Denmark fringe festival Brave New Works celebrates 30 years with Whizzbangaversary

Denmark’s fringe festival Brave New Works will return to Kwoorabup this week for its “Whizzbangaversary” celebrating 30 years of platforming experimental and multi-platform local artists. The five-day program will invite audiences to “change your spots, shed your stripes, be brave, be new, be you” according to executive officer of Denmark Arts and festival co-ordinator Nelson Blake. “Brave New Works is essentially a fringe festival but it’s a platform for local artists to be brave and new and try things they’ve never done before,” Mr Blake said. “Same for audiences — the whole point is to go and see things you’d never normally see.” What began as a small community arts event at the Denmark Scouts Hall in 1994 with a focus on circus acts has since grown into a multi-platform arts extravaganza, drawing about 3000 people to the small Great Southern town last year. “The first iteration was real old-school Denmark,” Mr Blake said. “Back in the day, it was really make-do, low-budget, very circus-heavy.” With 42 works from about 80 artists, there’s sure to be something for everyone in the varied program. The biggest drawcards will likely be Denmark Dancing Divas — a performance troupe created by Inge, who also runs Denmark Dance — and Di Filippo Marionette Puppet Theatre Company’s latest project, which will be performed in a converted van. Mr Blake is particularly looking forward to The Wasteland Saga by Kus Rolph & Friends — a cosmic time travelling spoken word performance with DJ backing — and up-and-coming comedic talent Hardy Croucher who made it into the finals of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Class Clowns in 2023. “It’s a really well put together, multi-layered comedy show that’s a bit subversive, a bit out there, but really good,” Mr Blake said. With the third day of the festival falling on Australia Day, Mr Blake is also proud of the event’s acknowledgement of January 26, which was declared a day of mourning by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activists in 1938. “Just from a Denmark Arts perspective, we’re celebrating how Invasion Day should be marked,” he said. “We’ve got a Noongar-led response to Invasion Day in the corroboree ground by the river.” Liz Jack, the performer behind the creative personality Gertrude WellEase who has been involved in the festival since 2010, says the festival is all about honouring its legacy while making way for the next generation of artists. “It’s a testimony to people’s willingness to have a go, to be creative and to do things that are maybe considered to be a bit out there or weird but bring a smile to people’s faces and really do help the mental health of the community.” Brave New Works will take place at various locations around Denmark from January 24-28. Tickets are available at tickettailor.com/events/denmarkarts.