The Brisbane opening follows the unprecedented success of Sydney theatre The Grand Electric. This bespoke new live entertainment space will be a permanent fixture with more than 400 seats in Brisbane’s West End, and the spectacle of other-worldly proportions that is ‘Limbo – The Return’ will open proceedings with a bang.
The show features an international cast of circus performers, and the music of New York’s Jank maestro Sxip Shirey. It reimagines the original ‘LIMBO’, which toured to no less than 17 countries. Madonna loved ‘LIMBO’ so much that she saw it twice, inviting Strut & Fret Creative Director Scott Maidment to direct highlights of her ‘Rebel Heart’ world tour.
“Brisbane is where Sarah Stewart and I founded Strut & Fret in 1997. It’s also our home city, where we grew up and where I still have a home,” Scott says. “Since then, we’ve become a major producer of live entertainment, touring to 38 countries and creating hugely popular festival event hubs like The Garden of Unearthly Delights in Adelaide and New Zealand’s Bread & Circus.”
Image © Damien Bredburg
“We staged our first Brisbane Festival production over 25 years ago in 1998, so it feels very fitting to launch The West End Electric with this year’s festival.”
Designer James Browne spills on what audiences can look forward to with The West End Electric.
“You can expect a stylistic nod to London’s famous West End theatre district. It will be chic and luxurious but with the essence of historical vaudeville, bohemian hedonism and abandonment. The space itself will be immersive, full of surprising elements that are unforgettable,” James says.
“When we open in August, Queensland audiences will literally see sparks fly!” Scott adds. “Expect a cracking cocktail list and the kind of experiences that have you on the edge of your seat – starting with ‘LIMBO – The Return’.
The West End Electric opens as part of Brisbane Festival, with ‘LIMBO – The Return’ from 29 August.
This story originally appeared on our sister site, scenestr.
