With a few days to go on the newly introduced early bird pricing for the Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival, people are invited to celebrate the arts over 14 days and 40 shows to explore, celebrate and grow our connections – to place, people, past and future.
With world-class international acts alongside a showcase of local talent, there will be incredible performances, stunning displays, raucous fun and moving, transformative experiences.
From cabaret in the Spiegeltent to dancing in the streets of Napier, from circus tricks and puppet theatre to gritty tales and cutting-edge plays, from classical concerts to popular songs to the quirky off-beat, the 2018 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival offers something for everyone, and every pocket, in venues and spaces across the region. All shows in the festival programme have an early bird ticket price available until midnight August 19.
This year the festival has introduced the early bird prices, along with free events and schools performances, which will mean greater access to the performances, so everyone has a chance to take part.
A few festival highlights from festival director Pitsch Leiser:
Circus/Physical Theatre: By a Thread
A visually rich, imaginative display of cutting-edge acrobatics from seven of Australia's best emerging circus artists.
Family comedy: Children Are Stinky
This five-start sell-out children's choice is a dynamo of circus talent and frenetic noisy fun, a genuine "supercharged showstopper" that will delight kids and adults alike.
Comedy/Theatre: Promise and Promiscuity
In this hilarious, one-freakishly-talented-woman show, Penny Ashton tackles all of Jane Austen's characters with song, dance and appalling cross-stitch.
Theatre – Freedom is Behind my Breath
The living story of one local whanau. Puti Lancaster and Owen McCarthy's extraordinary transformative theatre explores what it is to be a family in this place at this time.
Music: Louis Baker
Singer-songwriter Louis Baker is one of the most compelling voices to emerge in recent years, with a loyal following that spans the world over. With award-winning songs like Rainbow, he's loved for honest lyrics, beautiful melodies and timeless, emotive tones.