White Night to light up Melbourne in 2017
Catherine Lambert, Herald Sun
MELBOURNE is set to come alive again after dark at next year’s White Night.
Under a new leadership of David Atkins, next year’s White Night puts more of a spotlight on performance and brings Flinders St back to light with installations lining the street.
“It’s pretty hard for me not to make dance an element and I’m a big fan of 1940s and 1950s music so we’re having a marathon swing party in Collins St,” Mr Atkins said.
“Unlike most of my other shows, the audience is very much a part of this show and we’re going to make sure they are comfortable in terms of easy access and are included in every way.”
Next year also sees the first White Night Ballarat held a couple of weeks after the Melbourne event where the theme will be history, incorporating the town’s rich past in the Gold Rush days as well as the Aboriginal perspective.
Mr Atkins is not shying away from issues such as homelessness, ageing, the environment and indigenous culture in his program but is also filling the streets and gardens of Melbourne with fairytales to delight children in particular.
There will be 40 electric possum installations hiding in the Carlton Gardens for children to find, giant illuminated white rabbits in Alexandra Gardens and Flinders St features a selection of fairytales inspired by the Shrek films and the original Rocky and Bullwinkel cartoons of the 1960s and 1970s.
“To me, this is a 12 hour window into a world of magic and mystery and everyone has a chance to open that window and see a new dreamlike landscape before it closes,” Mr Atkins said.
White Night Melbourne will be on February 18. White Night Ballarat, March 4.