I know one or two people who will stop short (but only just) of physically attacking me if I use the word “objectivity” in a sentence. They don’t believe in objectivity. They say “objectivity is both impossible and arrogant”. Subjectivity is all there is. We have only our point of view, from where we stand. […]
Blogs and Columns
Launches. . . Launches. . . Launches. . .
These are a selection of my galleries featuring the Press Launches held during the first week. theSpaceUK Press Launch – hosted by John Rowe featuring a few of more than 440 shows at ‘theSpaceUK’ Assembly Press Launch The patient audience awaits the start of the performance which previewed many of the shows at the Assembly […]
After a busy Saturday afternoon with ‘Meet the Media’, pictures coming soon, I’ve managed to complete another set of pictures, this time from the Just The Tonic’ preview. Return to Richard’s Gallery
How to say something meaningful without being clichéd?! We had the first performances of our two Edinburgh shows on Friday, and all three actors (Heather-Rose Andrews in Metamorphosis, and Sharon Drain and Rebecca Jones in Sary) were, of course, awesome. Both shows are challenging for the performers. In Sary, the actors play younger and older versions of the […]
Described as a ‘savagely playful subversion of identity’ talk about the stereotypes of princesses that all little girls face and their different experience of growing up with those stereotypes. They discuss how the work developed as they explored whether you can kill the princess or whether she will always reappear in a slightly different guise. […]
It isn’t always easy becoming a Fringe institution. Claira and Billy reveal some of the work behind creating and growing such a rare and valuable plant (with a total of 15 short plays across a rotating programme of three menus I reckon I can mix a few metaphors). This year sees the company take a […]
The Greenside Press Launch was the first of these at the fringe this year. This was the introduction to 19 of their 173 shows accross their fringe venues this year. Click on the image to see the gallery Return to Richard’s Gallery
We’re here! The Different Theatre Fringe-mobile has arrived (somewhat bumpily) in Edinburgh. And we have one tech under our belts. Soundscape and lighting are a key element in setting the mood in our show Metamorphosis, and although there is nothing especially fancy or flashy, there are a lot of cues – so it was a […]
Jo Tomalin talks to actor and psychologist Karin Schmid about TABOO. “A fictitious talk show with a live audience, featuring a guest from the afterlife. Impossible? Maybe exactly as impossible as the image of the ideal woman, a topic that the play seeks to address. The highlight of the […]
I was warned……. Most ticket sales at Edinburgh are walk-ins. Don’t expect many pre-sales. There are more shows than ever this year, so fewer people are booking ahead But still I check…. And guess what, looking at your ticket sales every few hours DOESN’T CHANGE THE NUMBERS…..! No indeedy….. So STOPPIT! There are still […]
Just four days before our shows go up in Edinburgh, and there’s a frisson of… what?….. panic?…. excitement? Adrenalin certainly. Of course I left the packing to the last minute, squeezing in some work on other projects instead, but at last I am ready to roll….. Pride of place in the Fringe Wagon is […]
One of the things that has taken me by surprise in the run up to our Edinburgh fringe shows is the sheer amount of activity on Twitter. I dipped my toe in a couple of months ago and felt an enormous surge of tagging, listing, retweeting…. I’ve been paddling since. There is some […]
It is just less than two weeks before Different Theatre’s shows open at Edinburgh Fringe. Time to start worrying about all the things I should be doing to build an audience. But more of that next time…. Last night Heather-Rose Andrews (pictured) did the second of two previews of Metamorphosis, this time at Guildford Fringe. […]
Some Pre-Edinburgh “Down Time”?!
They say a change is as good as a rest. I had a bit of both last week with a trip to central Brittany. A break from shows and rehearsals for a while, recharging my batteries ready for a crazy August. It wasn’t exactly […]
Welcome to my new column for FringeReview… More to come.
Donald Stewart talks to Simon Weir about Benny Lynch
Donald talked to Simon Weir. Listen to Donald Stewart’s interview with Simon Weir It’s always an immense pleasure to catch up with one of the most enthusiastic theatre makers in Scotland and Simon never disappoints. Following his hit tour of The Benny Lynch Story I caught up with him for over an hour of hearing […]
Listen. People Aren’t Going to Buy Tickets to Your Show. They really aren’t. If you assume they will, you are heading for a fairly empty house. Your friends may well come to your show, though don’t even count on that, if their only commitment is an “Attending” or a “Maybe” on your Facebook event. Facebook […]
Hitting the ground running is all about making use of every moment of the first stages of an event in your life. It’s about arriving with the engines already running, with the soul already warmed up. It’s about avoiding stumbling,panic and fire-fighting. Hitting the ground running is an effective way to arrive at the Edinburgh […]
It is very easy to ensure your experience as a Fringe performer is dire and spirit-crushing. Just follow these top five tips and you’re sure to hit the bottom quickly and effectively… 1. Make it all about money. Become fixated on making a profit and ensure every empty seat is a sign of your personal […]
All you need to know about the much neglected art of putting flyers into flat surfaces and other angles of attack … (Warning: May contain humour) Vertical flyering is done standing up. The flyerer and the flyeree are both on their feet. It takes place mostly on the streets, and occasionally in queues and crowds. […]
Here are a few tips for successfully flyering at a Fringe Festival. There are, of ciurse, many more nuggets of fringe wisdom you will pivk up on your fringe journey. These are the half dozen that I have picked up again and again since my first fringe in 1999… 1. Make your flyers useful (include […]
Here are my top ten recommendations for shows in the dance genre at Edfringe 2019. There were many to choose from… BalletBoyz: Them/Us All male award-winning contemporary dance company in their Edinburgh Fringe debut combining innovative choreography and versatility of movement. Underbelly, Bristo Square. Ensemble Five performers in their 30s […]
Thanks to the eerie magic of the Wayback Machine, FringeReview’s maiden year of reviewing has not been lost to posterity. Our first web site was home made by yours truly who knew bugger all about web design. It was a one page web site with reviews in alphabetical order. I knew not what hyperlinks were! […]
FringeReview was founded in 2006. I was looking through a clunk old hard disk drive this evening and came across a few images of our hand-painted, much coveted FringeReview teapots – the trophy of the Outstanding Theatre Award… Below is out teapot scrap book covering Fringes from Edinburgh. Brighton and beyond. Not all of the […]
Hello and welcome to this new blog, in which I will share the ups and downs of an Edinburgh Fringe first timer, as Artistic Director of Different Theatre. Different Theatre are a Sussex-based company, creating intimate and female-centric theatre with a twist of the surreal. We are actually bringing two shows, both produced in […]
Each August in Edinburgh over the last 10 years I have had a wonderful time here in Edinburgh. Since 2009, when I came here in support of a ground-breaking show, ‘The Strong Breast Revolution’. Not quite knowing what I was going to find I dived in to the madness of the Royal Mile. I tried […]
With a month to go before the start of the Edinburgh Fringe, this is your vital checklist to ensure you stay on track and hit the ground running. FringeReview’s Paul Levy offers some helpful advice… Edinburgh Fringe July Performers’ Checklist (Click on the player and right click your mouse […]
British Theatre is dying. It’s taking its very last gasps of creative breath. Buried under the weight of political correctness, bed-wetting snowflakes and shit drama teachers. We know things are bad. Rape is bad. Prejudice is bad. Abuse is bad. Ed Sheeran is bad. But let’s not confuse reality with art. We’re at a crossroads […]
The postman walked away much lighter afterwards… The letterbox groaned, just a little as it swallowed it up… Before spewing it onto a mat which became less heavy after it was lifted up… It’s here and it is hefty. We are but two months way from the opening weekend and it has new venues, new […]
Thankfully, let there be no forgiveness…
Saturday 8th June 2019 The headline did it for me. “ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID LEDDY ENDS HIS THEATRE CAREER.” Surely, say it is not so, I thought…And yet, who can blame him? I, theatrically, grew up in an age of Wildcat, 7:84 Theatre Company, Borderline and the continuation of cash that was the annual Scottish Arts […]
So, Brighton Fringe 2019 comes to an end and I am not going to name drop or specifically hyperlink – partly because I can’t be arsed and mainly because this isn’t about this show or that show; it is about the Fringe beast as a whole. There has been some very reflective work – some […]
BREXIT – You cannot predict the future
As we’re about to stage our second performance here in Brighton I’m writing this final post from an undisclosed location of the city. The day seems to be blessed with a warm summer sun, people are out on the beach or sipping a drink in the many bars scattered along the seafront and I have […]
I Got Taken Somewhere and It Was Lovely…
There was much gnawing of teeth and gnashing of brows when the Arches closed their doors thanks to the overbearing and ridiculous decision to refuse a licence to the venue for fear of further drugs deaths when the venue had been at the forefront of trying to prevent them. It deprived the theatre world of […]
BREXIT – the 5 ingredients of Populism
We’re finally in Brighton. Today I’ve been walking about flyering a little bit while enjoying the city at the same time. Given that yesterday I woke up at 5 am and didn’t go to bed until 2 am of the following day I’m feeling a bit weak, to say the least. In any case, I’m […]
After a successful run of his second solo show, Canoe at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matthew Roberts talks about developing his latest show TEACH, working with director Helen Tennison and returning to the Edinburgh Fringe, August 2019. Canoe is about universal ideas of love and loss through the lens of a gay couple who […]
Paul Levy talks to Faynia Williams from Brighton Theatre about Mozzz! “A highly topical, 5* tour-de-force from Festival Best Production Award Winners, director/designer Faynia Williams and actor/playwright Richard Crane. “A one-day-old male mosquito looks forward to joining the mile-high club. He invites you to donate a sip of your blood […]
When I wrote my last post I was killing time in the north of France. Today I’m in the opposite side of the country i.e. in Cannes waiting to enter inside a conference room at the Cannes Film Festival. One wonders what the effects of Brexit will be on cinema, apart from theatre. Who knows, maybe […]
It’s that time in the frozen north, whilst FringeReview is down in Brighton, we get something like the following from those hoping to be a hit in August: – Dear Fringe Reviewer person, The company who have employed me because they have enough money to spend on me sending emails in the hope that you […]
I guess hello is always good to lead with. So. Hello. I’ll start with my name… I’m Caitlin. You can call me your Tour Guide or Blog Facilitator (imagine me in a safari jacket and one of those cream hard-hats tour guides always wear). It’s my job to keep you up-to-date on our latest […]
What are we going to do about the Arts in Brighton and Hove? That was the question posed by FringeReview’s Paul Levy and Brighton Spiegeltent’s Adrian Bristow. (You can read Paul’s thoughts going into the event here). […]
So….I’m back at the keyboard after a few intense days. Today I’m in France warming up for yet another show which I took to Brighton Fringe in 2016. Indeed these past 3 weeks I’ve been in France quite a lot touching different cities and regions: Tours, Besançon and the small town of Longwy, where I […]
As people descend at 6pm on the Brighton Spiegltent as we approach the midpoint of Brighton Fringe 2019 for a gathering exploring the question “what is to be done about the Arts in Brighton and Hove?” I wonder why we keep asking this question year after year after year. It could be that there is […]
Paul Levy talks to Sam Chittenden from Different Theatre about Sary and Clean. “Different Theatre create intimate work with a strong theatricality. Past shows include ‘Metamorphosis’, ‘Sary’, and ‘So You Say’”. In this interview, Sam talks about where her ideas and creative impulses come from and how she makes her theatre. Sary […]
Paul Levy talks to Joanna Rosenfeld and Sam Chittenden from Pretty Villain Productions about Ross & Rachel by James Fritz. They discuss the play and the collaborative process that has brought it to the Fringe. “What happens when two friends who were always meant to be together, get and stay […]
Paul Levy talks to Karin Schmid from Theaterkollektiv Iriden about TABOO. “A fictitious talk show with a live audience, featuring a guest from the afterlife. Impossible? Maybe exactly as impossible as the image of the ideal woman, a topic that the play seeks to address. The highlight of the evening: […]
Paul Levy talks to Adam Potrykus about The Nordic Season at Brighton Fringe 2019 at The Old Market “Fancy some Daddy Issues from Sweden? Intergalactic adventures from Norway? Your most secret desires from Finland? Virtual reality theatre from Iceland? A performance lecture from Denmark? Or maybe some Scandinavian burlesque, dance, folk song, site specific […]
Award season is rife for most of the arts and we have BAFTA things going on the TV. It’s exciting for people and not to be outdone, Scottish theatre have their own awards night and ceremony for the “best” in Scottish theatre coming up soon. I have best in italics for a simple reason. The […]
Paul Levy (joined by Luke Flegg) talks to Adam Duncan about The Seven Ages and The Dance of Life and Death, a unique community performance from Adrian Duncan at Brighton Fringe 2019. “For Jacques, the journey from cradle to grave is fraught with the negative voices of our culture; […]
Paul Levy talks to Naomi Paul about Despite Everything, Price (Still) Includes Biscuits. Naomi brings her acclaimed show to the Brighton Fringe after success in Edinburgh and around the UK. “Naomi Paul returns to Brighton Fringe with her satirical 4-star solo show. Enjoy original songs, topical stories and Jewish humour. […]
Subsidy Junkies or Toadies… Or Sirs of the Realm…
At what point is it all right to bite that hands that feeds you? I remember many years ago I spent a weekend in Fintry in a log cabin. It was a weekend of working as a volunteer Tory – I know… The local MP was Mike Forsyth, arch Tory and Thatcherite and he was […]
Levy talks to Danny Rodgers about Bin & Gone which is back at the Fringe after success last year in Brighton and then around the country. “The son of a Saturday night favourite. A father who performed with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope and the son who ended up with nothing, penniless, […]
Paul Levy talks to roleplay game fan and show maker David McIver about Teleport. “Come! Escape into the Kingdoms of Ashgorn, where you can level up, complete quests, defeat monsters and watch a very cheeky young man doing some really stupid character comedy. That’s right my friends, it’s another big […]
Paul Levy talks to comedian Rajiv Karia about Jack Harris and Rajiv Karia – The Squeeze. “Squeeze in with two talented up-and-coming comedians. A teacher by trade, Jack (Amused Moose finalist 2018), “Funny bones” (Chortle) tells you how to deal with everything a classroom can throw at you. Difficult questions. […]
Paul Levy talks to Luke Olfield from locally based Unmasked Theatre. Unmasked Theatre bring two shows to this year’s Brighton Fringe. Further Education is their own creation, a winner from the highly successful Brighton Scratch Night at Rialto Thatre. “1985: Frank the miner likes doing his job and reading the Sun. Unfortunately, Maggie is after […]
One Beautiful, Enormous, Historical Flat Pack? Paul Levy talks to Izzy Tyndall Bristow and Sam Rush about Brighton Spiegeltent at Brighton Fringe 2019. This perennial Brighton Fringe hub goes up quicker than you might think. This year it is as packed as ever with Fringe varety. Paul Levy caught up […]
BREXIT at Brighton Fringe – Darth Vader for PM
So here I am on a Wednesday afternoon turning into evening in less than an hour staring blankly at my computer screen. What on earth shall I write about? I ask myself. I mean, let’s face it, in theory I should write about our new show coming to Brighton Fringe at the end of the […]
I enjoyed a relaxing preview this morning of the Fringe event the Beach Box Sauna team are putting on this festival. Steve, a new disciple to the art of the Aufguss sauna ritual was there to give me a taster. I was already a fan of the Beach Box sauna, down on the East side […]
Step lightly, step carefully and watch what you pack
Most of the large Fringe venues are close to each other, within 10-15 minutes walking distance. The Brighton Spiegeltent, The Warren, Sweet Venues, Junkyard Dogs, Komedia and The Rialto can all be easily strolled to. Do take care you don’t get run over, by a car or a bike. Also sort your tickets in advance […]
In a fringe show that explores getting older: Paul Levy talks to acclaimed writer, musician and performer Nigel Osner about Too Young to Stay In, Too Old to Go Out! How did the show come into being? How does Nigel create his songs and many unique characters? “Nigel Osner brings back […]
Paul Levy talks to co-author and director Amy Whitington from Gauntlet Theatre about devised theatre piece My Life Closed Twice which she co-wrote with writer and performer Joseph Hand. “After being diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 20, Joe’s life becomes a cacophony of visions, voices and questionable media stereotypes. From the […]
Paul Levy talks to actor Tom Silverton from National Production Company and Follow The Thread Theatre about Black Peter. “Where do monsters come from? Do they exist only in stories, or do they live amongst us, watching, waiting? ‘Black Peter’ is a retelling of the Bavarian tale of the Krampus. […]
Paul Levy talks to award-winning writer Doug Deans from Put the Book Down about his new play Insolence at the Fringe Insolence, which plays at The Warren. Doug talks about how he writes, his reaction on entering the rehearsal room, and the vital role of the director and […]
Paul Levy talks to Tom Brace about Tom Brace: Brace Yourself (It’s Magic Time), a family magic show at The Warren at Brighton Fringe 2019. Tom shares talks about how he creates his family-friendly magic shows, the kinds of tricks he likes to do, and how it al […]
Paul Levy talks to Guy Lloyd about his new solo comedy show, Guy Lloyd: Radio Blah Blah which premieres at Brighton Fringe 2019. Combining stand-up, storytelling, film, character acting and plenty of truthful reflection, Guy Lloyd talks about how he made this very personal fringe show. I saw a preview of this at the Marwood […]
This one one of my favourite Brighton cafes. Can you guess where it is.Here in the week or so before Brighton Fringe, I am at a preview show. Preview week, or Week Zero as it is known at the humungous Edinburgh Fringe is normal fare. In Brighton preview shows are a lot rarer. What are […]
Paul Levy talks to actors Ben Pritchard and Culann Smyth about A Steady Rain by Keith Huff whuch plays at the Lantern Theatre in Brighton during Brighton Fringe. “This gritty, witty piece explores complex relationships formed on the tough streets of Chicago. With biting dialogue and a rainbow of emotions, we […]
If there is a theatrical and creative equivalent of marmite, Mrs Brown’s Boys is it. I went to see it onstage at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow, many years ago and unashamedly laughed out loud and constantly. I was an Assessor for the Scottish Arts Council at the time and felt I was perhaps slumming […]
Friday 19th April 2019 My partner, Lorna, has the soul of a saint. I am quite sure that every time she hears the starting phrase, “Do you fancy going to…” that her heart sinks a little. In the last few years we have seen some cracking theatre. We have also seen some things that have […]
Here is Tom’s first guest blog post for FringeReview Tom, founder of Tom Corradini Teatro, brings Brexit to Brighton Fringe. One country, one family. United in blood, divided in spirit. June 2016. A few days before the Brexit referendum. A father and son debate their stance on the vote. […]
There may be a dearth of political shows at fringe festivals (including Brighton Fringe) but there is no shortage of create work across all genres examining, exploring, describing and portraying what it i to be human, to be alive, the struggle of life, of staying well, sane and purposeful. Many fringe shows ask deep, quirky […]
Last week an actress got sacked – not once but twice. Her crime? On the surface, her beliefs. Seyi Omooba was the actor, who was due to perform at the Birmingham Hippodrome as Celie in Color Purple. Those that know the book and the play know that Celie is an iconic character who escapes the […]
If you are looking for classic writers and plays at Brighton Fringe, there are plenty to choose from this year. From modern to ancient, I am impressed with some of the offerings. Some are new on the Fringe, others are making a return, and more than a few are stopping off from other Fringes, particularly […]
Paul Levy guides you through the Brighton Fringe jungle. The Brighton Fringe Programme is huge. Hopefully publications such as Fringe Review help you to navigate your way through it. Even then it can feel overwhelming what to see, especially if you are on a limited budget […]
The international “seasons” which have become a staple of the larger Fringe festivals certainly involve a bit of international travel for some of the heads of those festivals. Is it all self-indulgent, or something more? the exchanges have certainly seen some fine and diverse fringe work arrive on our shores that would have probably not […]
Paul Levy offers some highlights and recommendations for shows that explore and celebrate icons and legends. Fringe Theatre has always been curious, celebratory and a fair bit opportunistic. Legends from entertainment, the arts and history are explored across the genres, to some success and occasional disaster. Here are a few of our highlights. In […]
Paul Levy offers some early recommendations for returning shows and companies at Brighton Fringe 2019. A vast number of shows and companies return to the Fringe, some year after year. Some bring their show back again and again, whilst others bring new work. Here are FringeReview we tend […]
Thanks for accessing my blog! Here I recount tales, tell stories and reflect upon all things fringe theatre that comes my way. I hope to be able to promote things theatrical and can be contacted through my email on CommuneArts@GMail.com if people wish to take offence, make comment or offer advice! All will be welcomed… In the […]
Sometimes big news is conspicuous by its absence. Year after year, Brighton Fringe has trumpeted its growth. Like most Fringe Festivals, growth seems to be the golden dream – perpetual, frenzies and vital. It certainly isn’t vital to anyone other than the Fringe leadership, and many of the pathologically growing venues who gobble up the […]
I will be blogging at this vital open space conference which takes place 25-27 January 2019 at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton, UK.
Photo credit: Tom Giebel “Loo Zihan (Singapore) is an artist working at the intersection of critical theory, performance, and the moving-image. His work emphasises the malleability of memory through various representational strategies. He was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council of Singapore in 2015. This intimate interactive experience begins in the form of […]
photo credit: Camilla Greenwell Performance poet Jemima Foxtrot talks with Jo Tomalin about developing and performing one person shows and Above The Mealy-Mouthed Sea with Unholy Mess (UK). “Unholy Mess is an award-winning London-based theatre company touring internationally. Using performance poetry and live singing, they create bold new work about important stories of human experience that are […]
Photo credit: Julian Hughes The Cast – Jamie de Courcey and Hayley Doherty – and Michael Pinchback, Writer & Director – of A Fortunate Man talk to Jo Tomalin about devising a show based on the Book : A Fortunate Man. Listen to our Interview:
Photo credit: Andre Chong and Lee Lip Jiang Kris Natarajan, Nisa Syarafana, Astley Xie, and Charmaine Goh of Patch and Punnet talk with Jo Tomalin about creating and devising The Adventures of Abhijeet. “In his desperation to save his dying daughter, Abhijeet is lured to the magical paradise of Singaland! Jeet toils under the scorching […]
Photo by Tuckys Photography, Courtesy of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay Koh Wan Ching (Singapore) Director of precise purpose of being broken talks with Jo Tomalin about her background, developing her show and the importance of Movement in Theatre. “precise purpose of being broken is adapted from a collage of texts by playwright and […]
Photo credit: Mark Benedict Cheong Members of Bhumi Collective (Singapore), Soultari Amin Fared (Creative Director) and KayKay Nizam who both perform in yesterday it rained salt, talk to Jo Tomalin about devising the show with playwright Nabila Said and choreographer Norhaizad Adam. “Goodbyes are rarely good. And memories can be tricky things. Azman returns to his island […]
Photo Credit: Irfan Kasban Sharon Frese, Irfan Kasban & Ng Yi-Sheng talk with Jo Tomalin about Ayer Hitam: A Black History of Singapore (Singapore |UK) A Fringe Commission and World Premiere. “In this lecture performance, actress Sharon Frese explores the history and influence of the African diaspora in Singapore. Dredging the archives, she shares images and documents relating to slavery, colonialism, jazz […]
Photo credit: Marwan Tahtah Hanane Hajj Ali, Artist, Activist, Writer and Performer of Jogging: Theatre in Progress talks with Jo Tomalin about her background, the development of her one woman show, touring internationally and in her home country of Lebanon. “JOGGING transgresses the Lebanese Bermuda triangle of taboos: religion, politics, and sex, and presents a radical challenge […]
Photo Credits: left + centre – Courtesy of the artist; (right) Mark Benedict Cheong Nabilah Said (Singapore) talks with Jo Tomalin about her plays ANGKAT: A Definitive, Alternative, Reclaimed Narrative of a Native and yesterday it rained salt. “Said is a playwright, arts writer and poet. Her plays have been presented in Singapore and London by […]
Artist – Sean Cham (Photo Credits Sean Cham) Sean Cham talks to Jo Tomalin about This is Where – how and why he developed this series of photographs – after we walked around a Singapore neighborhood to view two of the thirteen different images in his exhibition. “Sean Cham (Singapore) is an intermedia visual and performing […]
