The Performance Arcade consists of 9 (not 7 as some of the advance material said) shipping containers in front of Te Papa (seaward side) with different works of performance art. All of the works show some kind of preoccupation with performative space, perception and the driving forces behind creative acts. 

It’s stimulating stuff – I was particularly riveted by the part of Antibodies I saw – Lucy Lie’s Extraction II, which interrogates clinical diagnosis and cure. I was also intrigued by the ideas behind Josephine O’Sullivan’s Body of Work: Venus’s exploration of beauty myths and rituals.

Also in action on the night were He Cranked The Lever and It All Began’s wind machines and fairground music, Nag’s steampunk tandem bicycle that generates alternative energy and hopefully artistic gems and Inside The Frame’s fractured audio and visual distortions. 

I was a bit reluctant to try Point of Presence (POP’s balloon popping) – I’ve never been a fan of sudden loud noises, but others looked like they were having fun.

This is the type of work that will really award repeat visits, and the beauty of the way it has been curated is that you can just walk past and see what’s going on at anytime you find yourself unoccupied and nearby. It feels as though work like this has been sorely missing from recent Fringe Festivals. 

I applaud Sam Trubridge and Josephine O’Sullivan and the rest of the creative team. I’ll definitely be going back to see Hidden City Map’s alternative tour through urban spaces and see Body of Work: Venus in action. There’s also live music and film screening at various times to look forward to.
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