Across its length and breadth, nature and her creatures provide the underlying theme for Bondi Pavilion’s 2025 program. Spread across the year will be activities in theatre, dance, cabaret, comedy, film, literature and visual arts that will take place both indoors and out to take advantage of this arts precinct’s proximity to the seaside.
Artistic Director Chris Bendall has overseen the programming, along with other members of the Waverley Council Arts and Culture team. Of the responsibilities of curating across so many different art forms, Bendall tells ArtsHub, “It’s a fun challenge of dealing with a multi-form space – to think about what’s going to work and be particularly suited to the audience here. We have a range of spaces, from intimate to courtyard, gallery and studios. Also, remember where we are – Bondi is a very outdoorsy community, so that had to be considered too.
“The 2025 Bondi Pavilion Program is the first full artistic program that we’ve launched, the first time we’ll put on a cohesive annual season, and it’s a big one.”
Speaking of big, Bendall mentions, not the elephant in the room, but the commissioned whale in the courtyard, created by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre.
“This whale talks to the year’s program as a whole; it is significant to the Waverley community and to the First Nations stories here. In Bondi, you can watch whale migration. So, from early January for two weeks, there will be a gigantic, 10-metre long, five-metre wide whale installation. Each day there will be a half-hour lighting, music and storytelling, interactive performance. People can take ropes and help manipulate the puppet with support from the Spare Parts team, or they can just sit and enjoy and watch it.”
There are other environmentally-themed works happening throughout the season, that are relevant for this site-specific beachside community, says Bendall. “I’ve had fun looking at works that are quite animal-themed, with an endangered creature focus. There are penguins, rhinos, thylacines and leopards in the mix… These are family-friendly entertainment, but there is plenty of programming for adults too.”
Comedian Garry Starr’s show, for instance, is an ambitious attempt to perform every Penguin Classic novel written – including (of course) Moby Dick.
The narrative logic of this focus on the environment continues with an exhibition by Karla Dickins called Rise and Fall, which explores climate change through a First Nations’ perspective. “It’s about the impact of the 2022 floods in Lismore and a kind of post-apocalyptic twist on a unique Bondi icon, which is the mermaid. Karla’s taken a really interesting twist; it will be a provocative and powerful exhibit,” Bendall says, adding that the Bondi team will be bringing over Circa Cairns, an Indigenous-led contemporary circus ensemble.
For music fans, he points to Odette and her ‘Seahorses’ tour as well as The Whitlams’ Tim Freeman, and Sarah-Louise Young’s tribute to Kate Bush. Then there’s Bondi Wave, a 12-week course for upper primary and school-aged students to learn how to write and arrange music in sessions mentored by industry professionals.
Bendall is excited to be bringing to the public such a broad arts palette of work, with many more highlights to discover in this filled-to-bursting program, including Art Deco in Australian design and dancing brolga installations. The year’s program allows you to plan in advance or, as Bendall puts it, just casually wander in from the beach, shake the sand from your toes and see what takes your fancy at the ‘Pav’ (surfboard optional).
For more information about Bondi Pavilion’s 2025 program.
