‘It’s a long time since I drank champagne,’ were apparently the last words of literary legend and Russia’s greatest author Anton Chekhov, just before he died of tuberculosis in 1904. His writing went on to influence the likes of Virginia Woolf, Tennessee Williams and even Marlon Brando. Director and writer Daniele Finzi Pasca has since pieced together a lavish homage to the playwright from his plays and diaries which is coming to the 2011 Perth Festival this month. Donka: A Letter to Chekhov received a ‘thunderous’ 15-minute standing ovation at its premiere and will be running from February 12 -19 at His Majesty’s Theatre. Check out www.perthfestival.com.au for more information.
Who hasn’t thought of living among the clouds? Well, Argentinean-born Tomas Saraceno has taken this dream one step further in his gravity-defying exhibition, Cloud City. The free exhibition investigates the possibilities of ‘airborne living’ and how the environment may benefit from the human race living in the sky. This will be Saraceno’s first time presenting his work in Australia following a long list of exhibitions throughout the world. Find the exhibition at Langley Park West End from February 19-27. Saraceno will be giving an artist talk on February 19 from 2pm at the Perth Concert Hall.
As if we needed another reason to love Canada. But here it is. Canadian photographer Genevieve Thauvette is bringing her camp and inquisitive Beheld exhibition to Perth. Thauvette’s eight-piece collection is vibrant and glossy but also has a story to tell. The self-portraits represent a menagerie of important female artists from the 20th Century – all of whom were overshadowed by the men they inspired. The free exhibition will be exhibiting at the Perth Centre for Photography, 91 Brisbane St from February 19 through till March 13. Check www.pcp.org.au for more information.
Lit kids, rejoice. The traditional art of storytelling may have been left in the dust by 24-hour news cycles and barrages of multi-media content. But a new underground scene of storytellers is reclaiming this art this February with Barefaced Stories. New York City’s Margot Leitman from the Moth Podcast has been training up 24 Perth-based storytellers to entertain audiences with ‘nothing more than the truth and their own lives as material’. And then The Perth Poetry Slam will also return to the Blue Room on February 9, 16 and 23 from 8.30pm. Barefaced Stories will be kicking off at the Blue Room Theatre every Thursday from February 3-24 from 8.30pm. Tickets are $20.
Benn Dorrington
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