Breast cancer and mass killings are sober topics you would not normally associate with a fringe festival. However, Rebecca Fox discovers anything is possible with the Dunedin Fringe Festival.
The painting's done, the boxes are nearly unpacked and the posters are up: Dunedin Fringe Festival is ready for action.
Last night, the festival team released its 2016 programme featuring 70 events over 35 venues from March 3 to 13.
As festival director Josh Thomas likes to say, ‘‘Where else can you see a show about the history of ‘feminist slutdom' in a garden on the Otago Peninsula, take part in a first-person audio adventure at a supermarket, and then gain insight into the mind of a terrorist, all in the same day.''
The festival is hosting more shows than it has before.
And, with Dunedin artists providing 64% of the content, there is a good cross-section of art performers to be seen, Mr Thomas says.
Much of this was due to an effort to increase the festival's visibility within Dunedin's art community as a place where artists could try things out and showcase their abilities.
Having a centre-city, street-front office also made a difference last year (in the former National Bank office in George St) and now, thanks to the Dunedin City Council, the Fringe Festival had a permanent base streetfront in Princes St next door to the Community Gallery, he said.
It was also a good time for the arts, now the art and culture strategy had been adopted and with the City of Literature title shedding new light and validating the arts and culture sector of the city.
‘‘There is also more opportunity for the audience to engage with arts events more, enjoy it and demand more.''
Last year's inaugural Fringe Festival showcase at the Regent Theatre had also boosted that interest.
It sold out last year and was a huge success so it was back this year bigger and better, he said.
‘‘We want to build on that. It seems to have demystified the Fringe for people who have seen it as too edgy for them.''
It was important people realised it was ‘‘first and foremost'' an arts festival.
That was highlighted by the play Manifesto 2083 about Anders Breivik killing 77 people in 2011, produced by Auckland's Rebel Alliance.
‘‘Throughout this play, I felt rage, extreme discomfort, nervousness, fright, powerlessness, fascination. At several points, not least Brevik's account of July 22, I wanted it to stop. This is not an easy watch, but a necessary one,''
Theatre Scenes reviewer James Wenley said after its performance at the Basement Theatre in Auckland last October.
Balancing out the seriousness was plenty of comedy including shows by headline comedians such as Ben Hurley of television's Seven Days fame and talented up-and-coming stand-up comedian former Dunedinite Louise Beuvink, who was recently nominated for two New Zealand Comedy Guild Awards: best female comedian and most improved comedian.
She has been described as ‘‘witty, intelligent and has a terrific delivery'' by TV3 News.
Dunedin-generated content is wide-ranging, including lighting expert Martyn Roberts' experimental light show Dark Matter, the Taieri Dramatic Society's performance of Tom Stoppard's comedy After Magritte at the Fire Station Theatre in Mosgiel, and Feral Grace Production's Lads on Tour Cabaret: Loved Up described as exploring ‘‘yucky and beautiful'' themes.
Dunedin poets David Eggleton, Ian Loughran, Emma Neale and Sue Wootton have got together for a night having arranged their works to music performed by soprano Sophie Morris at Knox Church.
The next generation of Dunedin music has also grabbed the opportunity to perform, with secondary school musicians from last year's Amped Music Project launching their recordings.
The international flavour will be provided by comedians such as British-Canadian Gerard Harris and the return of 2015 Fringe sell-out show Best of Scottish Comedy by Scottish lads Bruce Fummey and Vladimir McTavish.
Lana Schwarcz is coming from Melbourne with her show Lovely Lady Lump, about her experience with breast cancer, and Australian pioneer of queer performance Glitta Supernova brings Let's Get Metaphysical nominated for ‘‘best cabaret'' at Fringe World in Perth.
Mr Thomas said given the festival can't afford to subsidise the artists' travel, the fact that artists came from around the world was very special.
‘‘That they have to fork out a lot of money to get here is really encouraging.''
Ms Schwarcz said she had always wanted to visit Dunedin and she was bringing her show to festivals in Hamilton and Wellington this month.
‘‘I hear it's gorgeous. It's great to be able to combine the two [performing and visiting].''
To make that decision worthwhile, Mr Thomas said the small Fringe team made hosting the artists a priority and made sure they enjoyed themselves.
‘‘We are a small team and I think the personal experience is a good point of difference. The Scottish comedians had such a great time, their wives wanted to move here.''
With the increased number of acts, the Fringe decided to hire out the Community Gallery this year to create its own festival club venue seating 100.
‘‘That way, we can pack in two or three shows a night.''
While there were a lot of smaller venues in Dunedin, most did not have ready-to-go lighting, sound and technical assistance for acts coming from far afield.
‘‘That is really challenging for visitors so the gallery gives us a cabaret space.''
The gallery would be transformed into the Festival Club Thursday to Saturday nights, providing a space for performers and entertainers to mix and listen to music.
‘‘It'll be really eclectic. Be great for artists and the audience to mingle: you'll get a nice sense of festival life within that space.''
However, the Fringe liked to keep its intimate feel, and with some venues such as Taste Merchants able to seat only 50, it was important people booked shows they wanted to see.
‘‘There were a lot of sellout shows last year, which meant disappointed punters, so people do need to book.''
