And so the run up to FF2010 begins; not with a bang, but with a… ummm… absentee fan.
Last Thursday marked the Launch of the 2010 Adelaide Festival program, both with a “private” launch for the Friends of the Festival, followed by a public ceremony. I was invited to both; I managed to make it to neither. The reasons why are irrelevant, but I can’t help but feel that I’ve really missed out by not making it; previous launches have been breathless affairs, with excited Directors imparting their enthusiasm unto me, the gasps and oohs and aahs of the audience providing an indication of the Hot Tickets. And, bereft of these pointers, I admit to being a little nonplussed during my wander through the Guide that I received Friday.
That didn’t stop me from pencilling in about two-thirds of the performances, though, and there’s still some stuff there that’s fired my imagination already (Le Grande Macabre looks great, Good Morning Mr Gershwin looks to lead the dance troupe, and Mahler 8 still feels like it will be a cracker – even if all the super-duper lush seats have already sold out). But… I dunno, I’m just not feeling it (though the little thrill seeing my name in the back of the Guide is still there ;)
Then again, I went through a number of phases last Festival, too – excited at the Launch, fading to perfunctory at the scheduling, and then back to giddy as Opening night approached. So I’m hoping my lethargy is some form of translated disappointment from not being able to attend, and not just a reaction to the Fringe-esque content of the program (the Spiegeltent as a Festival venue? Edinburgh hits as frontline Festival works?)
However, the Program Launch has inspired one very important thing: it’s reminded me I still have 50 – fifty! – shows to write up from 2009. Hey, they were over six months ago; they should be a doddle, right? Six months of rumination should encourage these musings to just pop out of my head, yeah?
Right?
…Oh dear. I’d better get writing.