The Adnams Spiegeltent is on its way, weird and wonderful acts from around the globe are heading to the county, and soon the spotlight will be firmly focussed on this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
The final countdown to the 2015 arts extravaganza is under way and artistic director William Galinsky cannot wait to share this year's eclectic mix of festival fun with audiences.
The festival kicks off next Friday and is bringing 17 days of entertainment across the arts to the city and county.
'It's a great festival this year, there's so much that I am thrilled we have managed to bring here,' said Mr Galinksy, who added that one event he was especially excited about was this year's headline show, Wolf's Child. The outdoor spectacle by Cornwall-based company WildWorks is making the Felbrigg Hall estate, in north Norfolk, its stage and the show has been three years in the planning.
'I am up at Felbrigg a lot at the moment and I have seen the woods being transformed for Wolf's Child,' said Mr Galinsky.
'WildWorks are like a bunch of Cornish fairies making a really breathtaking experience. It is going to be really special.' He said the show highlighted how there were great opportunities in Norfolk to make site-specific theatre that just would not be possible in places like London, and added it was brilliant to have about 100 local performers and volunteers involved in Wolf's Child.
'One thing I am really excited about is the amount of work being made in Norfolk for the festival this year,' he said.
'I was at a Voice Project rehearsal recently (for space-inspired show The Observatory at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts) which was sounding amazing, as does the Festival Chorus.'
He said there was lots in store for audiences in the city – with everything from festival favourites Circa premiering their latest circus spectacle in the Adnams Spiegeltent to a classical music project focussing on Mendelssohn to the festival's traditional free Garden Party in Chapelfield Gardens.
'We have got a mixture of new projects, world premieres, and old favourites, and a big music programme of both classical and contemporary,' he said.
'We have got some great things going on in the city - there's some really nice free outdoor work. We really like the kind of work that makes you look at your city in a different way.'The festival once again has a busy City of Literature programme, and there is also a stage adaptation of A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, the multi-award-winning book written by Mr Galinsky's wife Eimear McBride.
Mr Galinsky said: 'We saw it at the Dublin Theatre Festival and Aoife Duffin, the actress, is amazing.
'We thought it would be really nice to bring it back here because they (Dublin theatre company The Corn Exchange) have made a really beautiful piece of theatre from the book. I think it will be going to a lot of other places and it's great to bring it here before all of that hopefully happens for the production.'
The festival's free finale – which will take place at the city's St James Development Site - is called 451 and inspired by Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451.
'It's a really fab show, it's sci-fi meets street theatre. You are really caught up in the story because it happens all around you. 'It takes you into a world where books are banned and burned, which is quite interesting for a UNESCO City of Literature. 'It's in the tradition of the big festival shows and completely free.
'It is really great that in this current economic climate we are able to bring that kind of work to Norwich and make it free for everyone, and that is in no small part thanks to our funders.
I would like to give a shout out to Norwich City Council, the Arts Council and all our sponsors.'
With just seven days now to go until festival time, Mr Galinsky said he hoped as many people as possible would come to see the festival's shows and events.
'We really strive to ensure that there is something for everyone from all walks of life, whatever you might enjoy, whether it's music, streets art, circus or theatre,' he said. 'Come to the festival because you are going to have a great time!'
The Norfolk and Norwich Festival runs from May 8 to 24.
For the full festival programme visit www.nnfestival.org.uk
Do you have a Norwich Arts Story? Email arts correspondent Emma Knights at emma.knights@archant.co.uk
WILLIAM GALINSKY'S 10 ACTS NOT TO MISS
WOLF'S CHILD
May 5-23, 7.45pm each night except Sunday, Felbrigg Hall, near Cromer, tickets £20 (£15 for preview shows May 5-7).
'Wolf's Child has been three years in the making and WildWorks, from Cornwall, is one of the UK's most innovative and imaginative theatre companies. I've recently been to Felbrigg Hall watching the woods become transformed and it really is going to be completely magical.'
THE MENDELSSOHN PROJECT
Various performances in Norwich throughout the festival by Northern Chords Ensemble, Norwich Cathedral Choir. Philharmonia, and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Festival Chorus. Various city venues and ticket prices.
'When Norfolk and Norwich Festival music associate David Parry told me that Sir John Tomlinson would be interested in singing Elijah with the Festival Chorus it seemed a wonderful opportunity to explore the music of a composer who is so closely associated with 19th century music in Britain - and who indeed was courted by Norfolk and Norwich Festival to become the festival director.'
FITTING
May 8-10, 6pm, city centre, free but places are limited, book in advance by emailing fitting@nnfestival.org.uk
'One of the great pleasures of being artistic director of Norfolk and Norwich Festival is travelling to other festivals and discovering new artists. I saw Fitting by Austria's Willi Dorner Company in Graz two years ago and had never seen anything like it before. This is sure to be one of the highlights of the free outdoor programme this year.'
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM and the SPIEGEL MUSIC CLUB
Abdullah Ibrahim, May 20, 8pm, Norwich Theatre Royal, tickets £8-£27.
Spiegel Music Club, May 15-23, 10pm, Adnams Spiegeltent, different acts each night, tickets £14.
'Abdullah Ibrahim is one of the world's jazz greats. Following on from Hugh Masekela in 2014, this is a concert that's sure to provide a memorable night at the Theatre Royal. This and much of our non-classical music programme is the result of our ongoing relationship with music producers Serious, the force behind the London Jazz Festival. More boutique gigs not to be missed include Chassol and House Gospel Choir in the Adnams Spiegeltent.'
MASHA GESSEN and the CITY OF LITERATURE PROGRAMME
Masha Gessen, May 16, 8pm, Norwich Cathedral's Hostry, tickets £10.
Full City of Literature programme runs from May 8-18, various venues and ticket prices.
'Russian journalist Masha Gessen gives the third Harriet Martineau Lecture exploring freedom of speech and investigative journalism. She is known for her outspoken opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, this promises to be a really engaging lecture.'
FOREST FRUIT
May 8-10 at various times, Norwich Puppet Theatre, tickets £4.
'Forest Fruit is a wonderful world created out of cotton for children aged five and over. I was completely enchanted by this piece when I came across it in the Netherlands last year. One of the most delightful and unusual shows we have presented for children.'
[LIVE] ART CLUB
May 9-22, 8pm until late, Norwich Arts Centre, various acts and ticket prices.
'As ever there is an exciting mixture of new work being presented and developed at Norwich Arts Centre. Don't miss Kim Noble's You're Not Alone and a new work-in-progress by Deborah Pearson.'
THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS
May 21, 8pm, Norwich Theatre Royal, tickets £7-£18.
'An amazing feel-good live film all about record-breaking people and things. When I saw this I found it so uplifting I just had to bring it to Norwich.'
TARAF DE HAIDOUKS
May 17, 8pm, Norwich Theatre Royal, tickets £7-£25.
'This brilliant Romanian Gypsy Orchestra is simply one of the great live music experiences.'
WHAT WILL HAVE BEEN
May 15-18 and May 20-23, 7.30pm, May 24, 5pm, the Adnams Spiegeltent, tickets £20 (£15 for preview show on May 13).
'A brand new Spiegeltent show from festival favourites Circa and a world premiere to boot. How lucky are we!'
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