Puffio

'Word' is a fairly simple word. It's a word which celebrates a fairly simple concept. 'Word' is a Fringe run 'writer's festival' which runs for three days from Wed 21 March next year, and will be centred at the Fringe Factory (old Balfours factory off Morphett St) and at the SA Writers Centre (2nd floor, 187 Rundle St). Importantly, there is to be an anthology of 'Word' in a limited print run, and a competition to allow all budding and nascent (and even published) writers to get their work in as part of the anthology. You have until Fri 5 Jan to write up to 1000 words on the subject of "unpredictable"... entry forms are available at the aforementioned SA Writers Centre.

In what counts as a fairly powerful political statement in its own right, the organisers of the International Film Festival, being held in Adelaide in Feb 2007, have announced that producers of 'An Inconvenient Truth' and 'The House' have been confirmed as speaking guests. Diane Weyermann, the executive producer of Al Gore's call for action on climate change 'An Inconvenient Truth', and UK producer/ director Michael Waldman, responsible for some of the world's finest programmes about the Arts, will be special guests at the Australian International Documentary Conference, which takes place concomitantly with the Festival. Diane Weyermann will be presenting a masterclass on 'Producing socially responsible documentaries in a commercial environment', and Michael Waldman, will be presenting a master class entitled 'The edit starts during the shoot'.

There's been some hot sneaking going on... snooping around the Festival Centre will often net some tidy gossip, and last week was no exception. Of course, Christmas parties and cold drinks lead to loose lips, so here's a couple of ideas for next year's Cabaret Festival, which runs from Fri 8 to Sat 23 June 2007. From France Isabelle Georges & FrŽdŽrik Steenbrink bring their show 'Une ƒtoile et Moi... ˆ Judy Garland' (Judy and Me), a musical tribute to the woman who inspired Isabelle Georges to become a performer, for only three or four nights. This will be the first visit to the Cabaret Festival for Georges and Steenbrink, and is dead sure to be a hot ticket.

The newly appointed Artistic Director of the Restless Dance Company has just been announced. Restless is delighted to announce that Ingrid Voorendt takes up the position, and begins work on the first performance for the company under her tutelage, 'Rebel Rebel', a show about acts of rebellion, which will be presented at the Odeon Theatre in early May 2007 as part of the Come Out Festival.

'Anangu Backyard' is a multifaceted installation linking art, film, Pitjantjatjara language learning and bushfood, now open in the Artspace at the Festival Centre. An exhibition of brilliant colour, it includes works by artists from Kaltjiti Arts (Fregon), Tjala Arts (Amata), Ninuku Arts (Kalka & Pipalyatjara), Tjungu Palya (Nyapari, Kampi, Watarru), Iwantja Arts (Indulkana) and Ernabella Arts (Ernabella). 'Anangu Backyard' runs until Sun 4 Feb.

Watch out also for a rerun of a Fringe Festival hit, 'Highway Rock 'n' Roll Disaster' which enjoys an early year's season as part of the InSpace programme at the Festival Centre, from Wed 17 to Sat 20 Jan. This Border Project show is "a head on smash between music and theatre".

Patch Theatre leap straight into the new year with 'Pigs, Bears & Billy Goats Gruff' which they present as part of the Adelaide Festival Centre's summer family fun season in the Playhouse from Wed 10 Jan. A theatrical assemblage of classic children's stories that incorporate the power of the number three ('The Three Little Pigs', 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' and 'Goldilocks & The Three Bears'), 'Pigs, Bears & Billy Goats Gruff' is a family and children's show featuring specially written songs by Adelaide composer Stuart Day.

Other appointments: Cirkidz Circus School and Performing Troupe, based in Bowden, last week appointed Dan Aubin as their new Artistic Director, and he commences early in the new year. Aubin is a circus performer, director and trainer, having performed at such festivals as Glastonbury, Singapore River Festival, Leidseplein Square in the Netherlands and the World Busker Festival in New Zealand.

In a deal announced last week, Fringetix are now available through Venuetix outlets. In a nutshell, punters will be able to book tickets for their favourite Fringe shows at Venuetix outlets, so they won't need to visit the Fringe Box Office nor queue for days. Very cool.