Sunday Arts Magazine

12 Mar 2017

Films, Dance–Anti-Gravity&Split, Spiro re MQFF, Melb Design Week

Arts, Dance, Design, LGBTIQ, Performing Arts, TV & Film, Visual Arts

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Films, Dance–Anti-Gravity&Split, Spiro re MQFF, Melb Design Week

David and Brendan are back in today after missing last week due to the Mardi Gras parade broadcast. Brendan talks about another David who is the subject of a doco out this week–David Stratton: A Cinematic Life which is an abridged version of a 3 part series that will be shown on the ABC later in the year. Stratton is a legend and star for Australian filmgoers and also has widespread international cred amongst film-makers and festivals. He is best known here as co-host of The Movie Show (SBS) and then At The Movies (ABC) with Margaret Pomeranz. As well as being a bio of Stratton’s life the doco also goes into a history of Australian films with Stratton commenting on them–3.5 stars (mainly due to its brevity). For something completely different, Brendan’s next review is Kong: Skull Island. Brendan went in with a gorilla costume and low expectations BUT he thought it ‘worked’ as a cross between Jurassic Park and Apocalypse Now–4 stars.

There are 4 interviews this week and our guests, like always, talk about their own trajectory to where they are now as well as a current event, show or exhibition. Along with inside stories, interesting anecdotes and descriptions.

Special guests this week include:

13:17 to 25:29 mins–Dancer Tara Jade Sumaya is a core dancer in contemporary dance organisation Chunky Move and is here to discuss a new work they’re performing called Anti-Gravity on at Malthouse Theatre from 17 to 26 March. This is presented in association with Asia:TOPA and Dance Massive. Anti-Gravity is part of both festivals because of the creative collaboration between Chunky Move Artistic Director Anouk van Dijk and celebrated multimedia artist Ho Tzu Nyen. In it, 6 dancers portray the role of clouds as ethereal influences on human behaviour; showing varying degrees of control and abandon. There are stunning visual effects on top of the athleticism of the dancers. This along with sounds, lighting and exquisite costumes create an otherworldly environment. Tara also talks about other work she’s done, and is doing, including her own solo work stemming from being appointed Assistant Associate for Chunky Move. David thinks Tara’s got what it takes and predicts she will be famous in about 10 years.

26:05 to 42:32 mins–We have another two talented Dancers– Melanie Lane and Lilian Steiner–who are here to talk about a work they’re both performing in– Lucy Guerin’s Split on from March 16 to 19 and 23 to 26 at Arts House in North Melbourne Town Hall. This is also part of Dance Massive. David initially discusses the Dance Massive festival with our guests. Lillian is also in another Dance Massive show called Noise Quartet Meditation which she also choreographed– involving 2 dancers and 2 noise percussionists. She talks about the combo of dance and percussion. In Split, Melanie and Lillian are the only performers and their ‘basic trajectory’ is that time and space are continuously being reduced (split in half) and inevitably become zero. It’s also the split between 2 people–whether in a relationship between 2 people or they’re 2 of the same person. Our guests worked together with Choreographer / Director Lucy Guerin to develop the work as Lucy didn’t have a solid concept of it when they started which is not unusual in contemporary dance. They also danced together once before in a small ‘club event’ in Asia:TOPA. They discuss this festival too, and later Art House.

Brendan tells us about his tour of the backstage area of all 3 theatres in the ‘Spire Building’ of the Arts Centre (not including Hamer Hall but it is included in the discussion). This happens at 11am every Sunday. Brendan also reviews the theatre production The Homosexuals by Declan Greene (also discussed on Sunday Arts 19 February) and thinks it’s a very timely and discussion-provoking piece. A big shout-out to Mama Alto who has a dual role. Both Brendan and David then briefly discuss Kinky Boots which is only on for another 2 weeks!! Later, Brendan ends today’s show with one more film review. It’s called Logan which is the 3^rd Wolverine film, and Hugh Jackman’s last. Brendan sees it as a quality film–4 stars.

50:27 to 1:13:17 mins–Spiro Economopoulos is the Program Director of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) which is on from 16 to . Initially, he and our hosts discuss film reviewing/reviewers as well as the challenges and joys of looking for films for the festival. So far there has been a great response to the lesbian features with many tickets being sold already. Spiro puts this down to there being many great films out there this year (& 2016 also). He also discusses how queer films are appearing more and more in the mainstream and that there are films that are not specifically queer but happen to have a queer character in it. Spiro mentions and/or discusses a number of MQFF films, with our hosts including:– Women Who Kill (Closing night), I Am Michael (Opening night), Below Her Mouth, Suicide Kale, King Cobra, Esteros, Suited (doco), Kiki (doco), Uncle Howard (doco), Paris 5:59, Taekwando, Take me to the River and Pulse.To easily find info on any film mentioned, go to the MQFF home page and click the ‘Pick a Film’ tab at the top.

1:14:03 to 1:29:27 mins–Timothy Moore is director of architecture company Sibling which designs everything from books to buildings as well as social/public architecture in Malaysia and S E Australia. He also has a role as External Events Curator for the NGV where he coordinates satellite events around the city. He is part of a team of 4 curators and is here to talk about NGV’s Melbourne Design Week on from 16 to 26 March. In Melbourne Design the curators are interested in seeing how a building comes into being, in understanding the process of design and discovering the value the design can bring to a business or community. This year they’re really celebrating local design and working towards getting these designers more international exposure. There are over 100 events including industry events, workshops, tours, lectures by leading designers, panels and symposiums. Timothy gives examples of many of these; as fascinating as they are varied. He encourages everyone to look at the website.

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