As the city’s annual LGBTQI celebration gets underway, we scan a bumper program and discover there’s something for Mardi Gras fans of all tastes.
Party
It’s the festival centrepiece and the guest list for the 2015 Sydney Mardi Gras parade and party (7 March) is as shimmering and shiny as a disco ball. Singer Dannii Minogue will share top billing with Nick Jonas, while Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, Jessica Mauboy and Courtney Act will also join in the fun. Those keen to get the party started will enjoy the all-ages fun of Fair Day (22 February) and the spectacular Harbour party (28 February).
Film
This year’s Mardi Gras film festival (19 February – 5 March) features bona fide classics like Oscar winning Brokeback Mountain, cult hit The Set and Switzerland’s 2015 Oscar entry The Circle; festival darlings like Castanha , Kuma Hina and Lilting; and documentaries like Do I Sound Gay, Stories of our Lives and Queens and Cowboys. One of the highlights is sure to be the first Sri Lankan LGBTQI feature film Frangipani.
Music
The world’s best DJs and party people flood into Sydney for Mardi Gras, starting with a Day For Night (20 February) dance party at Carriageworks. Jake Shears will perform his first solo show ever with Shears Unsheared (5 March) at the Beresford, comedian-slash-actress-slash-singer Sandra Bernhard takes over the Enmore (6 March) and the one and only Rufus Wainwright will command the State Theatre (9 March). Those after something a little different may enjoy a performance of 17th century songs, sonnets and scenes by actor/counter-tenor Glenn McKenzie in Evensong (26 to 28 February).
Theatre
All the world’s a stage – or least it will seem so during Mardi Gras. Performer Nick Coyle has created the gayest one-man show with Blue Wizard for Belvoir (19 February to 15 March), UK actor Garry Roost brings his acclaimed play Pope Head (24 February to 26 March) about the life and times of artist Francis Bacon to Sydney, before touring it to Melbourne and Brisbane, the lives of children raised with same-sex parents are explored in Gaybies at Darlinghurst Theatre (6 February to 8 March) and the boy-leaves-boy-meets-girl drama of Cock lands at the Old Fitz (5 February to 6 March). Fresh from her victory on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the queen of queens Bianca Del Rio will perform her comedy special at Sydney theatre (27 February), while out of towners need not feel left out: Penrith’s Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre will have their very own Mini Gras for Western Sydney.
Talks
The festival is about more than sequins and short shorts, with a full schedule of thought-provoking talks. All day event Queer Thinking (21 February) at the Seymour Centre discusses LGBTQI in 2015, followed by a conversation between actress/musician Calpernia Addams and trans-activist and musician Paige Phoenix as Gender Trailblazers. Headliners Chaz Bono and Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor OAM will also take to the Seymour Centre stage to discuss being Gender Trailblazers (26 February), erotic readings takes centre stage at Femme Slut (24 February) at Gasoline Pony while Inside / Out - Talking It Out (28 February) will feature an evening of conversation around living with HIV.
Sport
Think Mardi Gras, think … sport? There are fun runs like the Rainbow run (21 February), the little black dress run (1 March) and Frontrunners fun run (7 March). There’s a volleyball tournament (21/2), a Bentstix hockey tournament (1 March) and ten pin bowling tournament (2 March). And for those keen to get out of town, there are cycling events dubbed Love on two Wheels (22 to 28 February), a Wentworth Falls bushwalk (3 March) and a Jenolan Caves bushwalk (4 March).
For further information, visit: www.mardigras.org.au
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2015/feb/20/sydney-mardi-gras-2015-top-picks
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