On 8 Mar 2011 at 7:46am Newmania wrote:
I like to think I am a not entirely philistine sort of cove but if you look at the bill of fare for the Brighton Festival I feel like an unwanted moloch. Is it me or is this a quite ridiculously pretentious and elitist shin-dig ?
At its most accessible there is Fidelio, ok fair enough and ' As you Like It' is on, again me likee.
Otherwise as close as we get to a good time or " 'eard of it ever " is some playlets by Pinter advertised as chilling ,compelling and all that mularkey , ( sub text more duty than pleasure) . Most of the rest of it is typified by "Kutug Atamn`s Mesopotamian Dramaturgies " , best thats a bag of giggles , or "Teatro De Ciertos Habitantes " Monsters and Prodigies , fun for all the family there I `d say.
There are a few more things I might like but overall its just so off-putting and the posh mag even more so . I open a page at random
" Gardenia - In this intimate portrait of identity and self revelation an ensemble of aging transexuals and transvestites take centre stage ..navigate hinterland ...truth and artifice ...blah blah. Oh its inspired by the penetrating film Yo Soy Asi..Maybe its just the way its presented because the close you look the less revolting it seems but my god its head is plunged into its fundament
Anyone going to anything ?
On 8 Mar 2011 at 9:05am Newmania wrote:
Oops gone a bit crazy with the italics there, hopefully this will cure it
Has it ?
On 8 Mar 2011 at 9:13am 'ere be monsters wrote:
As Taggart said in "Blazing Saddles" "God darnit, Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore."
On 8 Mar 2011 at 10:01am Old Cynic wrote:
I know exactly what you mean I've always been really put off by Brighton festival - Im sure there is some really good stuff in amongst the twaddle but I find I cant be bothered siffting through it all. I like Fidelio too and its saying something when that id the most accesible thing in the line up
On 8 Mar 2011 at 10:33am oh dear wrote:
Don't be such a buffoon, Newmania. If you want to go to see Les Miserables, you can, anytime. The point of the Festival is to give you the opportunity to go see stuff you might not, otherwise. It's funny just how many educated middle-class bores such as your good self scream 'elitist' when they can't be bothered to engage with anything outside of their dull suburban outlook.
So just pick something and see whether you like it. I've done that and seen more hits than misses.
If anything, though, this year's line up looks the least innovative and engaging in years. It's all a bit flat.
On 8 Mar 2011 at 12:35pm Hedley Lamarr wrote:
Indeed I have. And I must agree with Newmania. Its been developed by (and for) very blinkered people.
On 8 Mar 2011 at 1:37pm 'ere be monsters wrote:
Hedley, Go do that voodoo that you do do so well!!!
On 8 Mar 2011 at 1:44pm Old Cynic wrote:
Had a look on line - its actually is much better than the brochure suggests and certainly comes over as far less elitist. Some of the classical concerts look OK - pity is just plain dull 
I wont waste my hard earned - Les Mis anyone?!!!
On 8 Mar 2011 at 4:37pm MC wrote:
I always love the Festival's outdoor events (and not just because they're free). This year there are some great looking things on.
www.brightonfestival.org/events.aspx?p=i&i=FOUT
The French stuff is always wonderful as they don't seem to have heard of health and safety, and excel at odd and bizarre spectacle.
Other tips:
1) The New World Order by Hyrdocracker. This is the Festivals do-not-miss event. The previous show was very impressive:
www.brightonfestival.org/Event/The-New-World-Order/4039
2) Spem in Alium. 40 Part Motete, candlelit at the grand and cavernous St Bartholemew (High) Church:
www.brightonfestival.org/Event/Spem-in-Alium---Forty-Part-Motet/4052
3) Circa dance will be exceptional:
www.brightonfestival.org/Event/Circa/4049
4) Chouf Ouchoof will probably be very good too:
www.brightonfestival.org/Event/Chouf-Ouchouf/4106
Lots of the contemporary music looks interesting:
I'm going to see Laurie Anderson and probably Giant Sand and Devon Sproule but would also like to see Max Richter and DJ Shadow... and Asian Dub Foundation (yet again).
I don't think it looks flat at all.
On 8 Mar 2011 at 8:48pm old Cynic wrote:
Its just a matter of taste! Spem in Alium is pretty great - I missed that in the programme.
On 9 Mar 2011 at 5:35am Newmania wrote:
Well I don`t mind Pinter ( when he isn`t talking ) ,Laurie Andersen is not required but I think I have invented the Brighton Festival Randomiser
1-Foreign Person does something utterly stupid slightly and , if possible , obscene-
Og Spog the Finnish mime master sits in a bucket of yak spit
2- Abstract concepts are implausibly attached - Exploring ideas of self, the witty performance-poem journeys through a dark metaphysical dream-scape in a meditation on identity ,challenging us to question our response...
3 Unanswerable brag- Og`s thrilling contribution to the Finnish mime tradition is a kaleidoscope of profoundly playful invention
Og is a must see event (its outside you know just like on holiday)