Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, February 26, 2024
With record ticket sales, multiple sold-out shows, and 30% of ticket sales coming from outside the Waikato region, this year’s Hamilton Arts Festival is ready to establish Hamilton as the destination for vibrant art and entertainment.
Bic Runga, Prima Facie, The Mockers, Jazmine Mary, Ridiculusmus Theatre, NZ Opera, and Tom Sainsbury are just a few of the big-name artists and shows featured in the Hamilton Arts Festival’s eclectic 2024 programme, scheduled from February 23, 2024 to March 3, 2024 at the iconic Hamilton Gardens as its primary venue.
Impressive Line-Up
The festival will see New Zealand’s largest and quirkiest line-up as over 1200 artists converge on Hamilton Kirikiriroa with music, theatre, dance, comedy, musical theatre and whanau-friendly shows all represented across 47 ticketed events.
Festival Director Geoff Turkington said that the festival will showcase some of Waikato’s most exciting creative talent alongside a curated selection of international and national artists.
“We are thrilled to present a programme of works that is eclectic, relevant, and in some cases, thought-provoking. However, first and foremost it is very joyful.”
Mr Turkington said that there is an emphasis on making the programme accessible to all, with affordable ticket prices and a huge range of free non-ticketed experiences.
“We encourage people to come along and check out the free live entertainment while enjoying a diverse selection of food and beverages as the sun sets over the Grassroots Trust Festival Hub Stage from 5 pm each night.
During the day you might witness an impromptu classical piano performance, meet a puppet called Paco or have an unexpected encounter with a drag queen as you meander through the gardens,” said Mr Turkington.
Response so far
“Feedback we have received from our colleagues in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Tauranga, and Taranaki is that all the other festivals are taking a hit because people are struggling at the moment,” said Mr Turkington.
“But our festival is very eclectic in that it is extremely accessible, and our price point is cheaper than you will find anywhere else in New Zealand.”
Varied art forms
The lineup is diverse with varied art forms represented in the programme. There is dance, theatre, cabaret, all different forms of music, comedy, and even a murder mystery.
New Zealand music icon Bic Runga will headline the event, performing on the Rhododendron Lawn accompanied by a live band and supported by award-winning rising star Georgia Lines.
Bic Runga is not the only blast from the past on the programme with 80s new-wave rockers The Mockers supported by Rikki Morris also performing on the Rhododendron Lawn celebrating 40 years since the release of their massive hit ‘Forever Tuesday Morning.’
A spirit of collaboration runs through many of the festival’s music events.
‘Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!’ is a special one-off collaboration between NZ Opera and Opus Orchestra celebrating some of opera’s most cherished characters.
Big Band Jazz Spectacular brings together an all-star line-up of current and past students and associates of Hamilton Boys’ High School. The show will feature a 40-piece jazz orchestra backing two of the most outstanding singers in the Waikato performing the biggest hits from Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
Fans of past festival contemporary folk artists Tiny Ruins and Nadia Reid are sure to be won over by Taite Music Prize-winning artist Jazmine Mary, whose 2023 album Dog received widespread critical acclaim.
Return of favourites
The festival this year also welcomes the return of a handful of Hamilton Arts Festival favourites.
One of the Waikato’s most iconic and beloved events Sunset Symphony took place on Saturday, February 24, 2024, with epic orchestral music provided by Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra and a great turnout of spectators, who turned up in huge numbers despite the rains.
The perennially popular ‘Summer Shakespeare’, takes on the Bard’s classic comedy Merry Wives of Windsor with a modern reimagining ‘fit for a Joe Rogan podcast’.
Following the success of Vivaldi by Candlelight at this year’s festival, the Ancient Egyptian Garden is set to come alive again with Classical Jazz by Candlelight from Ensemble Aaru and OCT Ensemble.
Best of Theatre
Hamilton Arts Festival ‘Toi Ora ki Kirikiriroa’ also boasts a diverse theatre programme. Described as ‘existential clowning’ by The Guardian, ‘Beautiful People’ is a hilariously dark comedy about ageing and death by British theatre company Ridiculusmus Theatre. The internationally acclaimed duo will also present ‘So…’ a lament on separation inspired by Brexit and the global pandemic.
Theatre lovers will be thrilled to see ‘Prima Facie’ at the Clarence Street Theatre. This gripping one-woman show, based on the book by Suzie Miller tells the story of a criminal defence lawyer at the top of her game. Winner of the 2023 Olivier Award for Best Play, Prima Facie recently had a sell-out season at Circa Theatre in Wellington.
Stories About My Body is described as a ‘glorious fist-pump for body positivity’ and won ‘Best in Fringe’ at Whangārei Fringe Festival 2022. New to the festival, Te Rēhia Theatre will present ‘KŌPŪ,’ a cheeky ballad of a show sharing the songs of young wāhine Māori as they navigate this world, ‘hairy nipples first’!
Uniquely matched venues
Performances are uniquely matched with venues, a delightful and hilarious theatre show celebrating bees ‘Mary Bumby’s Hive of Story’ will take place in the English Flower Garden.
Flora and fauna are also a focus of the programme with ‘Force of Nature’ crowning the opening night of the festival with Aotearoa chamber music celebrating the vital conservation work of Forest & Bird.
Elsewhere the mighty pekapeka take centre stage in Bats Incredible.
Environmental issues are also a theme in The Ice Cream is Melting, a whānau-friendly show sprinkled with aerial acrobatics, contortion and ice cream juggling.
The 2024 programme offers up plenty of other whānau-friendly content with the wondrous puppetry of ‘Box of Birds,’ the Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired ‘Captain Festus McBoyle’s Travellin’ Variety Show’ and ‘Spark LIVE,’ an immersive multi-sensory story exploring the incredible bond between a human and their horse.
Some of the country’s funniest comedians will be providing the laughs with Tom Sainsbury, Dai Henwood, Abby Howell, and The Birdman & Egg, nominated Most Original Comedy at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, all making appearances.
Have a look at what is in store at Hamilton Arts Festival 2024.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
