Carriageworks
Various prices
Earlier this year, Carriageworks announced its exciting program for 2024, responding to Sydney’s seasonal energy to give the city the kinds of art and live performance that we crave, when we crave it. Throughout the winter months, the focus was firmly on storytelling, with spring bringing new energy in the form of spellbinding performances including Counting and Cracking, Swim and Gilgamesh.
As silly season sets in, Sydney's original post-industrial multidisciplinary arts space is turning up the heat in Eveleigh, with a high-energy summer program running through November and into January with a major focus on music and movement that spotlights circus, live music, dance, drag, cabaret and more.
"Carriageworks Summer is an invitation to everyone to celebrate the joy of Sydney’s favourite season," says Carriageworks CEO, Fergus Linehan. "We are proud to celebrate Australia ́s incredible dance, circus and cabaret artists in a program for all ages. But we also want you to interact with art and artists, and join in with dance classes and unforgettable parties."
First up, The Famous Spiegeltent (that’s it's actual name, though we’re not here to argue) will be taking over Bay 17, transforming the cavernous industrial space into a whimsical wonderland (Nov 23-Dec 15). Expect sparkling cabaret shows and breathtaking circus performances, all within those magical mirrored walls. From Wednesday, Nov 27, the tent will play host to Club Briefs: The Works, a deliciously flamboyant show from Briefs Factory (Briefs: Dirty Laundry), that fabulous troupe who blends burlesque (or "boylesque") with circus, drag and more, all set to a pumping electronic soundtrack – with special guest performances every week from the likes of Rhys Lightning and Betty Grumble.
For more of a family-friendly show, Australia’s world-renowned Flying Fruit Fly Circus will bring their impressive acrobatics to the spiegeltent from Nov 23-Dec 1. Plus, you can check out Creature from Box of Birds (Nov 30-Dec 15) – a free interactive exhibition about Australia’s native creatures with immersive 360-degree projections and guided storytelling.
A series of (mostly free) dance parties will also come to Carriageworks throughout the summer, kicking off with a Roller Disco (Sat Nov 16) and a street-dance workshop (Sun Nov 17) and running through 'til January. Details for more Summer Moves events (including a salsa party) are yet to be announced.
Other highlights of the Carriageworks Summer Program include a masterful new acrobatic show from Gravity and Other Myths; Deejay x Dancer (an ode to the legendary block parties of 1970s New York) and Carriageworks Sounds; which will spotlight a series of big-name electronic acts (including Solomun, Jamie xx and Sara Landry).
On the food front, a creative new farm-to-table style dining concept will pop up on Friday November 29, heroing seasonal produce from the Carriageworks Farmers Market and prepared by some of Australia’s top chefs.
Speaking of, shoppers can expect those popular Farmers Markets to keep running as usual (with two special extended markets on Saturday, Dec 7 and Saturday, Dec 21). Additionally, the Finders Keepers Sydney Design Market will take over Carriageworks for a big weeked (Nov 15-17), and The Good Food and Wine Show Christmas Market will bring a whole lot of deliciousness (Nov 22-24).
Come January, Sydney Festival will be occupying the space (along with a host of other venues across the city), with Carriageworks set to host several boundary-pushing shows ranging from mythical theatre to a huge kinetic sculpture set to a soundtrack of mesmerising live piano.
See you in Eveleigh!? You can find the full summer program and grab your tickets over here.
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