Theatre has always been one of the centrepieces of the Buxton Fringe (July 7-25) and this year the category is bigger than ever - up 28 per cent on last year!
As ever, the variety is phenomenal with everything from Green Eggs and Hamlet, a Dr Seuss inspired Hamlet; The Ring of Stones, a musical based on the tragic events in the plague village of Eyam; and all the way from Rome, The Juggler's Tale, featuring a blend of drama, clowing and acrobatics.
There is plenty of local talent too. Buxton-bred favourites Three's Company return to their home in Underground Venues with a new piece, Reverie. Also from Buxton, Moving Talent make a welcome return with Cupcakes, Doll's House Players offer Come Back To Blackpool, Karen Carpenter, High Peak Writers explore mental illness in The Last Laugh (also a theme in local company fiction's late entry to the Fringe programme, If I Were Me) and Buxton Drama League present the winner of their Act One playwriting competition, Beginnings.
While all eyes will be on Martin Beard as he reprises his one-man show Don Juan, a new generation of Buxton acting talent can be seen as The REC Theatre takes up residency at the Marquee at Poole's Cavern with School Ties, while the Young REC perform Satanic Mills and The Rainbow Under The Sea. Meanwhile Buxton's acclaimed Imagine and Sketch Theatre Companies return with Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters and Threads, both performed in the increasingly popular venue of Buxton Community School's Drama Studio.
Theatre-goers can look forward to the return of some extraordinary talent. George Telfer revives his award-winning portrayal of Richard Burton, Black Box Theatre is back with The Inconsistent Whisper of Insanity and The provocative Off-Off-Off Broadway Company are back with The Sexes.
There's another chance to see last year's winner of Best Production, Love & Other Magic Tricks and also the acclaimed, darkly disturbing Bane (with its sequel, Bane 2).
Some 32 out of 46 theatre entries represent New Writing, always exciting for the Fringe, but classic drama is not neglected including Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, Enda Walsh's Chatroom, William Douglas Home's The Kingfisher and the comedy hit My Brilliant Divorce.
With so much theatre on offer, it is impossible to mention everything so do check out the full listings on http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk and in the widely available printed programme.
Check out the Fringe's Street theatre category too, represented once again by The Shakespeare Jukebox, entertaining the crowds outside Buxton Opera House. Meanwhile in the Pavilion Gardens there is physical Music Theatre from Landau Forte Youth Theatre. And don't forget Fringe Sunday, offering street theatre and a free taste of shows across the board at the Pavilion Gardens bandstand on July 11 from 2pm.
This year's Buxton Festival Fringe runs from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 25 July and details of all events are available online at http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk or in the widely available free printed programme.
The Fringe is hugely grateful to its many supporters including its main sponsor The University of Derby Buxton as well as The Osborne Group, High Peak Borough Council and The Old Hall Hotel.
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