Fringe TheatreFest returns to Barnstaple later this month

The countdown has begun, and in just a few short weeks this year’s Fringe TheatreFest will be back in Barnstaple, animating venues across the town in a riot of theatre, dance and live performance.

Featuring over 60 shows from across the UK from Thursday, June 29th until Sunday, July 2nd, TheatreFest is building on 10 years’ experience and has added a whole raft of outdoor shows and shows in informal spaces to the long established venue programme: Shakespeare on the grass, hi-jinx in the high street, magic in cafes, dancing on benches and much, much more.

When you hear laughter resounding around the town head down to The Square. Here. you’ll discover The Tent, this year’s venue for family shows.

Audiences lucky enough to get a ticket will be able to catch Fractured Theatre with Clowns of the Baskervilles; Lucky Dog Theatre Productions with Hats Off To Laurel & Hardy; Seska (above) with Seska Fruit Salad; Wild Toy Theatre with The Fisher-Knight’s Tale and Autojeu Theatre with The Organised Chaos.

Some old favourites returning to TheatreFest include Monday Collective with A Trip Down Theatre Lane – a journey back to the roots of theatre in Barnstaple, told by minstrels, jugglers and buffoons; Multi Story Theatre Company with Fit For Purpose (shown below) – a story without words; and Rob Gee with Fruitcake – Ten Commandments From The Psych Ward.

Fringe TheatreFest was founded back in 2007 by Bill Buffery and Gill Nathanson of Multi Story Theatre Company, and Bill is confident the 2017 event will be the biggest and best it’s ever been.

He says: “This year is going to be huge with double the number of shows! We’ll be in some of our usual places - St Anne’s Arts Centre, The Baptist Hall and back in The Golden Lion Tap where we were for a number of years. And then we’ve got new venues - The Guildhall, an extra space at The Baptist Hall and a big Tent on the Square.

“Added to that, we’ve got a large programme of work in outside spaces and town centre cafes.”

The growth of this year’s Fringe has also meant that more volunteers than ever before are involved in getting the show, literally on the road. Gill is thrilled by the unstinting enthusiasm of this large volunteer force.

She says: “Our volunteers are Fringe TheatreFest. And this year there’s a bigger volunteer force than ever - which is just as well because Fringe TheatreFest is bigger than ever.

“It’s great to have such a big team and this year we’re able to work with younger people too. We’re also incredibly grateful to our partners and supporters including Barnstaple Town Centre Management, Barnstaple Town Council, The Bridge Trust, Samuels Solicitors, Smiths Solicitors, Rosie Bracher Solicitors, Barnstaple Museum, Golden Lion Tap, Park School, Barnstaple Coffee Shop, The Bike Shed and St John’s Garden Centre.

“We were also fortunate enough to secure a grant from the Celebrate England Big Lottery Fund which has allowed us to present so much outside work.”

• The full line-up for Fringe TheatreFest 2017 can be viewed online at www.theatrefest.co.uk. Tickets and Frequent Fringer Vouchers are for sale from Re:Store in Boutport Street, Barnstaple from June 19th and from Fringe TheatreFest venues from the opening day of the festival – Thursday, June 29th.