Dive below the surface at HOTA’s groundbreaking UNDERGROUND Festival
In a world viewed through the lens of social media and filters, many of us are often left contemplating the human experience. HOTA’s UNDERGROUND Festival is giving artists, creatives and audiences the chance to take risks, explore ideas and consider what makes us human. Over three winter nights, audiences will have the opportunity to occupy HOTA’s intimate spaces and explore the obscurity of life and raw emotion, seeking to understand what enrages and liberates us. Fuelled by big ideas and homegrown contemporary artists, here is a peek at what you can expect at UNDERGROUND from July 13–15.
UNDERGROUND Festival is a place for artists and audiences alike to take risks with interesting new ideas and experimental works, and this year’s roster of art theatre, performance, music, and comedy will take event-goers on an entertaining and educational ride. First up is the wildly theatrical and unexpectedly hilarious story of female madness, Batshit. Coming to HOTA from July 13–15, Batshit stars the crazily talented Leah Shelton who is sure to blow theatre-goers away in her third solo outing. Plus, it’s created by the killer creative team behind Bitch on Heat and Terror Australis, so you know it’s going to be a riot. Swap a theatre seat for a spot on the dance floor as Eden Burns and Nice Girl host a three-hour back-to-back set in the subterranean depths of HOTA’s basement on Friday July 14. Presented by local underground music project Ravewave, this must-attend party promises a spectacle of sound, light, and dance, so prepare accordingly. Witness a truly spellbinding and unique presentation of dance at Mickey, the premiere work by dance-artist Brooke Stamp. An immersive dance performance, Mickey fuses experimentation and production, with live recordings of Brooke’s improvised words seeded in the psyche performed in real-time by musician Daniel Jenatsch.
The spotlight will be on performer Jacob Watton on Thursday July 13 when Alexa, Turn on the Lights captivates audiences at HOTA. Part TED talk, part couples therapy, the play pairs Jacob and an Amazon Alexa smart-home device. Embark on a journey of Ipswich’s floodplains to the elegant possibility of movement in Flood The Space, which is sure to impress. A harsh decade of unsettling factors in Brisbane’s far west has set in motion the blooming of a new style of movement, Flooding, and on Thursday July 13, dance collective GroveMindz will perform Flooding to a soundscape curated by Maxwell “The Flood” Douglas. Thursday July 13 will see interactive digital presentation Rich Kids, A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran come to life in both the palm of your hands and onscreen. While the majority of Iranians live under an oppressive dictatorship, the children of the country’s elite live out extravagant lifestyles on social media. You’ll be able to binge content of parties, fast cars and excess, before you’re taken on a whirlwind journey much deeper than Instagram.
On Friday July 14, you can live out your childhood dreams and come in contact with real-life fairies at Swamp Fairies, curated by Hannah Brontë. Artists will take you on a journey through the depths of mangroves, unfurling lily pads and leave you gently floating under the full moon through performance art and DJ beats. On Saturday July 15, be transported to underground cabaret Hush where glamorous drag, bewitching burlesque, impressive vocal performances, and provocative dance combine. Last but not least, join HOTA for an extraordinary night of the weird and wonderful as VOiiiD Collective and HOTA present Welcome the VOiiiD: Licensed to be Weird. You’re asked to dress in your most quirky attire for this dazzling showcase of talent, featuring artists like Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther, Micah Rustichelli, Johanna Lyon, DJ Benny Chiu, and VOiiiD Collective. There will be three headline performances, mesmerising visual art, thought-provoking art films, and an unforgettable after party, so bring your boogie shoes!
As you can imagine, tickets to UNDERGROUND Festival’s intimate affairs are limited, so head to the HOTA website and grab yours. Have a few performances caught your interest? Receive a 20-percent discount off the total ticket price when you purchase tickets to two or more UNDERGROUND events.
To find out more about what’s on in the Gold Coast, head to our Event Guide.
