Peats Ridge Festival 2011 organisers have announced a return of Wonderland – the much-loved arts and cultural section within this years festival grounds. This year the Wonderland playground is inspired by Tim Burton and the Cat in the Hat, ticket holders will be allowed to join in on all the wacky fun.
Peats Ridge Arts and Culture Manager Vic Johnstone who has worked for over a decade as Program Manager for City of Sydney and other high profile government and corporate clients says Wonderland is full to the brim of great acts.
“Festival goers will be the first to see new works we’ve commissioned, and a huge array of exciting installations, multimedia, theatre, dance, comedy and acrobatics.”
“Within Wonderland you can roam from a comedy open mic night at the magical caravan stage Lolo Lovina, to catch a brand new play at the Wonderdome, and end your night with a quirky musical act at Pirates Lair – the Festival’s very first Pirate Ship stage.”
To get a feel for Wonderland, the folks collaborating with Peats Ridge, Alchemical Cabaret, are a bohemian cabaret depression era circus side show. Together with Circus Avalon, they are creating a massive visual art and performance installation where Peats Ridge goers can chill out between music acts, play croquet and grab a champagne cocktail.
Organisers say to watch out for Spiral Man complete with giant spinning spiral installations that wind down to the riverbed; and Beth Dillon’s charming but disturbing Hill Billy Puppets.
See the Deep Sea Astronauts junkyard theatre productions taking comedy to the classics with two shows that deliver carnage to Wilde and funk to Euripides.
Dress up as a scallywag and visit the Pirate’s Lair created by the crew at Noisy Chicken. Pit yourself against a poet at the Caravan Slam where cheap drinks, hot soup and live music flow easily and you can win prizes for a three minute gig.
Learn dance from the comrades at Vic’s Russian Disco Revolution and bust moves never before witnessed in the west. Film or snap yourself and your friends and share files with the folks at Punk Monk Propaganda who can project Guerrilla Projections across the Glenworth Valley to 10,000 revellers.
Work up a sweat or bathe in the glow of SOLAS Green Art sonic sculptures and light works, illuminating the Festival site by pedal power in the evening.
Be sure to pack your costume box to join in on Peats Ridge unforgettable New Year’s Eve Fancy Dress Parade. Great prizes and a chance to bask on the main stage in front of thousands are up for grabs for best female, male, group and child costume and mask. Don’t stress if you forget, mask making workshops and on-site costume hire are equally popular.
This year’s line-up is headlined be Gotye. Joining him will be Xavier Rudd, Salmonella Dub, Dum Dum Girls and Hanggai. Local bands include Thundamentals, Fire! Santa Rosa Fire!, Crooked Fiddle Band and The Holidays.
