Why not make a date with Durham Fringe Festival?
Performances galore to animate city
Durham Fringe Festival, a good idea born in the wake of the Covid lockdowns, bursts into life again on Wednesday (July 23) and animates the city until the following Sunday (July 27).
This fifth edition of the festival offers a busy and varied programme with more than 270 performances spanning genres including theatre, music, stand-up, dance and circus.
The action is spread over seven city venues including the Gala Theatre Studio, the Assembly Rooms Theatre, the Fonteyn Ballroom at Durham University Students’ Union and the so-called Stretch Tent on Palace Green where you will also find food and drink on sale throughout.
Some shows are sold out but there’s still widespread availability – so plenty of opportunities to be entertained or perhaps even a little perplexed.
How about Delusions and Grandeur, to be performed every day of the festival by classically trained cellist and clown Karen Hall at Durham University Department of Music, Palace Green?
Then there’s Paul Levy’s The Debrief, from Rational Madness Theatre, which is described as “a darkly comedic and disturbing solo theatre examination of life after near death”.
Inspired by real events, it has intrigued festival audiences in Liverpool, the United States and France. You can catch it at Durham’s City Theatre on July 23 and 24.
Loads of lighter stuff is available. You could go Down the Rabbit Hole, a circus show from Sunderland-based Aria Art & Movement, which will aim to enchant you in the Stretch Tent on July 24 and 25.
Other acts include Durham-based magician Tom Bolton, singer-songwriter Isabel Maria, a BBC ‘One to Watch for 2025’ performer, and comedians Jake Donaldson and Phil Green.
The festival’s 26 different theatre productions also include Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew in a modern verse translation, an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Bodysnatcher and Night-Light Theatre CIC’s Queen of the Quack.
One act hard to ignore on Palace Green will be punk/indie rock band Jam Tub. Michael Stott (vocals/guitar), Freddie Dobby (vocals/bass) and Fergus Hamill (drums) only formed two years ago but already have a following they’re keen to expand.
The programme includes 42 acts suitable for families with young children.
But with the promise of fun comes a warning from festival founder and director Dr Stephen Cronin.
“It’s undoubtedly an exciting time for us and we’re incredibly proud to be bringing to life such a diverse programme,” he says.
“However, the cultural sector is facing mounting challenges.
“We have not been immune to it this year and sourcing the funding we need to bring the festival to life has been an uphill struggle.
“It has never been more important to support your local cultural venue, take a chance on new creative experiences and buy tickets to see shows.
“As audiences, we get so much from experiencing performing arts – wellbeing, education and time to switch off – and it’s always worth remembering the value we bring to artists when we turn up for them.”
Durham Fringe is operated by Durham Fringe CIC – not for profit and run by volunteers – to support and advance the performing arts in County Durham and beyond.
Of revenue from tickets, 70% goes directly to the performers and Durham Fringe CIC absorbs the overheads that would otherwise prevent people bringing their ideas to the stage.
These are not passed on to audiences. Instead the organisation relies on grants, sponsorship, donation and the support of volunteers.
It’s heartening to know you can have fun in support of a very good cause.
Browse the programme and buy tickets at the Durham Fringe Festival website.