First-night nerves over

Joshua Rutter, Motoko Kikkawa and Shannon Watt in Unacceptable Archaeologies on the Dowling St steps yesterday. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Joshua Rutter, Motoko Kikkawa and Shannon Watt in Unacceptable Archaeologies on the Dowling St steps yesterday. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Well, that was nerve-racking!

The play I bravely, but probably foolishly, agreed to take part in, Head Full of Toys, had its world premiere at the Fortune Theatre last night and I was an absolute bundle of nerves - yeah, thanks work "mates" - after a day of unkind ribbing at the ODT.

The play is on again at 9 tonight, before the final performance at 5pm tomorrow.

Whew!

The fringe was beginning to sprawl over the central city yesterday.

It was like a scene from Zombies Dawn of the Dead at the gothic Dowling St steps, as Joshua Rutter, Motoko Kikkawa and Shannon Watt drew a large crowd with their eerie movement and sound piece, Unacceptable Archaeologies.

I saw the Red River production of Core, a series of bizarre and, seemingly, unrelated, vignettes, in a blackened High St warehouse on Thursday night.

It will be fascinating to see part two of the performance piece, which opens at the Blue Oyster Gallery at 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The fringe fun goes into overdrive this weekend.

Three of New Zealand's top buskers perform at the Busking Blitz at the Otago Farmers Market today.

"Rubberband Man", Shay Horay, will attempt to break his own world record for the most rubber bands on a human face, Mark "Slim Pickins" O'Neill returns with his death-defying sword-swallowing act and Chris Davis will attempt some one-upmanship with a spot of chainsaw-juggling.

An interesting performance today will be the Full [expletive] Moon collaboration, I Am A Strange Loop, which explores the concept of radio in art.

The troupe caused some head-scratching at the ODT, as its name includes a naughty word not suitable for a family newspaper, hence the [expletive].

Radio One 91FM and Toroa Radio 1575AM will broadcast different material simultaneously, during a live music performance in the Otago Pioneer Women's Memorial Association building.

The two radio stations are merging their programming especially for the performance.

At the Blue Oyster Gallery today, Alex Bennett gives his "taxidermied" wind instruments an airing in Stagpipes and Wheeze Box at 6pm.

Same time, same place tomorrow Aerolineas presents the multimedia In Mono.

Pecha Kucha, the Japanese art of chitchat, also returns to the festival at 7.30pm tomorrow in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

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