Closing Deadline Approaching

PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release April 7th 2008

"April is the cruellest month" and artists and performers wanting to enter this year's Buxton Festival Fringe should be aware that April 26th is the last deadline for entries for 2008.

In previous years the final deadline has been May 1st but it has been brought forward a little this year to cope with the increasing number of entries and the administrative work that this entails for the Fringe's tireless committee of volunteers.

A staggered system of deadlines has already resulted in entries coming in earlier than ever before. At the last count there were over 90 entries adding up to nearly 300 performances.

The 2008 Fringe runs from July 9-27, two days longer than last year in order to coincide with the newly extended Buxton Festival. A massive celebration of the arts, the Fringe is open to all so there is a huge variety from drama to music (usually the two biggest sections) but also including visual arts, dance, family events, street theatre, poetry, guided walks and more.

Full programmes are offered at the key managed venues for 2008, Nice Venues at the Old Clubhouse and Underground Venues at the Old Hall Hotel but many other venues are also used around the town as well as outreach sites such as St James the Less in New Mills.

Comic treats in store include Channel 4 new comedy writing award-winner Helen Keen, Fringe award-winning comedy science from Lab Monkey Productions, stand up from Jonathan Ross's warm up man, Patrick Monahan and sexy poetic parodies from Radio 4 competition winner Sue Gregory.

As ever there is top class drama, this year with new writing to the fore. Take your pick from George Telfer's Do You Still Throw Spears at Each Other about Prince Philip, Three's Company's Auditorium featuring knockabout farce and French philosophers, 1623's Hamlet performed in Poole's Cavern and much more.

Music is also an exciting section of the programme with performances from City of Manchester Opera, Amaretti Chamber Orchestra, Cantores Novae choir and others as well as blues, folk and rock.

There is an international flavour to this year's Fringe with Benny Chi Yum Hui performing Chinese music written after the Cultural Revolution; Emma Souza Lima performing piano music by her father-in-law, the Brazilian composer, João de Souza Lima; music from award-winning Greek classical guitarist Dimitris Dekavallas and American Bern Budd returning with more of his award-winning Mark Twain Talks.

This is only to scratch the surface of what is going on in Buxton in July. On the visual arts side there is everything from old favourites the Burbage Art Group (with free cakes!) and the award-winning painter Alan Bailey to new ventures such as photography at Brierlow Bar Bookstore and Peak District Products' Great Dome Art Fair. Above all there is always something unexpected at the Fringe. Who would have thought you could attend a patchwork quilt workshop? And what tips will you learn from Matthew Collins at his show: 'How To Make Tax Deductible Cash From Your Kids AND Shop For Free At Waitrose'?

On the first Sunday of the Fringe (July 13) there is a chance to see some of the acts performing at the family friendly Fringe Sunday, a free showcase at the Pavilion Gardens.

Full details of events will be published in early June in the free Fringe programme but you can see how it is shaping up before then by checking out the Fringe's website http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk. The website also includes full details of how to enter.

The Fringe is a charity run by volunteers and is always grateful for help. See the website for news on how to become a Friend of the Fringe, review a show or offer cheap accommodation for Fringe performers.

If you can't wait for the fun to start, why not check out the Buxton Opera House's Fringe Season running until June? This is an excellent chance to catch up on some of last year's Fringe shows.

PRESS: BUXTON FESTIVAL FRINGE PRESS OFFICER: STEPHANIE BILLEN 01298 79351 or Send message to Press