Sunday Times 2
‘Moving Out’ prepares to take Colombo and Hikkaduwa by storm
View(s):Tired of sitting in a theatre waiting for a show to start? ‘Moving Out’ is all about public theatre and performance-so prepare to don your holiday
Adrian Schvarzstein: On chairs
wear, grab your backpacks and bask in the island warmth as this first ever festival organised by UZ Arts in association with Colomboscope prepares to take Colombo and Hikkaduwa by storm.
Artistic Director Neil Butler is known best in Sri Lanka for his work as co-director of the Colombo Art Biennale. Taking the initiative with ‘Moving Out’ proved easy for Butler, who has also conducted several exchange programmes between Lankan and European artists. He says “we want everyone to be able to watch and enjoy the performances,” of the primarily public venues chosen for the show. In Hikkaduwa performances will happen in beaches, jungles and marketplaces while Colombo (a bit more formal with venues like the Goethe Institut) will also see performances at beaches and shopping malls. Tickets for a lion’s share of the events are free, so you can just turn up and catch the shows without hassle.
UZ Arts identifies as its initiative to ‘create, commission, produce, programme and tour work across art forms and borders, supporting every part of the process of making and distributing art’. “We’ve been working in Sri Lanka for several years,” explains Butler. UZ Arts runs the Sura Medura International Artist Residency Centre in Hikkaduwa; it is here that several artists from across Europe have been based for the last few weeks, bouncing off each other’s energy to create six original and groundbreaking shows.
Alex Rigg, a Scottish artist working in physical theatre, dance, sculpture and design- “with the most remarkable costumes” assures Butler-and Frank Bolter will work with local artists. Curiously, Bolter will build and then sail a “massive paper boat”, while dancer and choreographer Kitt
Alex Rigg: Sporopollen Environmental Art Fest
Johnson from Denmark will work with local families in Hikkaduwa to create a village tour. “You’ll be invited into the local homes,” we’re told. “It’s very special because she has worked with local materials and knowledge.”
Adrian Schvarzstein, who was in Sri Lanka last year for the Colombo Art Biennale is set to take his turn at Moving Out, although it is unclear in exactly which capacity (whatever it is, those who watched his last bus-scaling, broomstick riding performance in Colombo will know that it’s bound to be hilarious) and video artist Elisabeth Wildling will use projection and video mapping in a public space. Singer songwriter Rodney Branigan is also set to perform. The organisers aren’t giving too much away-and admittedly there’s little fun in knowing what you’re about to see-but they’ll tell you that these are some very special pieces made over an intensive few weeks in Sri Lanka.
The festival happens in two stages; in Hikkaduwa, from January 30 to February 1 and in Colombo from February 6-8. It’s not that the shows target different crowds, says Butler, “but everything is made to fit its location”. If you fancy a break from the city then come to Hikkaduwa, he advises, but if not you could always catch up with the Colombo shows. ‘Special tickets’ for undisclosed shows will also be available at the Sunbeach Hotel in Hikkaduwa during the days of the festival (January30 – February 1).
Catch a special performance today (25 January) at the Hikkaduwa marketplace at 11am.
The programme has been created with the support of In Situ and their European Abroad fund, EUNIC Sri Lanka (consisting of British Council, Goethe Institut and Alliance Francaise), the University of Visual and Performing Arts and local businesses.