By Bronwen Beechey

MELBOURNE -- In a city where arts festivals seem to run continuously, a bit of controversy helps to ensure that yours won't go unnoticed.

The 5th Melbourne Uni Arts Festival, MUDfest (July 30-August 17), is in this enviable position. It's main draw card is the world premiere of Steven Sewell's new play, Sodomy and Cigarettes.

Described as an “over the top, burlesque musical cornucopia” in which “our hero, this genius, this man of the people, decides that what we really need to get us back on our feet is an entertainment venue”, this production was apparently a little too close to reality for Arts Victoria, which withdrew its funding. The play is now supported solely by the Melbourne University Student Union.

Sodomy and Cigarettes is not the only attraction of the biennial festival, which started life as the Melbourne University Drama Festival in 1990. The festival has broadened to include dance, performance art and film as well as “cross-art” productions such as The Yellow Wallpaper, an adaptation of Charlotte Gilman Perkins' 19th-century feminist novel involving visual artists, actors, musicians and dancers. Stage productions include a German-language production called GROb und KLEIN, Popular Mechanicals, a Shakespearian farce and the traditional student-revue fare of Red Hot and Yoda.

There will be two short film programs: MUDflicks (Parts 1 and 2), a selection of short films by 1995 and 1996 graduates of the Victorian College of the Arts School of Film and TV, and Watch My Shorts, the 7th Melbourne Uni Festival of Short Films.

For music lovers, Sosarme combines opera with modern theatre and early music.

MUDfest continues to play an important role in providing a showcase of new artists and cutting-edge art. For programs or bookings, telephone (03) 9344 8869.

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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