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The Calgary Fringe Festival’s producer, Michele Gallant, likens the festival to a potluck supper for theatre enthusiasts.
“There’s something for everyone and everyone’s tastes. We have a late-night component and a digital one as well, and our lineup includes everything from very personal solo shows to puppetry and improv. Some of the artists [are] pay-what-you-can and relaxed performances. Like us, they want to accommodate as many people’s requirements as possible,” says Gallant.
Now in its 18th year, the festival features 20 in-person shows running from Aug. 2 to 10. Fifteen of those shows will be videotaped during the first weekend of the festival, and then made available for home viewing from Aug. 7 through 10 on a private YouTube channel.
This year’s venues include Festival Hall, the Fellowship Hall in the basement of the Lantern Church, a theatre at Wood’s Homes, the Rose Room in the Alexandra Centre, and the basement of the Next Page bookstore.
The festival boasts an impressive Calgary component with new works from Robyn Williams, Alexa McGinn, Chris Visser, Kunji Ikeda, Samuel Kugbiyi, Janice Thompson Spence, Stuart Bentley, Nathan Crockett and Macie Lockhart.
Bentley, Crockett and Williams honed their new shows under the guidance of Gallant at the Fringe U Artists Intensive Workshops, and they tackle topics ranging from mental illness to strained family relationships, but always with a touch of humour and theatrics, while Calgary interdisciplinary artist Kunji Ikeda says his show, Full Circle Joy, will feature dancing chickens, mischievous ogres, movement, music, and even food, all in the praise of joyfulness.
Gallant is excited to announce the return of some international artists including Yanomi Shoshinz from Japan, whose puppet shows have delighted audiences at all the major fringe festivals in North America. She will be presenting her new show, Happy Go Lucky, which is one of the few shows suitable for all ages, and, in particular, families.
Another fringe favourite is storyteller Paul Strickland from Kentucky who played to overflow crowds at Calgary’s fringe festivals dating back to 2017. He returns this year with his trusty guitar for Actually Unfactual: Funny Fictions from Paul Strickland.Australian solo artist Jon Bennett, a mainstay at festivals in North America, Europe and the United Kingdom, is bringing his show Fire in the Meth Lab, a look at his older brother’s life of crime, drugs and alcohol.
“We’re so pleased and proud to be hosting internationally acclaimed artists like Paul and Jon, and to be bringing back favourites like Judah Leblang, who always has so much to say about his angst with aging. His shows are always a big draw,” says Gallant.
This year, Gallant has added a component called Fringe After Dark which runs in Festival Hall nightly at 9:45.
“We wanted a place for the most avid fringe goers to collect after the main shows, so they could discuss what they’d seen, and learn about shows on their list. This program will include everything from game shows, talent nights, poetry slams, and trivia nights to a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which we know will have people doing The Time Warp. Hopefully, some will even come dressed as their favourite character.”
For more information on all the shows and to book tickets, go to tickets.calgaryfringe.ca.