Ovalhouse presents Brixton City Festival
REVOLUTION MEETS POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT IN OVALHOUSE’S FOUR DAY FESTIVAL ACROSS BRIXTON
Ovalhouse is pleased to announce the 2016 Brixton City Festival on 11th – 14th August: a celebration of Brixton with new artist commissions showcasing exciting performers.
One of the UK’s few commissioning theatres, Ovalhouse is moving to a new building in Brixton in 2018. Brixton City is an ambitious programme of creative residencies, community celebrations, public interventions and commissions that will take place between now and opening in 2018, launching this summer with Brixton City Festival.
Over the four days of the festival, audiences will enjoy unique theatrical experiences in everyday locations transformed into live performances to stumble across. A playground of theatre, circus, music, art and indescribable fun – Brixton City Festival has something for everyone.
“Our 4 commission winners, selected from over 75 submissions, join our two invited commissions by Nick Field and Courttia Newland and we cannot wait to see them all during our Brixton City Festival in August. They represent the vibrant energy of Brixton and by using back streets, shops and businesses as their performance space they shine a bright light on how theatre can strongly connect us and our sense of place and belonging.”
Stella Kanu, Executive Producer, Ovalhouse
2016 Festival Presentations:
In Manifesto, a brotherhood of young men debate the relative worths and deficits of Black Power
By Courttia Newland, invited artist.
Courttia says, “I’ve always found Brixton an inspiration in so many ways, even more so in recent years. The ability of this relatively small town to retain the cultures and styles that have made it world famous is an artistic touch point I return to time and again. In lots of ways my play Manifesto is born of the values that make Brixton so unique; a willingness to speak our mind, resilience, being true to ourselves.”
A keepsake collection for Brixton locals to save their mementos from the tide of change, before a performance on a boat in the pool at Brockwell Lido
By Nick Field, invited artist. Nick says, “I’ve lived in Brixton for many years, and it has never failed to fascinate and inspire me. It is a unique place in London and in the world, but it is changing so fast that what makes it special is threatened. I am excited to have this opportunity to explore that and what it means through this commission, I’ll be making a performance piece as beguiling, compelling and urgent as Brixton itself.”
A dazzling hula hoop display with LED hoops and fast paced moves on roller skates, followed by a flash mob from Brixton village to Windrush Square
By Marawa’s Majorettes, World Record Holding hula hoop troupe
Live music theatre in front of the iconic Bovril advert wall in Windrush square
By Lara Lee, local Brixton music icon
In circus-sitcom PUB, the landlord and landlady of a failing old fashioned boozer have a big decision to make: go hipster or go hungry
By Molly Orange Street Theatre
Banknotes get re-faced with exquisitely detailed portraits of passersby in the Currency Exchange Bureau at Brixton Pound
By Harald Smykla, artist