Performers rush to appear at Buxton Fringe

Buxton Fringe has reported a huge surge in entries with performers eager to tread the boards after two years of Covid disruption.

By the end of the discounted ‘early bird’ entry period, an impressive 83 entries had signed up for the open-to-all arts festival which will take place from July 6th to 24th. Managed venues Underground, The Green Man Gallery and The Rotunda are all building up their programmes with The Green Man’s ground floor space already booked up. There are also a host of independent venues on offer, many of which are listed on www.buxtonfringe.org.uk

Performers entering by the end of March can still take advantage of a reduced entry fee of £70. The strict final deadline for the printed programme is April 17th.

Events can be seen building up on the Fringe website and on the free-to-download Buxton Fringe App. An already bumper music section includes multi award-winning Egriega with an ambitious sound and light show, harp-guitar player Jon Pickard, baroque and classical chamber musicians the Keld Ensemble, early music specialists Partita and a host of community choirs, jazz performers, singer-songwriters and orchestras.

In a large and diverse Theatre category, Any Other Day by Empress Presents focuses on code-breaker Alan Turing, Olivier Award winner Guy Masterson presents his one-man Under Milk Wood, Black Liver creates its gothic pub rock opera Support Your Local Library!, David Calvitto journeys through the fourth wall in The Event, Little Britain’s Joann Condon appears in the tragi-comic Little Boxes, award-winning writer Mark Reid offers An Enquiry into Inquiries and Grist to the Mill takes on The War of the Worlds.

Much needed laughs meanwhile come from comic talents Nathan Cassidy, gaming geek Will Preston, punster Richard Pulsford, Jewish humorist Naomi Paul and many more in a category that also includes sketches and comic ensembles.

The entertainment does not stop there with Fringe treats including poet Mark Gwynne Jones, Beat comic-poets The Glummer Twins, Regency dance on the streets, children’s events, art exhibitions, workshops, trails and more.

Fringe chair Stephen Walker says: “We are gratified by the number of entrants committing to the Fringe this early. It shows confidence that we are getting back to business as usual after two Covid-affected years, and it looks very much like we will be back to a bumper Fringe in July."

A sneak preview of Fringe talent will be offered at the Fringe’s open-to-all event Springboard, a spring-themed party at The Green Man Gallery on Saturday March 19th featuring music acts Four Tell and Chris Milner - Journeyman and poets The Glummer Twins as well as offering a long-overdue chance to socialise over food and drinks.

For more information about what’s on at the Fringe and how to take part, please visit www.buxtonfringe.org.uk, which also offers information on how to sign up as a volunteer, reviewer or Fringe Friend.

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