21st Oct 2004 - 30th Oct 2004
Sallis Benney Theatre
The Festival of International Visual Performance Thursday 24 October – Sunday 31 October 2004
Visions was founded in 1994, so our biennial festival has now reached its tenth year. Looking back, there have been some unforgettable moments - Catalan artist Joan Baixas entrancing the audience as he talked and painted on stage; Peruvian performer Hugo Ines creating a cast of bizarre characters using only his own limbs and the contents of a small suitcase. visions likes to unveil visually amazing performances.
We have staged numerous UK premieres over the last ten years by companies we have spotted and brought to Brighton from as far afield as Venezuela and India, Canada and Australia, as well as most European countries.
In 1996, visions hosted the world premiere tour of 70 Hill Lane by Improbable Theatre. The company has gone on to such success with Shockheaded Peter in the West End. We are proud to have commissioned popular new shows by companies including Theatre-rites (Pilloworks, visions2000); Storybox (The Half Chick and Two Tales, visions98); The Freds and wireframe (Elevation, visions 2002). (Image credit:Roger Bamber) visions shows have toured to over a hundred venues around the UK and Europe ranging from theatres to shopping centres, children’s hospitals libraries and on the streets of Brighton.
The festival always aims to inspire new British performers through talks and workshops. These have been led by choreographer Yolande Snaith, designer Julian Crouch, visuals collective Yeast, Spitting Image’s Roger Law and puppeteers Steve Tiplady and Graeme Gilmour to name just a few. Exhibitions add another dimension to the festival, and Basil Brush, Bagpuss, The Clangers, Flat Eric and other puppets in pop have visited visions.
Each festival, we are pleased to welcome promoters to Brighton from all over the world, many of whom have gone on to programme shows they saw first at visions. But most of all, we hope we have entertained and will continue to entertain many thousands of you, the audience. We look forward to this year’s festival. visions is bringing many companies to the UK for the very first time - Theatre de l‘Oeil from Quebec, Canada and Marionetas do Porto from Oporto in Portugal will be highlights of the festival. Neither company has been to the UK before so we are delighted once more to be breaking new ground and pushing forward contemporary visual performance in Brighton.
Look out for the Launch Pad events - ‘visions fringe’ - which showcases new and emerging British work in Brighton during the festival. visions runs over half-term so there are special shows for children of all ages and free "starter" events. Come along, watch and relax – the Komedia has a late bar so if you are a visions ticket holder you can stay around and enjoy a drink or snack after shows. We look forward to seeing you.
