STRANGE FRUIT

A Three-man/two-woman act from Australia, a fantasy world drifting in the sky, it's a new way of presenting artistic stilt. Supporting themselves with only one long stick make audiences uneasy at the beginning but will take them into fantasy and hallucinating space later on.

The Company
Strange Fruit specializes in Large Scale, Outdoor public performance art. Its work is a unique synthesis of sculpture and performance, with a very strong visual base and startling choreographic and design elements.

The company currently has three works on offer: THE FIELD, FLIGHT and SWOON.

THE FIELD is a 45 minute performance by 8 dancers perched on top 4m high flexible poles. These figures enact a joyous ind intriguing ritual of courtship and discovery using movements which bend the poles to almost impossible angles. The themes of love, freedom, loneliness and joy are played out to the accompaniment of an eclectic soundtrack that ranges from Puccini, Bach and Prkofiev to Maurice Chevalier, Fats Waller and some specially commissioned contemporary music. THE FIELD has successfully played to audiences of up to 12,000 people.

SWOON runs for 20 minutes with a cast of four performers.

Strange Fruit has performed THE FIELD AND SWOON for more than 100 international events in more than 20 countries including Australia, France, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Columbia, New Caledonia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Portugal and Denmark.

Both THE FIELD and SWOON can be performed in almost any outdoor location with a clear level area of 18m x 10m on a surface of concrete, bitumen, cobbles, grass or even sand. It can be performed in daylight or at night with the help of theatrical lighting.

Strange Fruit won the prestigious 2000 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Group Award.

SUMMARY OF STRANGE FRUIT APPEARANCES
Australia
Melbourne (Melbourne Festival, Moomba, Southgate), Sydney (Darling Harbour, Sydney Festival) Newcastle, Adelaide (WOMAD, Fringe Festival, 3rd Performing Arts Market), Perth (Festival of Perth, 96 and 99), Canberra (Festival of Australian Theatre, 2nd Performing Arts Market)

Germany
Marburg (97, 98 and 99), Herford, Siegen, Ahlen, Dortmund, Dulmen, Wetziar, Bielefeld, Wolfsburg, Herne, Oberhausen, Oldenburg.

Italy
Bologna, Carrara, Griante, Rovereto.

Belgium
Ghent, Maasiek, Brugge, Sint Truiden, Brussels, Eupen, Oostende, Ath, Bornem, Leuven, Waregem, Pukkelpop.

U K
London (South Bank Centre - 96 and 97, Canary Wharf 96 and 99, Streets of London), Edinburgh, Cardiff, Stockton-on-Tees (96 and 98), Whitley Bay, Morecambe, Lancaster

France
Paris, Nanterre, Calais, La Tranche-sur-Mer, St Jean de Monts, Barbatre, Assier, Luxey, Aurillac, Dunkirk, Chamblis, Dreux, Morlaix, Sotteville, Tourcoing, Dijon, Limoges, Brouage.

Netherlands
Pumerend, Deventer (96 and 98), Alkmaar, Bergen, Efterling, Schagen, Groningen, Lowlands, Viissingen, Amersfoort, Ijrnuiden, Doetinchem, Tilburg

Sweden
Stockholm (Stockholm Water Festival, 97 and 99)

Poland
Poznan, Gdansk

Colombia
Bogota QV Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogota) .laj2an Shizuoka Daidoggei World Cup 1999 - winners of the Silver Award),

Portugal
Lisbon(World Expo 98),

South Korea
(Kangwon International Travel Expo),

Ireland
(Galway Festival),

Denmark
(Aarhus Festival),

New Caledonia
(Festival Equinoxe 97),

New Zealand
(New Zealand International Festival of the Arts),

Singapore
(Singapore Fringe Festival, Lot 1 Christmas entertainment, Chingay 2000).

QUOTES

Obberhessiche Presse - Monday June 30, 1997:
(THE FIELD, Balance Festival, Marburg) "GROUP FROM AUSTRALIA FASCINATES WITH EXTRAORDINARY DANCE THEATRE