A feast for the culturally ravenous

WITH just under two months remaining before Adelaide’s 18th annual Feast Festival comes around, the anticipation in the city’s LGBTI community is palpable.

Organisers have just revealed the 2014 line-up, packed full of theatre, cabaret, literature, film, visual arts, forums and community events spread across 16 days in November.

Feast began in 1997 when a group of people from Adelaide’s arts community came together to create an LGBTI cultural festival for the city. It has since grown to become a major event on the festival calendar and is South Australia’s largest LGBTI-curated cultural festival. There are more than 100 events encompassing music, theatre, dance, comedy, cabaret, film and visual arts, and artists and performers from around the world.

Launching the festival will be the traditional Pride March and Opening Night Party on Saturday, November 15. A celebration of Adelaide’s diverse LGBTI community, the march begins at Victoria Square, goes along Gouger and Morphett streets before ending at the party on Hindley St West.

Throughout the festival, Feast 2014 ambassador and Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Matthew Mitcham will also perform his cabaret show Twists and Turns. Comedians Hannah Gadsby, Bob Downe, Thomas Jaspers, Nath Valvo and Gerldine Hickey will also perform limited shows.

In addition, Odidiva will descend upon Adelaide for a risque cabaret show exploring the politics of being “black, gay and loving” in South Africa. Equal parts singer, rapper, poet, comedian, dancer and rock star, Odidiva is the alter-ego of Cape Town native Odidi Mfenyana, who challenges misogyny, homophobia and bigotry through performances of original songs and evocative covers of classic hits by everyone from Dusty Springfield to INXS.

Meanwhile, legendary showgirl and trans* trailblazer Carlotta will return to Adelaide to reveal all in her candid cabaret show Carlotta: Live and Intimate, a funny and brutally honest expose of the private life of one of Australia’s most public people. She will also host a screening and Q&A for the eponymous 2014 ABC biopic which starred Jessica Marais.

Another trans* icon who will appear at Feast for of week of inspiring, sexy and fun events is award-winning porn star Buck Angel. More than just a porn star, Los Angeles-native Angel is also an inspirational speaker, sex educator, writer and advocate for LGBTI rights. His message of empowerment through self-acceptance and being sexually comfortable in one’s skin has struck a chord with millions.

Other acts include Australian nude burlesque artist Maude Davey with her tantalising show My Life in the Nude, Scottish singing sensation Horse, prodigal violinist Ray Chen, and South Australian gay icon, TV legend, and Logie award winner Anne “Willsy” Wills.

The Plunge Pool Party on Sunday, November 23 is also set to be a highlight. The festival will close on Sunday, November 30 with the popular Picnic in the Park at Pinky Flat on the banks of the River Torrens, followed by the Picnic After Party at the swanky Feast Indulge Lounge.

DETAILS: www.feast.org.au

**This article first appeared in the October issue of the Star Observer, which has just been published. Click here to find out where you can grab your free copy in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and select regional areas. The November issue will hit the streets on Thursday, October 16.