Buxton Fringe promises best comedy section yet

This year’s bumper Buxton Fringe looks set to be more fun than ever with an extra-packed comedy section plus plenty of family-friendly entertainment including brand new free event, Fringe at Five, in the Pavilion Gardens.
Belly dancers at Buxton Festival Fringe last year. Photo contributed.Belly dancers at Buxton Festival Fringe last year. Photo contributed.
Belly dancers at Buxton Festival Fringe last year. Photo contributed.

More than 150 acts have signed up for this year’s fringe, which runs from July 9 to 27 and is sponsored by the University of Derby.

One of Britain’s biggest fringe events, it holds a key position between the Brighton Fringe in May and the Edinburgh Fringe in August.

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This year’s Buxton Fringe boasts a large comedy line up including TV and radio’s Terry Christian, with his Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic; Morgan Berry, also known as Joe Rowntree from Dave’s One Night Stand; Invisible Woman Maxine Jones and Alfie Moore, of Radio 4; ‘sweary Joyce Grenfell’ Claire Cogan; Fringe favourites Three’s Company with two family-friendly comedies; and John Cooper, as cult hit Danny Pensive.

Fun for families includes five-times Fringe award-winning poet Mark Gwynne Jones, Theo the Mouse from Sooty writer Wink Taylor and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from Box Tale Soup.

With an extensive music and theatre line up too, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy.

“We are delighted with the variety of events on offer,” said Fringe chairman, Keith Savage. “It’s also great to see artists and performers returning year after year, a sign that they enjoy Buxton and that they have built a loyal following.

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“It is exciting to welcome new and young performers who see Buxton as a good place to present their work, often for the first time.”

Among the diverse music treats are Fringe regulars Partita with renaissance and baroque music, the Amaretti Chamber Orchestra, Aprille and the Shower with American bluegrass, Tideswell Male Voice Choir, the City of Manchester Opera, Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz, the Sovereign Saxophone Octet and all the way from South Africa, a cappella group Simply Soweto Encha, who proved a hit last year on the Pump Room roof!

While acclaimed theatre groups such as Butterfly with Dracula’s Women Underground will be returning to enticing perform in Poole’s Cavern, and Freerange Theatre will reprise Spoonface Steinberg as well as bringing a new show, Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship.

Fringe fans will be able to see a taster of what’s on offer at Fringe Sunday in the Pavilion Gardens on the afternoon of July 13. New venture, Fringe at Five, also based in the gardens, will take place from July 14 to 26, every afternoon from 5pm, when performers will entertain for half an hour.

Full details of all the events on offer can be found on buxtonfringe.org.uk

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