Opening Concert: All Rise
Usher Hall, 8 Aug, 18:30
A rousing rendition of Wynton Marsalis’ life-affirming jazz symphony All Rise – a musical journey through birth, self-discovery, play, and death, which served as the inspiration behind this year’s Festival theme.
Angels in America
King’s Theatre, 15-20 Aug, various times
Internationaal Theater Amsterdam stage a reimagining of Tony Kushner’s classic play exploring the HIV crisis, incorporating a sparse set and a David Bowie soundtrack for an epic performance.
A Trial – after An Enemy of the People
The Lyceum, 7-10 Aug, various times
Christiane Jatahy’s sequel to Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People explores the original’s themes of personal accountability versus social conformity within the context of contemporary Brazil.
Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah – The Epic of Bani Hilal / السّيرة الهلاليّة
The Lyceum, 26-29 Aug, 19:30
Palestinian theatre company Khashabi Theatre re-envision ancient poem Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah, infusing it with Palestinian folklore, physical theatre, poetry, live music, puppetry and dance
Corto.alto
The Hub, 18 Aug, 20:00
Mercury Prize-nominated jazz artist corto.alto [Liam Shortall] brings his genre-melding sound, which dabbles in electronic sounds and club culture, to EIF.
[seagull]
Studio Theatre, 7-11 Aug, various times
Belgian company Olympique Dramatique explores Chekhov’s classic The Seagull through Flemish Sign Language, assembling a cast of both deaf and hearing actors.
The Legacy of Slavery
Playfair Library, 8-30 Aug, 10:00-17:00
The first international exhibition from the Legacy Museum, based in Alabama, delivers a comprehensive history of slavery and racial injustice.
When Prophecy Fails
Studio Theatre, 27-30 Aug, various times
Scottish ensemble groupwork blends movement, voiceover, music and stage and video design to tell the true story of the world’s first Doomsday cult, set in a small town in the American Midwest.
Camilla George
The Hub, 26 Aug, 20:00
Known for incorporating African and diasporic sounds with Western music traditions, saxophonist Camilla George performs alongside her band for a standout evening.
Clown Show
King’s Theatre, 27-30 Aug, various times
Joined by a troupe of clowns, theatre-maker Geoff Sobelle creates a portrait of the crumbling United States empire, using the analogy of a struggling circus.
Berliner Philarmoniker: Closing Concert
Usher Hall, 30 Aug, 19:30
Berliner Philarmoniker returns to EIF with Chief Conductor Kirill Petrenko; soloist Augustin Hadelich plays Beethoven’s violin concerto and the ensemble performs Alexander Scriabin’s Third Symphony.