#fringe theatre

[charsaysstuff]

Whiplash at The Camden Fringe

As someone not involved in the industry, Whiplash was an insightful, beautiful, yet harrowing look inside of the str!p club industry. I’m lucky enough to have had the privilege of working with and being friends with writer, producer, and actor Rachel Isobel Heritage. Her script carefully created the reality of many clubs and dancers; the busy nights and the contrasting post covid lulls, the vivacious characters all individualistic yet so together and connected by womanhood and female empowerment. Heritage’s voice could be heard throughout the play in her signature straight forward and powerful style, never skirting around issues but still intertwining her messages of s3x workers right and female comradery against industries primarily run by men into her script and story without always being on the nose.

Wolven has to be credited with this extraordinary directorial debut, balancing and managing a hard-hitting script with the sensitivity and power that it deserves. Her experience as an actor and writer shines through in her direction, honouring the script beautifully and creating an atmosphere in that the actors could show true vulnerability and give their best performances.

The staging was fun and exciting especially for a fringe show, utilising the large cast to efficiently change scenes and locations. Simple yet intricate, each set was so different and helped towards creating the atmosphere of different parts of the club; the openness of the main bar, the safety of the dressing room and intimacy of the VIP area. The pole in the centre was a fun choice, emulating the stage of a club, with the dancers front and centre.

The use of dances in this play was a highlight for me. It showcased not only the talents of the actors and choreographer (Luna Minxx) but also the personality of each individual character; Nemesis and her innate sense of sexuality and experience, Nikii the firecracker, Candy the innocent new girl, Kylie and her ditzy sensuality, Quinn the seductive classic, Chanel and her loud confidence. The unique way each dancer presents herself on the pole gives so much to the reality that “the way you dance is who you are” as Cauchi said during a conversation I had with her, which is ultimately the truth. The vulnerability and passion that’s is needed for the pole and to captivate audiences gives the perfect insight into every dancers core personality not only as a str!pper but also as a human being.

The acting throughout the play was extraordinary. As previously mentioned, each dancer had a palpable individuality, which was brought out by the actors, even when not centre stage. Agha and Copeland, Victor and John, are beautifully nasty and capture the superiority that men in the industry, both workers and customers, may display, thinking they are above and in control of the women that they view as sexual objects instead of workers. Patterson as the Journalist was a fun mix of bubbling contempt and condescension under the guise of a charismatic and good-natured woman. Charlie, played by Woodbridge, the bartender caught in the middle of the action, balancing the empathy and friendship he has with the dancers, looking out for their safety, and being a man still unaware of the true work and problems that the women face.

The real beauty of this play comes from the female empowerment and community between the dancers. From simple conversations asking if anyone has a sharpener and the eagerness of others to help with this small request, to bigger emotional scenes where they gather to comfort one another in times of intense distress and anguish, putting aside differences and in one scene, even using each others real names in which we see a real friendship and respect for one another even outside the club. While there are moments of conflict between the girls, it’s never for a stereotypical catfight, but due to girl codes being broken and friendships being betrayed. Ultimately they come together in a story of fighting the real enemy, a patriarchal society which puts women down, but especially those in the s3x work industry, looking to pit women against each other whilst denying them of their basic rights as humans and workers.

Rachel, Saffron, Hannah, Rosie, Phoebe, Anna, Lauren, Erin, Alessandro, Chris and Gregor, you guys have made something so incredible, entertaining and inspiring that I had to write something for it. All I have left to say is that this bloody better be going on tour!

Play Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/whiplash_play?igsh=b3B1OGdwdW56MHhs

[lukethewitt]

OUTING | queer comedy play at Camden Fringe | 19th-20th August

FANTASTIC BEASTS star Joshua Shea (Young Newt Scamander) plays a young man who thinks he might be gay until he meets the woman of his dreams in this philosophical comedy.

Tickets £10 – 19th-20th August

Hen and Chickens, Islington, North London

[neptunehenriksen]

hhhIT'S BEEN ONE WEEK to go until Long Drive Together comes to Midsumma Festival!

It's the heartfelt play about queer friendship, second coming-of-age, and moving through grief, with some chuckles thrown in too.

Long Drive Together runs 5-10 Feb. 7pm. At The Butterfly Club. (Midsumma Festival).

And then onto Adelaide Fringe.

[quillandrapier]

Fringe theatre is great, where else would I see a show about the drag embodiment of the celtic god of the hunt make me cry about my ex.

[bacchicly]

Applications are now OPEN for the Ottawa Fringe Festival Lottery! They will remain open until December 2nd, 2022 at 11:30pm.

The 26th annual Ottawa Fringe Festival will run for 11 days, June 15th-25th, 2023. With 50 performing companies presenting upwards of 300 performances, the Fringe is Ottawa’s largest and longest-running theatre festival!

A proud member of The Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, the Ottawa Fringe returns 100% of box office revenue into the pockets of its participants – and is committed to giving artists the opportunity to produce work in an uncensored, unjuried, and highly accessible environment.

The application form, and all the details can be found at https://ottawafringe.com/lottery/. Make sure to read through everything to make the application and, later on, registration, as smooth as possible!

Good luck!

[droughtofapathy]

"Welcome to the Theatre": Diary of a Broadway Baby

Metra: A Climate Revolution with Songs

May 22, 2024 | Fringe Theatre | Reading | Story with Music | 2H 30M

Activism theatre is its own genre. Generally, it has an important message to blare for a few hours with an actually plot and cohesion that may leave something to be desired. As a piece of activism, I think Metra does a good job of stressing the imminent climate catastrophe coming, but perhaps the execution and ending doesn't serve the message as well. Based on Ovid's myth of the hungry king who devours everything until there's nothing left but to devour himself, Metra is a feminist recentering that takes place now, then, and soon. The ending ultimately devolves into wish-fulfillment myth where everything is solved by mythical tree nymphs and the power of love(?) which I think dilutes the point, but sure.

Performances were all enjoyable, and the music itself is pretty damn good. This was a free reading downtown, and I only went because a cabaret singer I like was in the cast. I'm glad to have seen it, but as theatre, eh.

Verdict: Enjoyable, But Left No Lasting Impression

A Note on Ratings

[literarylondonhq]

A Bohemian Briton - Actor and Writer Tim Marriott.

Best known for his role in the hit TV sitcom, ‘The Brittas Empire’, Tim Marriott took seventeen years out of his acting career… to be a teacher. Now his original productions are acclaimed around the world and his latest hit – Appraisal is coming to Theatre at The Tabard in London. He talks to Nick Hennegan about his bohemian story. (To read a review of the original Edinburgh production of…

[biglisbonnews]

Laughing through the pain: Edinburgh comics relive true-life traumas What’s the funniest thing on the festival fringe? No, not politics, but painful introspectionNominations for the prestigious Edinburgh comedy award, to be announced on Wednesday, are likely to include a few standup routines that sound about as funny as an electricity bill. Fringe performers who deal with parental cruelty, online sex-shaming, serious addiction, mental illness and a coercive cult could all be in the running.Early tips suggest that among the contenders may be Ana Magliano, with a show about her hidden bisexuality, André de Frietas, a Portuguese comic who describes his descent into prostitution, Moses Storm, who chronicles his childhood inside a cult, and fellow American Avital Ash, with an act that “workshops her suicide note”. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/aug/20/laughing-through-the-pain-edinburgh-comics-relive-true-life-traumas

[80linesofvirgil]

“We was just kids, just tryna find some kind of a life out here, some little bit of life. We didn’t do nothin’ wrong to nobody. You must know that now.”

www.twocomehomeplay.com

[davidtennantgenderenvy]

Me when I Shake my Speare

[shakespearenews]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/theater/edinburgh-fringe-what-to-see.html?unlocked_article_code=1.B04.dBga.BJMPejYBivyL&smid=url-share

I generally have a “no Shakespeare” rule during the festival (you can see his plays anywhere!), but would make an exception for the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza’s take on “Hamlet,” which is playing in Edinburgh as part of the International Festival, rather than the Fringe (The Lyceum; Aug. 15 through 17). This staging of the Bard’s most popular tragedy features rap and improvisation, and is performed in Spanish with English supertitles by an eight-person cast, all of whom have Down syndrome.

[ineffablemossy]

Off to see Wyrd Sisters tonight, at the theatre! Feels so fancy <3

I remember seeing a Witches Abroad production when I was a teen!

I wish Terry was still with us.

[neptunehenriksen]

I do see your sign 👀

Long Drive Together. 3-9 Oct. 6:30pm. At The Motley Bauhaus. With Lou Sebial. Part of Melbourne Fringe. Tix and info | Content Notes & Accessibility

[justarandombrit]

On today's episode of, there's a musical about basically everything;

Have you ever wished you could see two true crime fanatics actually solve a murder, rather than talking about them on podcasts? Now you can!

Are you a Great British Bake Off fan? We got you covered.

Do you... Like public bathrooms? That's... Yeah we have that too!

Donald Trump with some sort of artistic subversion that I couldn't figure out? You bet we have it.

(Not technically a musical, but) Lesbians;; can sing... So... That's cool.

Musicals, in order:

Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! (by Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones) | Great British Bake Off: The Musical (by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary) | Public - The Musical (by Kyla Stroud) | Trump L'oeil: The Musical (by Henry Parkman Biggs) | The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs (by Iman Qureshi)

[twodoorsnotone]

ARE YOU A DOCTOR WHO FAN?? Alternatively, are you a STARKID FAN??? Did you watch and love A Very Potter Musical, and have you ever thought to yourself, oh boy, I wish there was something like this for Doctor Who?

Well OMG have I got NEWS FOR YOU! You sould definitely check out PROFESSOR WHERE !!!

It's super funny, chock full of references, and the cast and crew truly are passionate about this - I truly think they capture the chaotic but joyful energy of college-era StarKid lol.

If you're coming to EdFringe to see the Tin Can Bros' Solve It Squad anyway, you should definitely come along (trust me, we will all be going there too whilst there 🤭) if you'll be about between 19th-24th August, or donate to the Kickstarter to help this happen! (We also hope to have a cast album some time soon!)

More info and links etc below the cut!

OKAY THANKS FOR READING!!

Some highlights include - some familiar ex-companions doing their own version of Cell Block Tango, a gen Z fangirl companion, a very queer interpretation of the Doctor and everything really, a spiritual successor to Sarah Jane Smith, a Dalek singing an emotional ballad/rock anthem (somehow both), plot twists, and SO MUCH reversion of polarity...

elevator pitch - Professor Where is a parody musical based on Doctor Who! John B Stevens, disillusioned showrunner who revived the show, has grown tired of the same old plotlines and constant vitriol from fans. However, whilst writing his last season, John is transported into the very universe he is so desperately trying to escape. ENJOY SOME CHAOTIC REHEARSAL PHOTOS

Sounds fun right! It's organised and performed by students, and tickets will be only £11 (£9 concessions)! We are also doing a Kickstarter - if you can support us that would also be great to help cover the costs of our cast and crew staying in Edinburgh for the week.

I promise our songs are better than There's Always A Twist At The End!

Fundraiser - https://crowdfund.edfringe.com/p/taking-professor-where-to-fringe

Ticket link - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/professor-where

Review by a Doctor Who society in case you're interested (spoiler warning though!) - https://oxforddoctorwho-tidesoftime.blog/2024/05/10/meet-professor-where-sci-fi-show-reviewed/

Social media

Tiktok - @/Professor.Where https://www.tiktok.com/@professor.where?_t=8o6l8auUzVQ&_r=1

Twitter - @/prwheremusical (where many of the memes in this post originate) https://x.com/prwheremusical?t=5nQ2WRPtNMY2DoYp3TCdsQ&s=09

Instagram - @/technobabbleprods https://www.instagram.com/technobabbleprods?igsh=cXZjNTY2Z3V1ejhv

[kamehamehamlet]

Play-Dot Archives: Poster PPG

Last week I shared two posts about posters we put up for KamehameHamlet in 2015.

But dare I share the poster we put up at Convergence in 2017...

Play-Dot Presents: Mayor Lear May (week)

For this last week of May, I'll be sharing some archival images and more from our 2017 award winning* show Mayor Lear of Townsville!

Remember if you have questions about Kamehamehamlet or Mayor Lear, you can always stop by our weekly rally stream on YouTube!