Feast Festival announces 2017 program celebrating 21 years

Feast Electric Fields Feast unleashes it’s 2017 Birthday line-up with a strong focus on local South Australian LGBTIQ artists, with some exciting and prolific interstate performers making the pilgrimage to Adelaide in November to celebrate too.

Feast has not 1, not 2 but 3 outstanding Ambassadors, featuring Adelaide FC Women’s Co-Captain, Erin Philips, visual artist, Raymond Zada and critically acclaimed cabaret artist, Trevor Ashley – who is also performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre, featuring the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in Diamond’s Are For Trevor.

This year Feasters will be treated to a whole serving of entrée events that will whet the appetite before the official opening commences with Pride March followed by the Opening Night Party. 2017 will feature over 70 shows across a broad range of art forms, including visual art, music, cabaret, theatre, workshops, forums and more. Closing out the Festival is the much-loved Picnic in the Park.

Highlights of the 2017 program includes:

Opening Night Party
Saturday 11 November: 6.00pm till late
Celebrating Feast’s 21st birthday, punters will be wowed by local stars and NIMA’s New Talent of the Year Award Winners, Electric Fields (pictured). Making a special appearance will be Melbourne pop star and 1999 Aria Award Winner, Joanne – who will perform some of her hits from the early 2000’s including everyone’s favourite track, and catchiest tune – Jackie. The night will also feature a terrific line-up of local SA bands.

Fruit: Live at the Church
Friday 3 November (sold out) & Sat 4 November: 8.00pm
15 years ago, Fruit were first to play ‘Trinity Sessions’- now an iconic Adelaide music venue, born in a small local church. Indeed, Fruit then chose to record their live ‘trio’ album in this very space. Now, following a remarkable international career, the 3 singer-songwriters of Fruit will reunite to celebrate Trinity Sessions 15th Birthday with 2 very special shows.

Queer Screen Film Feast
Friday 3 November – Saturday 4 November
Love LGBTIQ cinema? We’ve got great news! Queer Screen brings four of the best new films from across the globe to Feast including After Louie, Princess CydThe Feels, and Tom of Finland.

GALS
Monday 6 November – Friday 1 December
In 1997 Jenny Scott recognised the value of Feast to Adelaide’s LGBTIQ community. She desperately wanted to be part of the first Feast and presented an exhibition she titled GALS (Great Adelaide Lesbians). Her exhibition was held in Beans Bar. In this exhibition Jenny revisits the photos and honours the women who gave themselves to her camera.

Diamonds Are For Trevor
Friday 10 November & Saturday 11 November
Celebrating Shirley Bassey’s 80th birthday, the incomparable Trevor Ashley will perform his acclaimed two-act show at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Accompanied by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Foreman, Trashly will perform Shirley’s classic hits – with all the sequins, jewels, big gowns and bigger hair telling the rags to riches story like it’s never, never, never been told before.

Queer – Australia’s Homosexual Histories Conference 2017
Friday 10 November & Saturday 11 November
Bringing together members of the LGBTIQ+ communities, researchers, students and artists from around the country to explore LGBTIQ+ life, arts, politics and culture through the lens of ‘queer’. What is ‘queer’? ‘Queer’ can mean LGBTI, or any identity that can’t be contained by set categories. ‘Queering’ turns ideas/ideals on their heads, or undermines their authority. Join us as we queer Australian history!

Feast 21: Then to Now
Friday 10 November – Saturday 25 November
Exploring the history of 21 years of Feast queering Adelaide and beyond – celebrate the Festivals contribution to culture and community, pushing boundaries and creating a more diverse, open community. Curated by Jackie Wurm, see past posters, photos and publicity. Marvel at the astounding range of people, performances and projects, costumes, controversy and the resilience of our remarkable Festival.

The Ian Purcell Oration
Wednesday 15 November: 6.00pm
Ian Purcell was a prominent advocate for the LGBTIQ community in SA who was known as the Godfather of the Gay Community. He dedicated his life to fight discrimination against the LGBTIQ community. South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA) is proud to present the inaugural Ian Purcell Oration; Brighten up the corner where you are – named for one of Ian’s favourite songs – the oration will be delivered by his long-time friend and co-activist Kenton Penley-Miller.

Burlesque By Force
Wednesday 15 November – Saturday 18 November: 8.00pm
Pre-lights, pre-music, pre-tease, a performer invites you to a raw pre-show catharsis of personal and political as he prepares to perform. Twisting genre and metaphor with themes of consent and sexuality, consider yourself trigger warned.

Body Map
Saturday 18 November: 8.00pm
A fleshy trip down the Body Map strip as Australia’s most celebrated queer performance artist Glitta Supernova guides you on an intimate fleshy foray through the parallel universes of 90s club culture & performative theatre. Red light surrealism bridging intimacy & objectification, in a sixty-minute physical freeway that won’t be tarred for convenience. Experience the explosive iconoclastic visionary of tits & art.

Bearskin III
Saturday 18 November: 9.00pm
By popular demand, Bear Men of Adelaide (BMofA) present the third instalment of their sexy underwear party: Bearskin! Saturday night in Adelaide’s East End, the adventurous will disrobe and party to the throbbing beats of interstate DJs Kam Shafaati & Mark Alsop. Featuring warehouse dance area and private beer garden; ticket includes secure cloakroom. Strict dress code applies!

Sound Bath
Sunday 19 November & Monday 20 November: 7.30pm
Join Sound Sacred Resonance for a deep sound bath experience fusing live crystal & Tibetan bowls, cosmic synths & harmonic vocals. Sound baths are unique healing performances that create a space for you to let go, lay down and be washed over with waves of ancient sounds and harmonic tones; a peaceful mind-body-spirit experience taking you into relaxation & meditation.

The Duetaholics
Thursday 23 November – Saturday 25 November: 10.00pm
Looking to reignite your relationship? You need a one-on-one with entertainment’s least-likely newlyweds Dean Arcuri and Miz Ima Starr! Trapped in a sexless marriage and loving every minute of it, these improbable belters reinvent the wedding reception as the ultimate gay celebration of song. Fresh from their all-singing all-dancing honeymoon in Vegas, The Duetaholics unveil their entirely unpatented recipe for everlasting marital bliss.

Picnic in the Park
Sunday 26 November: 11.00am – 7.00pm
The sun beaming down, the birds chirping – that means one thing, grab your picnic blankets and baskets and get down to the close of Feast Festival with their delightful Picnic in the Park. Pinky Flat will be bustling with market stalls, food vendors and community information stands. The day is fun for the whole family – with the annual dog show taking place, as well as the SA firefighters tug-of-war. The air will be filled with beats from radio station Hit 107 – what more could you ask for?

The 2017 Feast Festival runs 11 – 23 November. For more information and full program, visit: www.feast.org.au for details.

Image: Electric Fields (supplied)