Preview: Absolut Fringe Festival 2011
Always doing things a little bit differently, Dublin’s Fringe Festival (which continues its partnership with Absolut this year), launched this morning with a breakfast buffet rather than the usual drinks reception. This year’s festival promises to be bigger and bolder than any of the previous 16, incorporating nearly 900 artists in 82 shows which will take place in 34 venues across the city from September 10-25.
Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan speaks to some of the Fringe Artists outside the Project Arts Space
Some of this years highlights are:
No Man’s Land: Remember the Monopoly Houses on the Liffey last year? Well, Fergal McCarthy is going one better on his own novel commentary on the state of the nation by building and then living on a desert island for the festival’s duration, down by the Samuel Beckett Bridge.
Twenty Ten: Over the last year, THEATREclub (the winners of last year’s ‘Spirit of the Fringe’ award) have been compiling any- and everything we, the people, had to say. This has all be compiled into one big (197 page) document which will be performed over 6 nights and as one marathon 7-hour, including an interval, performance (Project Arts Centre Space Upstairs, 10th-15th Sept 6pm; 17th Sept 11am).
Una Carmody, Chair of the Absolut Fringe Board, speaking at the launch & being interpreted into ISL by Shane
Follow: A play made for both hearing & deaf audiences by Willfredd Theatre, featuring a hearing young man who grew up in a deaf household (who also provided sign interpretation for the launch). This promises to open eyes to a world few hearing people ever experience (The Lir, 12th-17th Sept 7pm).
Pope Benedict: Bond Villain: With so many ‘former Catholics’ in Ireland, it’s no wonder that Dublin comic Abie Philbin-Bowman has decided to take on the Catholic Church in his new Fringe show (The Lir, 19th-24th Sept 9pm; 24th Sept 3pm).
Dreams of Love: we are all guilty of staging at least one big romantic scene in our lives, which we’ve been inspired to do by movies, tv, music, or theatre. This Side Show Productions piece provides an insightful, charming and funny commentary on such acts (Smock Alley Studio Theatre, 20th-24th Sept 8:30pm; 24th Sept 1:30pm).
Tickets for all shows which range from €3-€20 go on sale on www.fringefest.com July 20th, 2011 at 7pm, from 1850 FRINGE (1850 374 643) and the Box Office on Curved St, Temple Bar on August 17th.
Related Posts
Fringe Preview : The Circus Of Perseverance →
Theatre: Singlehood @ The Absolut Fringe →
Theatre: THEATREclub Stole Your CLOCK RADIO… →