Review: Lana Harris

Is knitting French? The first glimpses of the Goodwill a la Paris show a portaloo covered in crochet and various other styles of weaved wool, ministered to by a lady who appears to be wearing a full pants suit made of crochet squares. Disappointingly, up close this is just a pattern on ordinary

fabric. The knitting display continues onto the bridge, incorporating the French theme with some knitted croissants.

Arriving at the start of an event which promoted a ‘free breakfast box’ guarantees a sardine-like entrance onto the bridge followed by a wait in line which lasts long enough to admire the coloured glass balls and parasols adorning the overhead areas of the bridge, but not long enough to see any mimes. The cone shaped ‘box’ is filled with strawberries, a croissant, cheese, fruit and nuts, an impressive effort considering the hoards of consumers (whose attire preferences lean more towards backpacks than berets) the organisers had to cater for.

The bridge has several stops for resting and eating. The best of these was coated by faux grass and affords the opportunity to appreciate the spectacular views from the bridge whilst sitting down. Some chalk-on-pavement art and a few shops fill the remainder of the bridge, their lines for crepes, coffees and bretzels (a pretzel shaped cross between brioche and bread) snaking between pedestrians and other retailers.

I never saw the promised mimes, but I did see some costumed can-can dancers squeezing between the masses. They had to wait to dance, as every free space was full of people eating and trying to work a bit of French into their conversations. Overall, the organisers did a good job accommodating crowds and a bit of French culture in the very long and not very wide space they had to work with. It was a ‘bonne journée’.

Review: Lana Harris

Visit Brisbane Festival for full festival details.