One of the most incredible aspects of the Fringe Festival is always the festivals ability to ensure that student get the opportunity to showcase their wide variety of skills and a creative talent. This year is no different.
Students from Oxford are to come to the Fringe this year with a solid variety of shows that have already got the Fringe buzzing. We have already been in touch with some of the producers and directors and will be making sure you get all the news, previews and reviews from this incredible groupa players.
Plays/Musicals:
A Special Boy – The Vault | 25th-31st Aug, 16:00
Doctor Faustus (OUDS Summer Tour 2009) – Sweet ECA | 16th-30th Aug, 15:05
The Norman Conquests – The Spaces on the Mile @ The Radisson | 24th-29th Aug, 18:30
The Boyfriend – Musical Theatre @ George Square | 19th-31st Aug (not 25th), 13:15
Emma – C soco | 16th-31st Aug, 16:10
A Clockwork Orange – C | 5th-22nd Aug, 22:00
The Canterbury Tales – C too | 6th-31st Aug (not 18th); 18:45
Comedy:
Etch-a-Sketch (The Oxford Revue) – Underbelly | 6th-30th Aug (not 19th), 17:00
2009 brings no change to Exeter University students, graduates and staff as they plan another successful decent onto the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Shows connected to Exeter have already gained Two Total Theatre nominations and reviews for their shows have always hit the 4-5 star rating (pretty good if you ask me).
Few universities in the country are putting as much push and passion as the universities we are going to be featuring here, and we hope many more people will take a giant leap from their books and support this amazing artform.
Rebecca Loukes (Drama staff member) is appearing in The Idiot Colony; a show which she co-created with other members of RedCape Theatre Company. Winner of Fringe First Award and Total Theatre Award (Visual Theatre) . Shortlisted for a Carol Tambor Award (final 5), Holden Street Theatre Award (final 2) and Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award (final 5).
“It’s inspiring to see a show that takes so many artistic risks becoming a Fringe hit” (The Scotsman) “Endlessly inventive … thoroughly disquieting. It’s stunning; you can’t help but catch your breath” (Metro)
Tom Deacon (graduate 2007) is going down well at the Comedy Zone – he won Chortle Student Comedy Award 2007 and was immediately taken up by Avalon Management, the largest comedy agency in the country. He’s also presenting an online daily show for BBC Switch called 5:19.
This will be Tom’s first solo show and is one that is more than likely introduce more people to his amazing comedy style.
We are really excited about this years Fringe Festival and will be sleeping very little to bring you some of the best, brightest, and interesting stories, reviews, and previews from this years Fringe Festival 2009.
As always The Fringe has gone all out to make sure that they bring together the widest and wildest bunch of shows for a month long series of events that the UK can never keep up with. And along with the usual performers this year The New Current will be focusing on the participation from students from all over the UK who and two of the Universities are are going to feature today are Oxford and Exeter.
Both Univesities have long standing traditions with drama and we are going to enjoy getting to review and preview these acts that am sure your going to enjoy.
Other than this Fringe offers more interms of what a performance festival should be giving and doing and they have tried to make sure that everything is catered for. Over the next few days we are going to be previewing some of the acts that are going to be taking a place. From theatre, comedy, kids entertainment, free performances, and music The New Current is going to be front row making sure you get all the news, reviews, and interviews from this years festival.
Wednesday saw BBC Comedy Presents come to the North East for the first time and they got a little more than they bargained for. It was great to see the BBC showing a greater interest in the comedy scene around the North East and if the talent that was on Wednesday night is anything to go by they certainly know what’s funny.
Before the show we caught up with one of the BBC producers Simon to ask him a little bit more about BBC Comedy presents and what he hopes to get out of tapping this unknown territory.
TNC : How did BBC Comedy present get started?
Simon : Its been going for a couple of years now, it originally started when Michelle [BBC Comedy] came back from Edinburgh in 2007 and figured that you spend a month up in Edinburgh, putting on a show ever night through BBC Comedy, building all these relationships with the talent and the acts. And then you go back to London and there is nothing for them to appear on. If they don’t get on radio or TV then they’re not doing anything with the BBC so the idea was to continue doing the BBC Comedy presents in London and around the country. So BBC Comedy could be seen on the live circuit just for lives sake. Because that’s where everybody starts pretty much, you get a few exceptions, but like French & Saunders, Reeves and Mortimer people like that start in the live circuit.
TNC : What does the BBC hope to get out of this?
Simon : The idea now is hopefully there is a graduation within BBC Comedy so people do the live show, they get their faces seen a little bit. Then if they have ideas they want to develop they can do that online with the new comedy extra thing that has started, then radio and TV. So there would be that gradual process with the people involved with BBC Comedy from the get go.
TNC : Where has been the best place BBC Comedy presents has showcased?
Simon : In the first year we did them every month in London at a place called the Soho Review Bar. Which was fantastic because that’s where the Comic Strip used to do their nights and French & Saunders did the first night for us. The we had Noel Fielding, RegD Hunter really fantastic acts. We’ve also done Manchester which was brilliant at the Comedy Store with Dave Spiky and Lady Garden [who are going to be huge]. We did one in Belfast with Sean Hughes and so its been really good. The next one we have coming up in London on the 29th we’ve got Alistair McGowan…there are comedians who might not have been on a live stage for awhile.
TNC : This is the first time that BBC Comedy presents has been to Newcastle, how did that come about?
Simon : That came about because we are always looking to do it in the major cities in the UK and Peter Salmon [Director of BBC Vision North] he’s very keen to develop the BBC up in the north east and he suggested coming to Newcastle. So Michelle and I had a look round at a few venues and thought the Hyena was the best place to do it. When we came up we went to see a comedy night at the Bridge Hotel, The Laughing Penguin I think its called, where we saw Carl and John and they where brilliant so we said we’d book them.
TNC : How do you think tonight’s going to go with a traditional Northern audience?
Simon : There’s a comedian called Jimmy McGee who I booked to appear at the Fringe he’s going to be on one of the nights we have planned up there…he came back from Newcastle and said ‘never again’. He’s a southern boy, middle class, and just got torn to shreds. Newcastle’s reputation preceeds it for being a pretty viscous crowd.
TNC : Is this why all of the acts are from the North East?
Simon : This was a part of it, part of our thinking we wanted to give them people they they would like. Our perspective whilst we want to put on a good night its important for us, Michelle and I, comedy development, its really good to have these guys on the bill. They are new exciting, and from the north east which can be a little under represented.
TNC : What can people expect from BBC Comedy presents at this years Fringe Festival?
Simon : You can expect a different line up every night. We have regular compares so if you come on a monday you will see Jon Richardson who does a great show on BBC Radio 6. If you come a friday you will see Phil Nichol who won the IF. Comedy Award a few years ago. Justin Moorhouse is doing Saturdays so your guaranteed a great compare that will see you through the night.
TNC : How do the nights work?
Simon : You see one relatively new act, so that will be a 10 minute slot, then two established acts who both do 15 minutes an then you get your headline act who does 20. We’ve already booked Alistair McGowan, Reginald D Hunter, Jason Byrne and lots more.
