What’s on in South Australia

Sep 08, 2014

Red Doors, by Amanda Phillips and Alexander Waite Mitchell, from last year’s Random Arts in Holdfast Bay.

Random acts of art in Glenelg and Brighton, a world-record-breaking music bid at the Royal Adelaide Show, OzAsia, Naked Magicians and the ASO’s Beethoven Fest are among this weekend’s picks.

Random Arts in Holdfast Bay

Stitching, Sera Walters, 2013 Random Arts

Glenelg and Brighton Jetty Road precincts are presenting a series of “spontaneous, creative and witty” pop-up art pieces and installations this month. The City of Holdfast Bay commissioned 11 artists to create the works, and if you want to be among the first to find them you can join a free Random Arts Walk at 4.30pm today (Friday) from Hindmarsh Lane, Glenelg (near Gloria Jean’s). City of Holdfast Bay community development officer Jenni Reynolds says the pieces are intended to be thought-provoking but “transient” – which essentially means no one knows exactly how long they will remain there. The event follows a previous Random Arts program in which 46 works were presented. “There’s a sense of lightness and humour to it all that lifts people’s spirits,” Reynolds says. Look out for RANDOM QR stickers on each artwork or click here for information about the curated exhibition.

Royal Adelaide Show

One of the more unusual events at the show this weekend will be an attempt to set a new world record for the number of people playing the Angklung at one time. An Angklung is an Indonesian musical instrument made from bamboo tubes. More than 6000 people will need to rock up to the main arena around 8pm on Saturday to get into the Guinness Book of Records – and as an added bonus, you get to keep the instrument (you can get an idea of what’s in store in this video of a previous record-breaking performance in Washington). Other entertainment on the final weekend of the show includes street theatre, fashion parades, wine tasting, cooking demonstrations, sheepdog trials, sheep-shearing demonstrations, horse events, wood cutting, the carnival, and nightly Monster Truck, V8 Ute Challenge and Motor X events in the main arena. You can catch fireworks displays at 8pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9pm on Sunday. All the info you need is on the Royal Adelaide Show website.

OzAsia Festival

A highlight of the 2014 OzAsia Festival this weekend will be a percussion extravaganza in which Korean traditional drumming proponents Noreum Machi (above) will come together with Australian contemporary music ensemble Synergy Percussion for two performances at the Space Theatre tonight (Friday) and tomorrow night. The OzAsia smorgasbord of dance, theatre, music, art, film and forums also includes a live performance at the Dunstan Playhouse on Saturday by calligrapher/artist Hiroko Watanabe with Japanese band Above the Clouds, and Infused: All About Tea, a free event at the Migration Museum on Sunday featuring tea ceremonies, performances and cooking demonstrations by chef Simon Bryant featuring tea-based recipes. A public lecture about Confucianism and the Jewish Faith and a World Confucius Forum will be held at the Adelaide Festival Centre on Saturday and Sunday (more info here).

OzAsia on Screen

Following Qingdao Song and Dance Theatre’s acclaimed dance-drama Red Sorghum, adapted from Nobel Prize-winning author Mo Yan’s novel, the 1987 film version will screen at the Mercury Cinema on Sunday afternoon as part of OzAsia on Screen. It tells the story of a small Chinese rural community rising up against their Japanese invaders. Also screening are Palestinian thriller Omar, Bangladeshi satire Television and Indian/French documentary Faith Connections. OzAsia on Screen is showcasing 13 films over 24 sessions until September 21. Click here to view the full program.

Misalliance – Adelaide Rep

George Bernard Shaw’s Misalliance takes place entirely on a Saturday afternoon when an airplane crashes through the conservatory of the noveau-riche Tarleton family, bringing two unexpected guests who shake up the household. Adelaide Repertory Theatre director Brian Knott says Shaw loved to put early 20^th-century life under the microscope, and in this comedy “issues of social class, gender, socialism and the rights and roles of women become topics for witty, topsy-turvy and unexpected arguments”. Adelaide Rep is presenting it at the Arts Theatre in Angas Street until September 20.

Selby & Friends

Swedish cello player Torleif Thedéen will headline a concert by chamber music group Selby and Friends at Elder Hall on Sunday afternoon. Titled Swedish Delight, the program will include Beethoven’s G minor sonata for cello and piano, and Debussy and Grieg’s Cello Sonatas.

ASO’s Beethoven Fest

This fortnight-long Adelaide Symphony Orchestra festival of events and concerts exploring the work of Ludwig van Beethoven begins with two weekend concerts (Friday and Saturday nights) at the Town Hall featuring British concert pianist Stephen Hough (pictured) performing the Emperor Concerto and ASO concertmaster Natsuko Yoshimoto starring in the lyrical Romance in G. There will also be a chamber music concert on Sunday afternoon in the Mortlock Wing of the State Library of SA. The Beethoven Festival is being led by the ASO’s new artist-in-association, British conductor Nicholas McGegan, who says: “Playing Beethoven for me is about passion and excitement. His music is a thrilling ride through the whole gamut of human emotions.” The festival continues until September 20, with the full program here.

The Naked Magicians

You might remember these guys from Fringe – they were the ones performing tricks sans pants. Now the Naked Magicians (Christopher Wayne and Mike Tyler) are bringing their R-rated show back to Adelaide with performances at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Friday and Saturday nights. Promoters promise a boisterous show with “full-frontal illusions”. Get a taste of what’s in store here.

The Love Junkies

Hailing from Perth, this indie/rock band are currently touring the country to showcase material from their new album, Blowing on the Devil’s Strumpet, which is described as “a rollicking grunge-infused collection of songs”. You can sample the sound on their official website. The Love Junkies are playing an 18+ gig at Adelaide’s Crown & Anchor Hotel on Saturday night.

Warakurna exhibition

This travelling exhibition currently at the South Australian Museum features paintings by Aboriginal artists from the Western Australian community of Warakurna. The paintings are said to combine familiar Western Desert symbols and dots with a more figurative style to recount current and historical events ranging from the impact of weapons testing and mining to a visit by Midnight Oil. Warakurna: All the Stories Got into our Minds and Eyes will be at the museum until November 30.

Shimmer Photographic Biennale

The City of Onkaparinga’s month-long photography festival features events, exhibitions, tours and workshops, with the work of more than 40 artists being shown across 32 venues. This weekend there is also a “meet the photographer” event featuring Robert McFarlane at the Port Noarlunga Arts Centre on Sunday, and artist talks by Deborah Paauwe and Jacqui Dean to coincide with their exhibitions at the centre. The full program, including exhibition details, can be downloaded here.

Elder Conservatorium – Three Choirs in Concert

This Saturday evening concert at Elder Hall will feature the Elder Conservatorium Choir, Bella Voce (the Elder Conservatorium of Music’s women’s choir) and Brisbane youth choir Resonance, promising “an evening of inspired choral music from around the world”. More info here.