Change is the word in new festival
InReview
When Word Adelaide event manager Brian Gilbertson steps on to his soapbox he wants to tell the world to embrace change.
“I would talk about the power of change – never be afraid to embrace change because change invites growth and new experiences, but sometimes people are too afraid to investigate change and see what’s around the bend,” Gilbertson says.
This Friday night and Saturday others will have the chance to stand on their soapbox as part of the inaugural festival.
“We want people to get out and speak their minds rather than say it on social media,” he said.
“There are a lot of people that make comments behind the scenes, but historically the soapbox was a favoured way of political debate and making social comments.”
Gilbertson’s stand is based on his decision earlier in life to give up a legal career and become an opera singer in Vienna.
Spots for Friday night have almost booked out, with a class of high school students taking the opportunity to say their piece.
The festival has been designed to embrace the different ways words are used and how they influence people’s lives.
Word Adelaide has received mixed response, despite blanket publicity, forced to move its flagship act In Their Own Words with Little Britain star Matt Lucas from the Entertainment Centre arena to the smaller Her Majesty’s Theatre.
“Ticket sales are going strong took a while to get moving, with the event going out in the community not so long ago, we are happy with how that is progressing,” Gilbertson said.
He said that in the new venue, there were only about 100 tickets left for In Their Own Words. The poetry competition at the State Library had sold out, while he was also pleased with how other ticketed events were selling.
The festival opens tomorrow, with a traditional Australian yarn spinning contest hosted by Kitty Flanagan.
“That’s a great way to open; it’s very Australian.”
There will be four guest yarn spinners and four in the competition, including InDaily’s business and sports editor Kevin Naughton who is a two-time winner of the Darwin World Yarn Spinning competition.
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Competitors will have just one chance to spin their yarn with the winner taking home a $1000 prize.
Other events include the reading of previously un-heard war correspondence in The Red Cross Letters, which is being produced by the State Theatre Company and State Library.
There is also the unique experience of travelling around Adelaide with local Indigenous storytellers exploring the existing Kaurna language.
Musicians including Leo Sayer, Guy Pratt and The Audrey’s Taasha Coates, will also meet on stage for a “backstage” style conversation about their work, followed by an unplugged session.
Word Adelaide begins tomorrow with tickets available here.
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