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At the opening night of ‘BANKSTOWN:LIVE’, a new four-night festival presented by Urban Theatre Projects in partnership with Sydney Festival, guests will experience nine unique new works from critically acclaimed international and Australian artists created in collaboration with local Bankstown residents spanning from theatre, visual arts, animation, film, music, photography, spoken word, ballroom dancing and installation.
Commencing with artist Alwin Reamillo’s Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House being carried through the suburban streets by local residents. This handmade, traditional two-room Filipino bamboo hut is decorated with wind chimes, presenting an incredible sight as it moves throughout the streets to the backdrop of local weatherboard, fibro and brick houses. The work pays homage to Bayanihan, a Filipino tradition of the community helping to relocate people from one village to another.
Audiences are invited into the neighbourhood to see world-class theatre in backyards, watch films around a hills hoist, or sit in a deck chair curb-side and listen to songs of contemporary suburbia.
Four local residents of Bankstown have offered up their homes to present a selection of theatre, film, audio and animated works. Other local residents have invited people into their living rooms for intimate family portraits, contributed their own stories and been a muse for musicians — inspired by the unique Australian suburban experience. Their stories are as fascinating as the art works around them — from a Macedonian family who emigrated to Australia more than 30 years ago, building their home with their own hands, to 81 year-old David Cranston, who grew up in the same house he still lives in.
Throughout the evening guests will also be entertained by new music from Toby Martin performed in front of suburban homes, dancing performances on the street choreographed by Emma Saunders with local residents performing ballroom and a newly created ‘every-person dance’, new Australian writing from some of western Sydney’s most interesting voices, a personal photo booth located on a traffic roundabout and the premiere of a half-hour film Bre & Back.
The evening closes with the heavenly vocals of Sophia Brous and her collaborators, Leo Abrahams and David Coulter, performing a new suite of lullabies based on stories sourced from local residents.
‘BANKSTOWN:LIVE’ artists include Alwin Reamillo (Phil), Toby Martin & guests (Aus), Michael Mohammed Ahmad with Janice Muller (Aus), Jenny Shillingsworth, Lily Shearer & Beverley Miranda (Aus), Sophia Brous & guests (Aus/UK), Joanne Saad (Aus), Emma Saunders & guests (Aus) and Western Sydney animators (Aus). Curated by Urban Theatre Projects (UTP) Artistic Director Rosie Dennis.
BANKSTOWN:LIVE
22 to 25 January, 2015
6pm to 10pm
Sydney
