Laurie Anderson

One of America’s most daring creative pioneers makes a welcome return to Brighton in a specially curated performance responding to this year’s Festival themes.

Renowned for her innovative use of technology - from her 1981 breakthrough O Superman to her appointment as NASA’s first artist-in-residence - Anderson’s groundbreaking works as writer, director, visual artist and vocalist span the worlds of art, theatre and experimental music.

All the Animals is a collection of animal stories drawn from throughout Anderson’s career. Dogs, horses, whales, birds, insects, cows, rabbits, tigers and snakes have careened through her work for decades, used to represent empathy, danger, joy or confusion, or as creatures drawn directly from real life. For All the Animals, Anderson brings together both the real and the fictional for an evening of new and old music by a truly singular artist.

Guest Director Ali Smith on Laurie Anderson:
‘Laurie Anderson the great New York performance artist, singer, musician, artist of our lifetime I think, she’s a great, great figure of liberty and liberation of the arts. She’s bringing a show especially. She looked at the brief of the festival and she said I’ll write you a show. She’s coming near the end of the festival, Varda at the beginning and Laurie Anderson at the end, it’s glorious.'