Family Fun (and Guilty Pleasures) at Buxton Fringe

PRESS RELEASE 10th June 2013

For immediate release

There is plenty for young festival-goers and adults in the Fringe's lively For Families category. As one (adult) attendee of last year's for families events said: 'My guilty pleasure during Fringe time is a really good family show - the kids just come as cover.'

SOOP Theatre will entertain this year with A Viking Tale - The Story of Sigurd the Dragonslayer, an epic adventure in which the greatest Viking of them all slays dragons, captures gold and conquers a forest of flame before dealing with a cruel witch's spell threatening his true love.

Last year Tom Crawshaw's Chronicles of Arnica wowed audiences of adults and children with a very funny comedy adventure and this year he returns with Pam-O-Rama, a new piece of writing peformed by multi-award-winning REC Youth Theatre in the Arts Centre Studio. Pan-O-Rama is a Peter Pan/Harry Potter/Lord Of The Flies mash-up comedy for all the family.

Absolute Improv Stories encourages the children on stage to shout out zany ideas. It is interactive improvised story-telling based entirely on suggestions from the kids. Responding to audience pleas of 'More!', primary school students children and staff perform Lionel Bart's Oliver! at Harpur Hill Primary School following sell-out performances earlier in the Spring.

The stone & water crew return to the festival again, this year to help Buxton Pirates make their own miniature pirate and tiny ship in the Pavilion Gardens on July 6. Last year they helped young festival-goers create a host of goblins, trolls and faeries puppets.

Says Fringe chair Stephanie Billen: 'Look out too for the smiley face symbols in the programme indicating events that the performers feel would be suitable for families. We also love to see young people at Fringe Sunday in the Pavilion Gardens on July 7 and waving on our float during the carnival.'

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, The Old Hall Hotel and The Cavendish Shopping Arcade.

For further information or interviews about the Fringe Send message to Press or tel: 07974 385767.