Visit the Bedford Fringe web site here
Browse the programme or view the brochure.
Bedford Fringe runs from 18th – 28th July 2024.
Bedford Fringe has always done things its own way. Bedford Fringe Festival, also known as BedFringe, is an annual arts event held in Bedford, UK. The festival primarily takes place at the Quarry Theatre, offering a diverse range of performances including theatre, comedy, dance, and spoken word. The festival caters to all ages and has gained a reputation for showcasing both established and emerging talents. BedFringe has become a beloved local event that packs enough of a punch to attract comedy headliners as well as internaitonal touring companies.
Visit the Bedford Fringe web site here
Browse the programme or view the brochure.
Here are some of our recommendations…
Our threatre choices begin with two plays from across the pond. Central Standard Theatre brings two shows from Kansas for the Fringe which give an international flavour to the festival in partnership with Master Play Works of Montreal and Blind Faith Productions of Philadelphia. One And The Other is a play by Kent Stetson. “Stetson was trained in television drama direction by the British Broadcasting Corporation, worked extensively with The National Film Board of Canada, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and independent film and video companies as an award-winning screenwriter and director. In 2007, Stetson, then in his early fifties, was honoured with his nation’s highest civilian distinction: He was inducted into the Order of Canada and became E. Kent Stetson, C.M”. In One and The Other, “two young men grapple with nihilistic twenty-first century hatred, hatred to which one succumbs, hatred over which one triumphs. From its shadowed depths, the play rises toward the constant light which buoys the human heart.”
From the same stable, comes Just Like Hollywood – I See You Watching. Melanie Stewart and Obie award-winning playwright John Clancy extend their longstanding collaboration with a powerful new work at the intersection of contemporary dance and theatre in America. Featuring performer Kylie Westerbeck, this piece delves into the harrowing realities of control, degradation, and the entrapment of a young woman’s body in the landscape of post-Roe vs Wade America.
Set on a stark, minimalist stage, Westerbeck engages with props dictated by an authoritarian master of ceremonies, symbolizing her struggle for survival and autonomy. She must navigate a labyrinth of societal expectations: Is she merely a beauty queen, a brood mare, a compliant lover, or a stigmatized whore? As she wrestles with these imposed identities, she seeks the elusive key to her liberation from the legislative and societal cage confining her. Is there a hidden path to freedom, or is she destined to perish in this oppressive framework?
Lovers of offbeat and innovative clown comedy will need to see Fringe favourite and regular Luke Rollason in Luke Rollason, Luke Rollason, Let Down Your Hair. Here is the lowdown: “Trumpets: parp parp parp paaarp, Fringe favourite and Disney Prince heartthrob of Extraordinary (Disney+) descends from his ivory (Fairtrade) tower to glisten your eyes with this monument to creativity and fantasy. Take a swan-dive into this physical comedy fantasia of kings and clowns, and one absolutely hideous duck. When You Wish Upon A Star, this is the show you get, I’m afraid.” Rollason is also an Edfringe regular and has a cult following.
Our cazbaret choice is the very talented, charismatic and personable Nigel Osner in Too Young to Stay in, Too Old to Go Out! which we saw at Brighton Fringe a couple of ‘lyear back. Directed by Janine Wood,”
Nigel Osner offers a humorous yet poignant exploration of the formidable challenges and surprising opportunities faced by those no longer in their youth. He delves into the realms of dating, love, work, holidays, and even the gym, blending humour with a touch of bittersweetness. Through original songs and stories, Osner brings to life an array of characters, both male and female. Meet Gerald, enduring a night out in central London; a wealthy designer who falls for his handsome gardener; a man who only discovers love for a wheelchair-bound woman when he himself needs a wheelchair; Rosie, driven to the brink by her river cruise companion; and a fading star trapped in an endless tour.
Our solo comedy choice is Juliette Burton: Going Rogue. We highly rated Juliette a few years back at Edfringe. Here’s the lowdown: “Geek is the new sexy. As a young nerd Juliette loved to dress up. She also loved Rogue from the X-Men – funny, dark past, great costume. Skip ahead to the 2020s and Juliette is ‘award-winning comedian and mental health activist Juliette Burton’ masked in glitter, costumed in sequins. But no armour can prepare you for life’s challenges. Juliette lost her power. Then she played dress up once more. Join her on a journey from cosplay to confidence, navigating by nerding out. We might just liberate more than sexuality. Dressing up can reveal what is hidden. Where does your power lie?” Her comedy is intelligent, wise, witty, occasionally heartbeaking but always very funny.
Another hit from Brighton Fringe (and elsewhere) comes from a very unique and innovative company. Something Underground brings The Spirit of Woodstock which is described as “a thought-provoking, poignant, dynamic, and semi-immersive theatre collage of the worlds and era that surrounded the “Mother of Free Festivals.”
This theatre piece was “Inspired by the ethos of the hippie, counterculture, and free-festival movements, Something Underground brings you its tribute to Woodstock ’69. Over two wild and immersive hours. The politics, the conflicts, the protests, the moon landings, the civil-rights movement, the adverts, the drugs, the music, the musicians and the personalities, imbued with the soundscape of this incredible era.” In runs for a fair length at 110 minutes and gives yout eh chance to experience some outdoor theatre, so bring picnic.
For some classic horror theatre, see The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde from Stratford productions, which we are prmised is a “faithful adaptation Stevenson’s gripping narrative is brought vividly to life through a combination of powerful story-telling and masterful character creation.”
For a dose of both comedy and music, you can trust anything from the accomplished legend Dominic Frisby. Dominic Frisby: An Evening of Curious Songs. His brand new show is a “collection of anecdotes, jokes and music accompanied by one of Europe’s top jazz pianists, Chad Lelong, on keyboard”. His ” Brexit song, “17 Million F**k Offs” reached no 40 in the UK Official Singles Chart and no 17 in the iTunes chart and he has in excess of 3 million views of this and other of his songs on YouTube and social media.A prominent libertarian, his take on modern Britain and the issues it faces is both refreshing and funny. .As he says himself, “If you believe in things like free speech and free trade, you’ll like this. If you think the government, BBC or EU has all the answers, you won’t.”
For younger children and all the famuily and back foir their seventh year, Tricky Teddy’s Galactic Magic Show is our family choice at Bedford Fringe. Prepare to be amazed by an afternoon packed with mind-boggling magic, ventriloquism, illusion, music, singing, and great fun, all enhanced by lively audience interaction. With such a diverse array of entertainment, there’s truly something for everyone in the family to enjoy. This year, award-winning Krisgar and his charming sidekick Tricky Teddy return to the Quarry Theatre in Bedford for their 7th consecutive year, promising a magical experience you won’t want to miss. Also take a look at Maisie and The Misfortune Teller for our local choice. “Created and performed by local performing artist Kaye Mahoney (aka Kaye Leidoskope) this charming storytelling show combines handmade puppets and props with an original text, all told out of a vintage suitcase theatre.”
Our comedy legend choice has to be manifold. First there is Mitch Benn: The World’s Cleverest Idiot. “The songmeister’s back, to tell us how artificial intelligence is no match for good ol’ organic stupidity, and (from experience) how ACTUAL intelligence can’t save you from being unbelievably cretinous” And Patrick Monahan: Talkinator will give you your AI fix for the Fringe. Physical comedy is also provided and rather uniquely in the form of Jody Kamali’s Ironing Board Man in which our host “defies the laws of gravity, common sense, and household chores as he ingeniously uses not one, not two, but eight ironing boards to create a spectacle that’s larger than life. Watch in awe as Jody transforms these everyday household items into the tools of an epic love story.” For some reletable highly acclaimed standup comedy, another one to book for is Michelle Shaughnessy: Too Late, Baby, billed as “A show for anyone who thinks it’s too late to achieve their dreams, because it probably is. “
Inspired by Philip Pullman’s early short story Clockwork, our theatre and puppetry choice (and very doable at 50 minutes long) is Unsettled Theatre’s The Untold Fable of Fritz. “White snow seeps down from the mountain tops of the Neuchstein region, freezing over the valleys and the hearts of all the people that live within it. At the foot of the tallest peak, resides the inhabitants of Brutzenvien and their King. Through this everlasting stone-cold ice age, the King’s son soon falls ill and the King makes a pledge to do all in his power to save his heir. But how far will he go?”
So, those are our early picks for this human sized Fringe packed with variety across the genres. We’ll be adding more picks soon along with a few previews.
