In case it wasn’t obvious to attendees of the inaugural Haven Festival last year, it was striving to be different.
With celebrity chef Claus Meyer and Mikkeller brewery founder Mikkel Borg Bjergsø among the chief organisers – along with The National members Bryce Dessner and Aaron Dessner, who is married to a Dane, and Beatbox Entertainment – it was always going to provide far more than music.
READ MORE: Guitarist with The National launching new music festival in Copenhagen
Musically experimental
However, it is on the stage that it is aiming to be particularly experimental when it returns from August 10-11 at Refshaleøen.
Last year The National performed with Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, and we can expect similar mergers – some would call it ‘supergroupings’ – this year.
Will members of The National mix it up alongside Arcade Fire; or will Big Thief take the stage with Kevin Morby and Selma Judith? You’ll have to wait and see.
More space, shorter queues
The 10,000 guests – 6,000 fewer than last year in order to create more space and shorten the queues – will accordingly not be given a concert schedule.
And if all that doesn’t sound experimental enough for you, get this: the musicians are going to be trying their hand at making food and brewing beer.
We haven’t seen that much versatility since the Dutch national team of the 1970s brought us total football.
‘The Art Of Falling’ wins best foreign play award
Why Not Theatre Company’s spring production of ‘The Art Of Falling’ – a play by Swedish playwright Sara Stridberg inspired by the classic documentary ‘Grey Gardens’ that had never been performed in English before – has won CPH Culture’s 2017-18 award for best foreign play. The ‘Sæsonens Bedste Nye Udenlandske Stykke’ category includes many Danish versions of foreign plays, and there were ten nominees, including popular musical ’Book of Mormon’. Also shortlisted was Down the Rabbit Hole’s production of ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’. Elsewhere, ‘Diktatoren’ at Nørrebro Teater won the best concept and director awards.
READ MORE: Performance Review: All hail a rendition as impressive as Jackie-O’s rise
‘Stille hjerte’ to be remade by Hollywood
Plans have been announced to make a Hollywood version of the 2014 Danish film ‘Stille hjerte’, reports Variety magazine. Directed by Bille August, it told the story of a family gathering to mark the imminent death of its terminally-ill matriarch, who in the Danish version was played by Ghita Nørby. Her role will be assumed by Diane Keaton in ‘Silent Heart’, while Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska have been signed up to play her daughters. Director Roger Mitchell has confirmed he intends to use Christian Torpe’s original manuscript as much as possible.
No smoking ban at beautiful festival
Smukfest has ruled out the possibility of introducing a smoking ban at this year’s event due to concerns it might pose a fire risk. Despite recent rain, the Nordic region faces a continued threat of wildfires, and the recently held Swedish festival, Visfestival Holmön, was a no-smoking affair. Instead, Smukfest organisers will be taking more safety precautions than normal, as well as encouraging their guests to take more care. This year’s festival, which quickly sold out earlier in the year, is scheduled to take place from August 8-12.
Coming to a stage near you and Justin
In a late announcement, it has been confirmed that Justin Timberlake will be supported by up-and-coming trio The Shadowboxers when he performs at the Royal Arena later this week (Aug 4-5) – a band heavily tipped to reach the very top of their profession. Find out more at livenation.dk and ticketmaster.dk, along with details of concerts by British progrock icon Steven Wilson (Royal Arena; Feb 21; 400kr); Stormzy’s mate and fellow Croydon rapper Hardy Caprio (Pumpehuset; Sep 28; 195kr); and Finnish singer Saara Aalto (Studie 3; Oct 21; 210kr), the runner-up in ‘The X Factor UK’ in 2016. Meanwhile, visit Bremen Teater’s website to find out more about Irish comedian Dara O’Briain’s show ‘Voice Of Reason’ on May 17.
