Arts Festival Dunedin's September 30 to October 9 timeline dovetails into the school holidays for a good reason. Shane Gilchrist casts his eye over events aimed at young and old alike.
COMMANDER CLAIRE AND THE PIRATES OF PROVENCE
From the Hauraki Gulf to Foveaux Strait, nowhere is safe from the plundering of French pirate Captain Langlois and his fiendish Gallic rooster, Napoleon.
When all else fails, New Zealand turns to the Royal New Zealand Navy and the courageous Commander Claire to lead the resistance.
This children's pantomime offers audience participation, puppetry, songs and over-the-shoulder cardboard ships.
Notably, all performances are free.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND NAVY ABRIDGED
The theatrical and comedic talents of Gregory Cooper and Mark Hadlow, who together devised the uproariously funny MAMIL (Middle Aged Men in Lycra), present a fast-paced naval romp through the decades.
From the arrival of Captain Cook in 1769 through to protecting trade routes against piracy around the Horn of Africa in 2015, the show (part of the RNZN's 75th anniversary celebrations) navigates the oceans through song, satire and silliness.
CATERPILLARS
A magical show filling the stage with a swaying sea of bright giant flowers, flitting butterflies, jumping eggs and two enormous plump caterpillars features two lycra-clad puppeteers doing their hardest to remain invisible and at service to their puppets.
Unfortunately, they aren't very good and they are often caught out in the wrong place at the wrong time.
WHALES
A community-building (and free) event in which strangers on the street suddenly find themselves working together to save a pod of stranded whales, Binge Culture's Whales involves two separate pods of whales emerging from different locations in the central city.
Slow and majestic but also playful, they are trying to get back to the ocean but get stuck near the water's edge.
OUT OF THE BOX
A fusion of street and contemporary dance forms, Out of the Box showcases some of Aotearoa's finest hip-hop choreographers and dancers.
It offers emerging urban artists the opportunity to break away from the confines of competition, the production's performers telling their stories with their energetic moves.
DIRT AND OTHER DELICIOUS INGREDIENTS
Java Dance Company create a feast for the senses as dancers dig deep in the dirt to discover stringed instruments, spices and bountiful harvests.
Complete with live music, there's magic hidden in every crevice.
LONDON CONCHORD ENSEMBLE
The London Conchord Ensemble gives two concerts in Dunedin, including a performance introducing the colours and combinations of eight instruments.
Aimed at younger listeners, the repertoire features pieces by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Poulenc and Stravinsky.
Occasionally referred to as "The London Supergroup'', it includes violinist Daniel Rowland, of the Brodsky Quartet.
VOGEL STREET PARTY
Held on the final weekend of the festival, the Vogel Street Party combines live entertainment, food stalls and a range of vibrant art installations, including street artists who will transform the walls of buildings in Dunedin's warehouse district.
