Jennifer RoBinson
London-based Australian human rights and media lawyer Jennifer Robinson will speak about her new book How Many Women? Exposing how the law silences women. Jennifer has defended Julian Assange and advised WikiLeaks since 2010 and recently represented Amber Heard in British and US defamation cases.
Saturday 22nd October, 2022
University of Newcastle Conservatorium of Music Concert Hall, cnr Auckland and Laman streets, Cooks Hill
7.30pm to 9pm
Tickets $35 (includes booking fee) are on sale now.
Kevin Rudd
Join us for a wide-ranging discussion between the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the ABC’s Matt Bevan about geopolitics, media, and the health of democracy. As one of Australia’s leading authorities on the relationship between the United States and China, Mr Rudd will also discuss his most recent book, The Avoidable War, which he explores the likely outcomes of a war between the two nations and proposes solutions based on his own diplomatic experience.
There will be a book signing following the event.
Tuesday 22nd November, 2022
NEX 307 King Street, Newcastle
7.30pm to 8.45pm
Tickets $30
IAMGE by Fiona Cullen for Rambert
Lloyd Newson
Creative Newcastle and the Hunter Creative Alliance bring together world renowned theatre, dance and film-maker Lloyd Newson (OBE, Founder of DV8 Physical Theatre – London) in conversation with Kate Champion (Founder of Force Majeure - Sydney) for an exciting evening of rigorous discussion.
Hear directly from Lloyd in his key-note speech about his award-winning international career, what drives his passion for creating ground-breaking provocative work, and what lessons he’s learnt over 40 years of working in dance and the arts.
Friday 26th November, 2021
City Hall
7.30pm
Running time 90mins no interval
Lloyd Newson has led DV8 Physical Theatre since its inception in 1986. His work straddles dance, text, theatre and film, focusing on social, psychological and political issues.
Born in Australia, Newson graduated from Melbourne University having studied psychology and social work. During that time he developed an interested in dance, a fascination that brought him to the UK where he gained a full scholarship to study at London Contemporary Dance School. Before forming his own company (DV8) he danced and/or choreographed with many companies including the Modern Dance Ensemble (Melbourne), Impulse Dance Theatre/New Zealand Ballet Company, One Extra Dance Theatre (Sydney) and Extemporary Dance Theatre (London).
DV8
Newson’s work, be it for stage or film, has won 55 national and international awards. He has been cited by the Critics’ Circle (UK) as being one of the hundred most influential artists working in Britain during the last hundred years. He was awarded an honorary degree from Roehampton University and in 2013 Newson received an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen for services to contemporary dance.
KATE CHAMPION
Facilitator — Kate Champion
Kate Champion has had over thirty years’ experience variously as a director, choreographer, teacher and performer across theatre, dance, film, circus and opera.
Kate was the founding Artistic Director of Force Majeure (2002-15) a revolutionary dance theatre company based in Sydney. Every production she co-devised and directed for Force Majeure utilised a balanced cast of actors and dancers, integrating spoken text, movement and visual language into a holistic form.
Productions include SAME, SAME BUT DIFFERENT (Sydney Festival, Helpmann Award Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production); ALREADY ELSEWHERE (Sydney Festival and Biennale de la Danse in Lyon, Most Outstanding Performance by a Company at the Australian Dance Awards); THE AGE I’M IN (Sydney and Adelaide Festivals, touring to Dublin, Montreal and Seoul, Most Outstanding Performance by a Company at the Australian Dance Awards); FOOD a co-production with Belvoir (regional tour 2013); NEVER DID ME ANY HARM a co-production with Sydney Theatre Company (Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals plus regional tour 2016); NOTHING TO LOSE (Sydney Festival /Dance Massive 2015) and NOT IN A MILLION YEARS, 2012 Helpmann Award for Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production.
Kate has a passionate interest in new writing and work that is driven by contemporary social issues.
Kate has worked on productions with Belvoir, Sydney Theatre Company, NIDA, The English National Opera, NICA, The Song Company, Legs on the Wall and Australian Theatre for Young People.
She directed SWALLOW (2016) by Stef Smith which was the inaugural production of the National Theatre of Parramatta; THAT EYE THE SKY (2018), adapted from the novel by Tim Winton for State Theatre Company of South Australia; world premiere of the musical EVIE MAY for Hayes Theatre, EVERY BRILLIANT THING (2019) and MY BRILLIANT CAREER (2020) for Belvoir; MEAT EATERS (2019) and PERFECT STRANGER (2021) for NIDA; A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE for State Theatre Company of Australia; FULLY COMMITTED for Ensemble Theatre and THE RISE AND FALL OF ST GEORGE (Mardi Gras 2019, Hamer Hall Melbourne, 2020 & Sydney Festival 2021)
Kate choreographed the world premiere of DIRTY DANCING in 2004 which travelled the world for over 15 years. Kate has collaborated with Neil Armfield on a number of productions including CLOUDSTREET for Belvoir St Theatre in 2001 and THE RING CYCLE for Opera Australia in 2013 (re-mount 2016).
Before creating her own work and becoming a director, Kate was a professional dancer/performer working with companies such as DV8 Physical Theatre – London (Strange Fish, Happiest Day Of My Life, Can We Afford This), Australian Dance Theatre, Dance North, One Extra Co, Theatre Of Image and Human Veins.
Rafael Bonachela
Rafael Bonachela is a Choreographer, Artistic Director and Curator whose career has seen him successfully span high art and popular culture, working across a range of art forms, including contemporary dance, art installations, pop concerts, musicals, film, commercials and fashion.
Bonachela’s appointment as Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company in 2009 made international headlines and heralded a new era in Australian contemporary dance. His vision for the Company embraces a guiding principle that sees commissioned dance works by Australian and International choreographers alongside his own critically acclaimed creations.
Bonachela’s work is strong, sober and sharp. The exploration of pure movement is where he finds his unmistakable style. The result is an incandescent dance that springs from the power of movement, in which energy and muscle strength combine with a great emotional sensitivity.
Bonachela has created and collaborated with companies worldwide including Paris Opera Ballet, Acosta Danza, Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, the Ballet Boyz and Candoco among others.
Bonachela and his ensembles are the recipient of multiple awards, most notably in February 2013, Bonachela was honored with an Officer’s Cross of the Order of Civil Merit by His Majesty the King of Spain.
Bonachela’s work has been presented in major international galleries. More recently he created Nude Live, a dance installation which was performed as part of The Art Gallery of NSW’s exhibition, “Nude - Art from the Tate Collection” Sydney (2017) which was recently awarded the IMAGinE Excellence Award.