Wunderbar is a new biennial festival taking place in NewcastleGateshead in northern UK. It is an eclectic mix of performance pieces and participation events. It runs 6-15 November 2009. Aimed at nurturing a culture of curiosity, the festival is designed to open people's eyes to a sense of wonder, providing the most unusual of spectacles in everyday places as well as more traditional venues.

Highlights include Tours of People's Homes, a new commission for the artist Joshua Sofaer, culminating in a series of public performances inside the homes of selected participants. These include a dinner-party food-fight, living with 'Black Beauty' (the horse) and having a bath. Renowned actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company read a series of humorous Shakespearean public announcements, by various writers, which are broadcast over public address systems at shopping centres and metro stations. The city centre shopping area, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's Eldon Square, is the venue for Rajni Shah’s participatory work 'give what you can, take what you need', which is based around the idea of community and conversation through gift-giving. Shoppers and passers-by are greeted by a large table, at which other members of the public may be seated. Newcomers are invited to join them by accepting a gift or bringing their own gift and joining in the gathering for as long or as short a time as they choose. There's the lo-fi daredevil performance Watch Me Fall - Bristol-based artists Gemma Paintin & James Stenhouse aka Action Hero's version of Evel Knievel's 1967 Caesar's Palace motorcycle jump.

Wunderbar is hosted by and produced in collaboration with some of the region's companies and artists and a broad range of the North-East's established venues including BALTIC, Dance City, Northern Stage, Gallery North. The programme features performing arts, visual arts, installation and a film programme. Some other festival highlights include: A new commission in collaboration with LOCUS+. Performance artist Alistair McLennan produces Coil to Met. His work for over 30 years has been at the forefront of the international performance scene. Dinner with America - Rajni Shah. A year on from American President Obama's election, this work looks at perceptions of America, via historical recordings and sound bites alongside Rajni Shah's own use of visuals and performance. Who Wants to be...? - The People Speak - The 'Ask the audience' game show. Who Wants to Be...? is a live reality game-show where the audience make up the questions, have all the answers, and set their own rules. They can then vote on how to spend the entire box-office takings. Haircuts by Children - Mammalian Diving Reflex - co-presented by Juice festival. Trained to greet, style, chat, cut and colour just as a hairdresser would, a group of children will be offering their hairdressing services to the public during the festival.

Festival Creative Director Liana Mitchell says: 'Our aim is to bring high quality, contemporary artists and work from around the world to the North East. Wunderbar will be a festival everyone who lives in and visits the North East can encounter and interact with, creating experiences that are both extraordinary and playful, brave and mischievous, intriguing and, of course, wonderful!' Festival Executive Director Kevin Isaacs says: 'I'm passionate about contemporary art that creates moments of magic and surprise, that is both entertaining and challenging. Wunderbar has a commitment to risk and innovation and we're delighted to share that vision with our producing and presenting partners across the North East. Wunderbar will not only be a celebration of work by some of the most respected and acclaimed international artists, but will also raise the bar and offer great opportunities to the exciting, adventurous and creative local and regional artists of whom the North East can, and should, be rightly proud.'

Stella Hall, Creative Director of culture10 says: 'Wunderbar is a unique festival that will bring contemporary performances to the people of NewcastleGateshead and find new ways for us all to participate and enjoy some of the most exciting and imaginative work to be seen in the North East. Artists from across the world will be descending on the region to transform our public spaces into living art works, from our shopping centres to our own homes - Wunderbar will see our cultural organisations working together to deliver a world-class festival full of fun and enlightenment.' Alison Clark-Jenkins, Director, Arts and Development, Arts Council England, North East says: 'We're delighted to support the first Wunderbar and are really proud of our investment in this new arts festival. It'll bring a range of great artists from around the world to collaborate with some of the region's best arts venues. We work to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in projects like Wunderbar Festival.'

Wunderbar Festival is funded by Arts Council England, North East and One North East. It was originated and developed by Fierce Earth and forms part of NewcastleGateshead's festivals and events programme developed by culture10. www.wunderbarfestival.co.uk

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(c) Peter Andrews 4 November 2009

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

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