PRESS RELEASE for immediate release April 13th 2022
Buxton Fringe is anticipating well over 150 entries at its July festival with performers eager to tread the boards and play in front of packed audiences again after two years of Covid disruption.
A full printed programme will be published by the beginning of June and events can be seen building up before then on the Fringe website and free-to-download Fringe App.
An open-access arts festival, the Fringe runs from July 6-24 in parallel with Buxton International Festival and is both an integral part of the town’s cultural reputation and one of the biggest UK Fringes between Edinburgh and Brighton.
Buxton is currently riding high following the redevelopment of the Grade 1 listed Crescent as the 5 star Ensana Buxton Crescent Hotel. A beautiful spa town, Buxton is surrounded by the hills of the Peak District in the heart of England in easy reach of Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Sheffield.
Three managed venues in Buxton, Underground at The Old Clubhouse, The Green Man Gallery and The Rotunda have packed programmes in July but there are also other popular venues including the United Reformed Church and unusual locations such as Pooles Cavern, the historic Pump Room and, out of town, Eyam Parish Church. There are venues indoors and outdoors and at least one online-only event.
So far the Fringe’s Comedy, Theatre, Music, Theatre and Spoken Word categories are particularly bulging but there are also plenty of children’s activities, street theatre and more to enjoy including the return of the Buxton Art Trail under Visual Arts.
High-profile comedy performers include Alasdair Beckett-King, Upstart Crow’s Rob Rouse and BBC New Comedy Award London finalist and junior doctor, Michael Akadiri. This year’s Fringe also sees the return of award-winners Impromptu Shakespeare, drag star Kate Butch, stand up Nathan Cassidy and punster Richard Pulsford as well as comedy ensembles and musical mayhem.
Theatre is back with a bang with innovative drama Beast in the Jungle from award-winners Despite the Monkey; a journey inside an actor’s mind via The Event from Edinburgh award winner David Calvitto; How to Fall in Love from all-female Oak Tree Theatre Collective; Kafkaesque from multi-award-winning writer Rob Johnston; Little Boxes featuring Little Britain’s Joann Condon; a powerful solo show, Make Up, from NoLogoProductions; Fringe favourite Chris Neville-Smith with The Rats in the Walls; a brand new show from the acclaimed Hint of Lime Productions, Uncommon Ground; Olivier Award winner Guy Masteron’s acclaimed solo show Under Milk Wood - Semi Skimmed; 1930s’ drama Sylvia Vs the Fascists from Breathe Out Theatre and much, much more.
Music has never been more diverse with a huge programme including genre-bending Adventures in Sound and Light from Egriega, a tenth anniversary show from Abion Choir, High Peak Big Band, a multi-instrumental showcase from Rik Roberts, harp-guitar from Jon Pickard, Manchester Recorder Orchestra, The Roth Guitar Duo, early music specialists Partita, Ravel music from the Bright Quartet, calming piano from composer Adrian Lord and Shapely Jazz from Trio Siabod
Full listings are available on www.buxtonfringe.org.uk and on the free to download Buxton Fringe App. During the Fringe, the Fringe Information Desk, in its new home in the Pavilion Gardens Conservatory near the restaurant, will be open every day.
The Fringe also hopes to be able to offer its traditional free showcase of events, Fringe Sunday, outside at the Pavilion Gardens on July 10 as well as Fringe@5 performance opportunities on or near the Bandstand. The town’s carnival is back so the Fringe will be parading with its orange float and there are plans for floral orange hot spots to further brighten the town during July.
The Fringe is a charity run by volunteers. Please see the website for opportunities on how to get involved or become a Fringe Friend.
Fringe chair Stephen Walker says: “Buxton Fringe is the Friendly Fringe as supportive audiences welcome a huge variety of performers and artists to this jewel of the Peak District. Come and enjoy the town at its finest this July as Festival crowds mill around and soak up the best in comedy, music, theatre, art and more.”
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