Sydney Festival lauds those stepping up, not out

Organisers of Sydney’s annual arts festival have determined to go ahead with a celebration of community and to lift spirits.

Life — The Show performers at the launch of the 2020 Sydney Festival on Wednesday. Picture: AAP

Organisers of Sydney’s annual arts festival have determined to go ahead with a celebration of community and to “lift the spirits­” when much of the country is suffering the danger and after­math of the bushfire crisis.

The 19-day Sydney Festival program started on Wednesday with only minor modifications, including the late withdrawal of French actress Isabelle Adjani and cancellation of the play she was in, Opening Night.

While Adjani’s decision was “galling”, festival director Wesley­ Enoch said, he wanted to honour the artists who turned up. “We are celebrating the amazing artists who have come from around the world to help support Sydney and be part of Sydney Festival,” Enoch said.

The program includes a theatric­al adaptation of Joan Didion­’s essays about the counter­-cultural 1960s, The White Album; a comedy about an Aboriginal-Maori wedding called Black Ties; Canadian contempora­ry dance in Front­era; and the stage revival of popular musical Bran Nue Dae.

Singers, dancers and acrobats from Strut & Fret promise an evening of seduction and surprise in cabaret Life — The Show. A late addition to the festival is a bushfire appeal concert with an expanding line-up of acts, headlined by rock band Regurg­it­ator. Artists, equipment suppliers and the Metro Theatre have waived their fees and proceeds will go to the Red Cross and WIRES.

Enoch said Hanna Cormick’s performances in The Mermaid had been reduced to one day because­ of the bushfire smoke. Cormick suffers a rare genetic disorder and performs the show in a mask, as she is unable to breathe normal air.

The festival may also amend a planned smoking ceremony on the eve of Australia Day to avoid using fire. Enoch was speaking to Aboriginal elders about altern­atives, such as a cere­mony with “gum leaves and water”.

Festival executive director Christoph­er Tooher said the festival would be liable for some costs associated with the cancellation of Opening Night.

Enoch said Adjani was worried about a lung condition and wanted to protect her “artistic sensibility” from the bushfires.

“I understand artistic sensib­ility, I’m all about it,” Enoch said. “I think that artists step up in ­moments of crisis.”