~ Inside Out Australia

Today Mardi Gras launched their festival guide for 2008 and it’s one of the most impressive line ups we’ve seen from them in recent times. Next year’s festival is a solid program of events with strong ties to the city’s major venues and pitches top notch international performers alongside the best of our homegrown talent.

2007’s Flash Mob Launch was a radically new way to launch the festivities and next year’s will continue in this tradition. There will be a tree planting on the corner of Moore Park Road and Anzac Parade, just near Kippax Lake and you’re all invited. The tree will stand with a plaque as a permanent reminder of our 30th anniversary. There will also be an interactive element to the day thanks to a partnership with Myspace. Blogging areas will be scattered around the park and you’re all invited to jump online and share your Mardi Gras memories and hopes for our Brave New World. The best of these will then be screened during Parade.

The musical line up is superb. Cyndi Lauper performs live in concert at the State Theatre from February 28 until the March 2. When it comes to gay icons few can touch Cyndi. In addition to her music career, she’s been a devoted advocate for gay rights and HIV research for 25 years.

Deborah Conway will perform at the AB Hotel in Glebe from 19 to 21 February and there’s even a rock event called Rock De’Electro happening at The Annandale Hotel. Who would have thought they’d see the day when The Annandale Hotel was part of Mardi Gras?

As always cabaret and comedy is very strong for next year’s festival. Margaret Cho will be bringing to Australia the world premiere of her brand new show Beautiful. Jeanne Little will be celebrating the life and times of Marlene Dietrich with her one woman show Marlene. Hats Off and The Stars Come Out have combined this year to create one spectacular HIV fundraising event which is sure to sell out fast. Fasten your seatbelts and make sure your tray table is stowed – the hilarious Pam Ann is back for one night only at the Lyric Theatre on February 22.

Same Same’s Jody Ekert will be bringing Giggling Gertie back to the stage, so for any girls out there who have been thinking about trying their hand at stand up comedy, now’s your chance.

Visual arts buffs will have plenty to feast their eyes upon – one of the most exciting pieces is the installation Fuck Love which will take over the underground toilet block at Taylor Square from 15 to 29 February. Artist Carl Hopgood has transformed the space, the walls will be tiled with images taken from gay male sex worker advertisements. There will also be a Mardi Gras slide show projected onto the shopfront window of 76 Oxford Street throughout the season.

Mardi Gras have also opened their own gallery at Tap Gallery and will showcase publicity material from the last thirty years of Mardi Gras, as well as work from local artists. William Yang will be exhibiting his work Claiming China at Australia Centre For Photography in Paddington and much loved Sydney icon Mazz will be presenting her one woman slide show A Night With Mazz at Slide.

It wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without the parties and this year there’s plenty of ‘em. Old favourites Club Arak, Attention Deficit Disco and Homesexual return to keep you on your toes. Girls, Tongue Twister is back and it will take over the Burdekin Hotel on February 23.

Sol Y Luna is the new look Harbour Party and with Scott Pullen, Kate Monroe and Jayson Forbes at the helm it’s going to be a stunning day of fun in the sun. Of course there’s also the official Mardi Gras Party which needs no introduction and for the ladies looking for somewhere to boogie afterwards, Bitch vs Candy Bar will be the official girls recovery.

As far as theatre is concerned, there are some brilliant new Australian works in the pipeline, co-produced by Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras were initially only going to fund four of them, but the ideas were so strong they eventually went with six. Some may remember the play reading of Blowing Whistles from the last festival – next year this brilliant play returns as a full production, which is great news. Don’t miss this one.

Will and Toby’s will be the festival bar next year and the space is perfectly suited for it. The festival bar line up is really diverse this year – everything from stand up comedy to cabaret, from acoustic to burlesque. Same Same’s Jade Starr will be performing with her band Dreadcircus too – we can’t wait.

Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras film festival always delivers and next year will be no different. They’ll be bringing you such gems as Naked Boys Singing and A Picture Of Dorian Gray, as well as the annual filmmakers’ event My Queer Career. The full line up will be announced closer to the date.

It’s a jam packed, quality season and it’s all very exciting – we can’t wait to celebrate thirty years of Mardi Gras with you all.

For the full wrap up get your hands on the Mardi Gras Festival guide – or you can see it all online by heading to MardiGras.org.au.