OzAsia Festival announces 2024 Program

Audiences can expect brilliant musicians, engaging conversations, hilarious comedians, delicious cuisine and astounding visual arts when OzAsia Festival, Australia’s leading contemporary arts festival engaging with Asia, returns to Adelaide Festival Centre from October 24 to November 10.

Launched today, this year’s dynamic program features more than 300 local, national and international artists from 12 countries, and includes 7 world premieres, 4 Australian premieres and 9 Adelaide premieres. Tickets on sale now.

On OzAsia Festival’s opening weekend, more than a dozen giant lanterns will light up Tarntanya Wama/Pinky Flat for the beloved Moon Lantern Trail. This free, family-friendly event features roving performances, giant puppets, interactive workshops and delectable food from Thursday 24 October to Sunday 27 October.

Another fan favourite returning for the Opening Weekend is AnimeGO! a celebration of Japanese pop culture taking over Festival Theatre foyer for one day only on Sunday 27 October.

Showcasing the best of Asian and Asian Australian art and culture, OzAsia Festival is curated by Artistic and Executive Producer Joon-Yee Kwok: “This spring, we’re thrilled to host some of Asia and Australia’s most acclaimed artists. As the sun shines brighter and the days grow warmer, it’s the perfect time to leave winter behind and come together with your loved ones at OzAsia Festival.”

After an extended sold-out season in Singapore, it’s Adelaide’s turn to celebrate Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding. Starring Crazy Rich Asians’ Koh Chieng Mun as the spirited, 70-year-old Por Por (whose groom is a mystery to everyone including her own family.) Revel in the surprises of this unforgettable and hilarious dinner theatre performance which includes a four-course Indian meal and a glass of sparkling wine on arrival.

Experience the romance, action and melodrama of a big Bollywood film live on stage, in the internationally acclaimed A Passage to Bollywood. In this Australian premiere, breathtaking dance routines by renowned Bollywood film choreographer, Ashley Lobo, blend classical with contemporary styles to celebrate the vibrancy and magic of India.

After captivating Swifties across the globe, Tik Tok superstar Taylor Sheesh brings The Errors Tour to Dunstan Playhouse for two nights only. With stunning choreography, dazzling outfit reveals, and a Meet & Greet after each show, Taylor Swift fans won’t want to miss this!

In an Australian exclusive, Chisato Minamimura brings Scored in Silence to Space Theatre, unveiling the hidden perspective of deaf survivors of the 1945 atomic bombs in Japan. Performed in Auslan with English surtitles, Scored in Silence combines innovative technology, meticulous research and heartfelt interviews in a poignant portrayal of history and resilience.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM: “The first festival of its kind in the nation, OzAsia Festival is proud to engage with Asian and Asian Australian arts, culture and ideas through all art forms. In its seventeenth year, Joon’s program is a continuation of our rich tradition, demonstrating the power that the arts have to connect, inspire and delight us.”

Returning for its fourth year, The Special Comedy Comedy Special brings together a stellar bill of hilarious Asian Australian comedians hosted by ABC Radio Adelaide’s Jason Chong. Featuring Dilruk Jayasinha, Harry Jun, Jennifer Wong, Kushi Venkatesh, Lawrence Leung, Lizzy Hoo, Sashi Perera, Takashi Wakasugi and Urvi Majumdar for one night only in the Dunstan Playhouse.

Award-winning Australian comedian, artist and author Anh Do performs his hit show The Happiest Refugee Live! at Festival Theatre on Thursday 7 November. Anh brings his incredible journey to life with storytelling, photos, and filmed pieces, inspired by his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee.

The Honourable Andrea Michaels MP, Minister for Arts: “South Australia’s beloved OzAsia Festival is back for another year of contemporary Asian and Asian Australian festivities. Local artist Jessie Hui has created the beautiful brochure cover image representing this year’s program, which features an amazing lineup of local performers alongside international superstars.”

At Space Theatre in the final week of OzAsia Festival, award-winning Afghan composer, instrumentalist and producer Qais Essar will perform an evening of emotional and thought-provoking music on the rabab; and electronic musician, singer and cabaret artist Dyan Tai will present Permaisuri, a live music and performance art project, exploring queer identity and the diasporic migrant experience in Australia.

At Nexus Arts, South Australian hip-hop artist Kultar Ahluwalia’s multidisciplinary performance The Mixed-Race Tape blends hip hop with old recordings, family interviews, and spoken word, exploring themes including identity and fatherhood. In a celebration of playfulness and experimentation, drummer Chloe Kim offers an expressive and masterful performance of solo drumkit.  Punjabi Australian vocalist and Adelaide’s own Parvyn (from popular band The Bombay Royale) will launch her second album Maujada blending contemporary rock, disco, and jazz with rich Sikh Punjabi folk traditions.

For families, The Story of Chi is a captivating, coming-of-age tale that explores the bonds uniting us across generations through a combination of theatre, puppets and shadow puppetry. In a hands-on, art adventure perfect for families, interactive installation Tanabata: Star Village, invites audiences to make origami and contribute wishes to an evolving galaxy of wishes, in Dunstan Playhouse foyer, inspired by the vibrant Japanese star festival.

OzAsia Festival favourite, Lucky Dumpling Market, returns to Elder Park serving up a delicious range of cuisine from the best local vendors accompanied by free live entertainment on the OzAsia Festival stage. Highlights this year include a celebration of K-Pop, presented by the Korean Cultural Centre, with Aussie K-Poppers United Concert and Seoul Vibe, an Australian music showcase including a line-up of local Asian Australian artists, and to close out the festival on 10 November – a free concert by Aussie hip hop royalty L-FRESH The LION.

On the final weekend, audiences can enjoy thought-provoking panels and inspiring conversations at OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words, Australia’s largest gathering of Asian and Asian Australian writers and thinkers. Curated by multi-award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah, this year’s stellar lineup includes Benjamin Law, Vajra Chandrasekera, Shelley Parker-Chan, Sara M. Saleh, Lawrence Leung, Louisa Lim, Qin Qin and many more. The full program of exciting free events for OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words will be announced in September – stay tuned!

A vast array of visual arts will be on display throughout the festival, including the enchanting and dreamy solo exhibition Hello, how am I? by South Australian OzAsia Festival 2024 brochure cover image artist Jessie Hui, and the fantastical Wish you were here by Hong Kong’s Vivian Ho, evoking solitude and yearning within surreal, urban landscapes.

Flinders University’s Discipline of Archaeology explores underwater cultural heritage from the Maritime Silk and Spice Route in the world premiere of Reuniting Cargoes. In a contemporary cross-cultural expression of Australian identity, South-Asian Australian slow fashion house Saree Selections will showcase their collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists on their latest collection of sarees, on display in Festival Theatre Foyer.

Examining the Vietnamese Diaspora’s history of migration, Adelaide Festival Centre’s outdoor screens will exhibit An Action of Mourning by Phuong Ngo. At Artspace, OzAsia Festival’s Artist in Schools resident Jingwei Bu presents Life Maps, made in collaboration with children aged 3-7, reflecting the diverse experiences of life through simple yet profound drawings tracing life’s steps.

Once again, OzAsia Festival has teamed up with Adelaide Film Festival to present the best of contemporary Asian cinema, featuring two award-winning films from India, including the first Indian film to compete at Cannes Film Festival in 30 years, and two short films from Restless Dance Theatre – Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds. Stay tuned for the full program announcement on September 17.

With plenty of free workshops, masterclasses, and talks also on offer, stay up to date on program details at www.ozasiafestival.com.au

Early bird ticket specials available until Sunday 4 August. Check ozasiafestival.com.au for details.

OzAsia Festival 2024 runs from October 24 to November 10.