattva Centre in Hove. I believe the building was originally a Catholic convent. Everyone was very friendly and I attended a meditation session.

See my reviews:
an evening of poetry including Poets Cornered and Murray Lachlan Young
near life experience
dieppe market
the big splash a free event at Brighton Marina
Mugenkyo Taiko Drumming
painful creatures a free event in Queens Park
the lazy kings three processions converging on Preston Park
la syncope du 7 a circus/dance hybrid
gourmet gardening
cycle ride and stone carvings
Lucy Bundy is Fake Bush and
I was not there an open house.

free events:

I particularly enjoyed:

painful creatures and

the lazy kings

They were both interesting, and the Lazy Kings event in particular was amazing. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

I went to the Carnival Encounter on 22 May. I missed the various parades converging on Madeira Drive, but there the party really started with Samba, stilt-walkers, drums and more, culminating in a finale with all the bands joining in. A great atmosphere and a great party!

It was also worth popping along to the Famous Spiegeltent in the evening, but when I went there, there was a long queue. Eventually, I got the chance to wander round inside, and it was worth it. The Famous Spiegeltent was created in the twenties and I hear that Marlene Dietrich once sang 'Falling in Love again' there. It has a circular teak dance floor, velvet curtains, and a chandelier.

booked events:

I paid for:

• Lucy Bundy is Fake Bush at Joogleberry Playhouse on Mon 3 May. Doors open at 20.00 and the show starts at 21.00. An affectionate comic salute to the high priestess of avant-garde pop, Kate Bush. National sound-alike winner supposedly as close as you'll get to the real thing. Wow wow wow ... unbelievable!! See my review, Lucy Bundy is Fake Bush.
• La Syncope du 7 at Brighton Dome on Fri 7 May at 20.00. Their meticulously choreographed circus/dance hybrid is an architectural ballet of trampolines, trapezes, juggling and aerial acrobatics, pulsing to the beats of a techno DJ and Stomp like percussion. See my review of La Syncope du 7.
• Gourmet Gardening with Bob Flowerdew, organic gardening guru at The Old Market, Upper Market Street on Wed 12 May at 19.30. Let your horticultural and culinary imagination run wild. See my review of gourmet gardening.
• Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers at the Sallis Benney Theatre on Fri 14 May at 20.00. A powerful fusion of hypnotic rhythms, dynamic movement and raw energy from Europe's foremost Taiko group performing a highly athletic from of Japanese Drumming. See my review of Mugenkyo Taiko Drumming.
• Murray Lachlan Young at the Marlborough Theatre on Mon 17 May at 21.30. See some of his poems. My review of this evening is available at an evening of poetry.
• Ballet Preljocaj - Near Life Experience at Brighton Dome on Tue 18 May at 20.00. Near Life Experience explores the moments when the body is carried away. Quoting Angelin Preljocaj, the choreographer, "My ballet is therefore about the body succumbing to various states, including a trance-like ecstasy, having a sexual orgasm or fainting, where everything comes to a halt for a while". See a review at Culture Kiosque. I last saw Ballet Preljocaj dancing The Rite of Spring and they were awesome - see my music page. See my review of Near Life Experience - I have to say I was very disappointed with this show...

... but I ran out of time to go to some other events, including more open houses, various open-air events, and a Labyrinth walk. If you went on the Labyrinth walk, I'd love to hear about it. Overall, I thought it a fantastic Festival, and look forward to 2005.

I went to quite a few Festival events in 2002, from an interesting audience with Terry Pratchett and Terry Jones, to walks round Brighton, and a very amusing play, Love and Other Fairytales, loosely based on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. I didn't get the chance to get to any of the events in 2003, but I definitely did more in 2004.

I'm interested in your views and comments on these, or any other, Festival events ...

updated Mon 24 May '04   give feedback...

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: : © Mike Bliss 2011