Milton Keynes' biennial festival of bewildering spectacle, absurdity, and outright madness is back. The IF: Milton Keynes International Festival returns this July, promising ten days of artistic chaos that will either leave you inspired or questioning your decision to leave the house. From pyrotechnics to human trees, and from vertical choreography on 40-meter sculptures to robot-written poetry, this is not your grandmother’s idea of culture.
Prepare for a festival that’s as much about pushing boundaries as it is about making you question what’s left to not put on a stage
Let’s start with the fireworks and drumming extravaganza. Deabru Beltzak’s Symfeuny will kick off the festival with a noisy, spark-filled, drumming-infused promenade performance on July 18th. Watch as pyrotechnics light up the streets of Milton Keynes. With any luck, it’ll warm up the mk:centre just a little bit. Oh, and the cherry on top? It culminates in a grand finale that takes place in Campbell Park. Nothing says "refined art" quite like exploding things in public spaces, but hey, the city did survive the 2015 Rugby World Cup celebrations.
If you’re not into explosions, perhaps a vertical choreography show might be more your thing. Transe Express’s DNA Vertical Odyssey takes place on a 40-meter-high sculpture under a 200-ton crane. The performance blends aerial dance, drumming, and some impressive engineering feats; because who doesn’t want to see people hanging off a giant crane while you sip your overpriced coffee at a nearby café? Oh, and if you’re into that kind of thing, prepare for serious movement with a backdrop of wind-blown acrobatics.
Perhaps you’re someone who enjoys an immersive experience, so why not put yourself at the mercy of strangers in Kamchàtka’s Fugit? Running from July 24th to 26th, this Catalonian company invites you to leave behind the safe, familiar, and comfortable world of your local Costa Coffee and wander through Wolverton with complete strangers. It's an homage to those who “abandon the unnecessary.” Sounds like the sort of thing to consider if your relationship with your phone just isn’t what it used to be.
But don't worry if none of these sound like your cup of tea, because Pagrav Dance Company’s One Sky will bring the spirit of India’s Kite Festivals to Campbell Park on July 19th. Can’t say no to a good bit of cultural fusion, especially when it’s described as “a dynamic interplay of movement and puppeteering.” That’s right, puppets. Prepare to marvel at six dancers and their collaborative struggle to juggle ancient traditions and modern dance aesthetics. As an added bonus, this is Pagrav’s 20th anniversary, so maybe send a birthday card?
In case you need to get in touch with your peaceful side, Michael Pendry’s Les Colombes features over 2,000 white paper doves in Middleton Hall at centre:mk. The installation, which has already traveled the world, will challenge you to consider the “delicate balance between individual freedom and collective belonging.” While contemplating peace, remember you can contribute your own dove to the display - and if you’re particularly generous, hang one on a window in the hopes of creating some kind of peace dove uprising across Milton Keynes.
The festival also brings back the much-loved Spiegeltent with acts like The Noise Next Door and La Voix - who Drag Race fans will know as the Queen who enters everything but never wins. And, in a true effort to remind you that not all art needs to be taken seriously, you can catch Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids, where the only thing more extreme than the beatboxing is your internal conflict about whether it’s really an art form.
Milton Keynes, prepare for a festival that’s as much about pushing boundaries as it is about making you question what’s left to not put on a stage. Whether you’re into drumming, dancing, or watching acrobats swing from the heavens, this festival will give you an unforgettable, somewhat disorienting experience that might just have you rethinking your life choices. And, really, isn’t that the best kind of art?
For more information, or to find out if you're brave enough to survive it all, check out IF: Milton Keynes International Festival at ifmiltonkeynes.org.
