Lovable rogue, Baxter, wants to have a word, he’s got a tip for you, a little inside information that he wants to pass your way. Do listen carefully, because while Baxter might not be able to provide you with the knowledge to make you rich, he does know how to give you a brilliant time at the theatre, because this show is an absolute delight.
The moment Andy Linden steps onto the stage as Baxter, you know you are in safe hands, Andy is a natural performer and storyteller and instantly transports you into Baxter’s world. Baxter runs a premium rate phone line, dispensing tips on horse racing, he’s not interested in statistics or algorithms, he’s the kind of guy that likes to stand in the stables, look the horses in the eye and see who wants it most. I imagine he feels a connection with that kind of animal, because Baxter is someone who is always reaching for the finish line and winner’s trophy. It’s just a shame that so often, he falls at the last hurdle.
The cast of characters that Andy brings to life and join Baxter on his adventures are all wonderful, from a femme fatale love interest with the voice of Lee Marvin, to a lovable young postie with ESP, each is the perfect vehicle for madcap adventures and some truly hilarious punchlines. It has been a long time since I saw a play with so many good jokes, perfectly woven into the narrative and given all the time they need for a proper set-up and punchline. The result was an audience rocking in their seats with laughter, as each chapter of Baxter’s story reached its calamitous end.
Andy Linden’s filmography is filled with many beloved series, franchises and notable characters, but Andy was born to be Baxter. As the absurdity of Baxter’s misadventures reach new heights, we never forget what is at stake and just how much we want him to win.
Make sure you catch it, it’s easily one of the best shows at the fringe.
I came into Hands Free Theatre Company’s debut showing of Nocturnal – as you’d predict – blind as to what to expect, and interested in how they’d tackle the heavy subject of drink spiking in nightclubs, which is so prevalent today. Following the journey of two club-going students, performed by the wonderful newcomers Esther and Ella, it’s a really genuine piece that feels so true-to-life and may help enlighten those who aren’t yet aware of the scope and impact of this issue.
As someone who witnessed a close friend being spiked during my own time at university, the show struck a particularly emotional chord with its own realistic interpretation. Nocturnal captures the fear, confusion, and aftermath of such an experience with nuance and sensitivity. I found the real-world testimonies especially moving, and I’d love to see even more of these real voices woven into the theatrical fabric of the piece.
The relationship between the two characters, as well as their performances within the club, really gave the show its momentum and believability, grounding the abstract issues in a friendship that felt lived-in and real.
A heartfelt performance that deserves to be seen, I’m excited to see where they take it next, and I hope it reaches the audiences who need it most.
Poetry filled to the brim with noted experience, expert oration and British sensibilities – this was an all-around pleasant watch to lose yourself in for an hour.
I find in modern social commentary and satire, it’s easy to face the pitfalls of cliché, particularly when referencing the US President; however, the Bard delivered some rousing and reframing poetry with a slightly Carlin-esque charm in the more political discourse.
My favourite sections of the performance were definitely the introductions to the poems and the anecdotes and processes behind each one. It felt very fresh, and the crowd was very involved and positive throughout, with some real wisdom being shared.
Led by an experienced and witty commentator, this conversational performance brought words to life, and I’d love to see what he has in store for next year’s Fringe.
Full of the archetypes of classic folktales we know and cherish: forbidden love, happy endings and a deep connection to our joint human experiences. We’re All Storytellers brings all this in spades.
I found it a well-crafted blend of prose, acoustic songs and imaginative performance that is suitable for all ages, and with the titular claim that we are, indeed, all storytellers, Samantha (the fabulous Fabulist) brings a grounded, familiar structure – one which allows audiences to settle in and engage with the stories on their own terms.
It’s refreshing to see a piece that returns to the roots of storytelling with such sincerity. We’re All Storytellers draws strength from tradition, offering a thoughtful, heartfelt reminder of why these stories endure in our hearts and how sharing them remains a vital part of human connection.
If you’re looking for bring-you-to-tears laughter, this is the show for you. Full of jokes that are unapologetically generation bridging, audiences, young and old, will love this one.
With absurd topics and pop culture references spanning the decades, there’s something for everyone, and they so gracefully flow through the performance with such quick wit and charm that the laughs never stop. The longtime duo and childhood friends have a self-proclaimed “Natural chemistry” that shines throughout.
Beyond the humour, there’s a deep throughline of progressivism and the issues of toxic masculinity that adds layers and some post-show self-reflection to an already packed show.
A fun romp with some endlessly clever and enjoyable crowd participation thrown in, I’d recommend this to anyone – maybe as a palate cleanser after viewing a more harrowing drama this Fringe.
A new company hitting the stage with their first show with something important to say and the drive and energy to say it clearly is probably what I look forward to most at TheatreFest. I’m pleased to say that Hands Free Theatre Company did not disappoint in this regard and made a startling debut with their first show, Nocturnal.
The chemistry between the two actors is incredible, you can feel the close relationship between the characters instantly and no time is wasted in setting out who the characters are, they are so well realised that with just a few moments on stage, we understand where they are in their lives.
Two young women head out for a night on the town to have some fun, but far from frivolous antics and debauchery, this show presents a very real glimpse at just how difficult it can be to simply go out and have a good time. Well choreographed physical sequences bring the sights and sounds of the nightclub atmosphere to life, whether they are fighting for room on the crowded dance floor, or guarding each other’s privacy while using the loo, it’s clear that these two characters bring out the best in each other, and now suddenly they are having to deal with what happens when they are separated. One of the two women has already moved away to go to Uni, and as they try to deal with how that situation is affecting them, something much more dangerous appears to keep them apart.
As the two characters’ paths diverge over the course of the evening, physical sequences show us what happens to each woman, seamlessly flitting back and forth through time, revealing new information as they do so. This play deals with issues of consent, the very real dangers of spiking and what happens to the victims who find themselves suddenly so vulnerable. It is the type of performance that many would possibly describe as dark, or distressing, but where Nocturnal truly excels is by showing the light. By presenting the world of clubbing, not just how they want us to see it, but how they know it; incredibly fun and exhilarating, but sadly, currently exposed to those that would put others at risk. Nocturnal is a show that hasn’t given up, it wants women to be able to go out and have a good time, without the worry of what might go wrong and is talking directly to those who need to change their ways.
The performances from Esther and Ella are very strong, from the quieter moments between the two friends in private, to the dance sequences that see them bound across the stage, they don’t put a foot wrong. At only 30 minutes long, this show makes a real impact, and should be high on everyone’s watchlist wherever it is performed. I look forward to whatever this new company develops further or works on next.
What a delightful time was had by all, listening to this beautiful little story from Sophie Cobb, time just seemed to disappear as we were invited to join Alma, a tiny magical creature as she tries to save a Holly-Blue Butterfly from being trapped in a litter strewn hedgerow.
Sophie is a natural storyteller and both the children and adults in the audience found themselves completely captured by Alma’s adventure. The story had all of the right elements to keep all ages engaged, and very confidently seemed to know just how long the young minds could concentrate on, not an easy thing to do. There were lots of interesting facts about butterflies and a more important overarching message about nature conservation to be found, but Sophie allows each member of the audience to take from the story what they want, allowing everyone to find their own enjoyment.
After the story, everyone was invited to create badges inspired by nature and the children wasted no time at all getting stuck into making the designs, with just a little help from the adults. This reviewer couldn’t imagine a better way to spend an afternoon at a theatre festival and my daughter loved every second.
Archy used to be a New York poet, now he has been reincarnated as a New York Cockroach. Bouncing on the keys of a typewriter, he tells the story of his new (after)life as an insect, his meetings with the other animals of the big apple, including a sassy alley cat called Mehitabel who has been reincarnated several times and claims to have once been Cleopatra.
This show is so rich with witty dialogue, like the works of P.G. Woodhouse, Oscar Wilde and Douglas Adams. I was unaware going in, and indeed I think most of the audience was that the show was an adaptation of Don Marquis’s humorous verses and short stories published as daily columns for “The Evening Sun”, a New York newspaper he wrote for in the 1910s/20s. This could have been a very heavy adaptation. The dialogue is unsurprisingly more prose-like and descriptive as Archy is telling his stories. It’s dense, full of wonderful turns of phrase. Mehitabel, at one point, is limping and refers to this as “damage on my starboard side” Archy’s friend Freddie (a Rat) is fatally wounded in a fight with a South American Spider; for a funeral, the animals throw Freddie from a great height “with full military honours”. It’s so packed with colourful descriptions, glorious metaphors and great witticisms that some moments I did get a little lost. This is no fault of the performer but of my uncultured 21st cenutary brain, it was like losing the thread in Shakespeare play, I know it all makes sense and is brilliant but I need to watch is again (and I would in a heatbeat) to catch it all but I would rather be confused for a moment than bored, and I was never bored.
This is down to a compelling solo performance by Theatre Nation’s Patrick Kealey. Kealey delivers this dialogue in a mostly classic New York patter. The jokes would feel normal coming from the mouth of Woody Allen. I was gobsmacked at the end when he thanked us for watching in his natural, dulcet southern English accent. He is one of the most watchable actors I have ever seen. His stage presence is incredible, every word is a new thought from his brain, every movement intentional, every character (for which there are many) different and distinct. The sheer amount of lines, you definitely get your money’s worth! The set and costume are minimal: one chair, one table, three puppets, three cups, and lots of headgear, which is lined up along the front of the stage. One of the joys of the show is to see Kealey go into the next character by going down the line and popping on the next item. I could visualise this show being very static, our main actor sitting on the chair mostly and going through the motions of putting on another hat for the next character, me as an audience member watching the hats go on, hoping the next would be the last, but not this show. Kealey is ever moving and shifting until he is still and intense; he draws us into this world, it feels like you’re having the most interesting conversation with a good friend.
Highlights include when Archy is talking to the planet Mars, a colander on his head and waggling his index fingers like antennae. These aliens praise Archy. His writings are big on Mars, and we get to see Archy white lie about how it is received on Earth. We get to meet Mehitabel (the alley cat) often as Archy witnesses her rise and fall and rise. Kealey plays this cool cat like a 1920s ”anything goes” flapper, a sassy street-wise cat that’s got claws. Another great thing that was unique to this show was due to some technical difficulties, Kealey’s transitions were in blackout. So much is his commitment, it was surreal to see the silhouette of Kealey doing a highland fling in the dark, the audience found it hilarious, and we could see Kealey enjoyed it too. The show ends with a verse from his fellow insects “what the ants are saying,” and how “Ants and Scorpions and Centipedes shall inherit the Earth” what has been fun witty memoir written from the perspective of a cockroach shows the fear the insects have for mankind and what their are doing our planet, and asks that Humans “will take this warning and reform” tragic that this text was written over a hundred years ago. It’s a well-earned moment of poignancy.
This is how solo shows should be done. Kealey’s performance is (to echo another review) “Perfect” and the material he’s working with is so brilliant, my friends and I have sought out Archy and Mehitbel in book form.
The trio of performers that make Formidable Force have been delighting audiences at TheatreFest for years with their wonderful singing voices and musical talents. For this performance they have focused on songs that evoke the spirit of the Women’s Land Army from World War II and it was lovely to hear so many unique and obscure tunes from that era mixed in with some real classics.
Of course, the audience were given a chance to join in too, although I’m not sure any of us were quite up to matching the vocal tablets of the performers on stage, and we all packed up our troubles in our old kit bags and smiled, smiled, smiled.
There were also some original pieces, with one song written by Karen Moss about her father being particularly moving. A fabulous afternoon’s entertainment, the audience loved every second of it.
Ernie and Gerard are an unusual pair. With 55 years between them – Ernie being 18 and Gerard 73 – they may not be what you expect in a dancing duet. But here in the streets of Barnstaple – and this specific instance, in a deserted Pannier Market – the two of them create something natural and heartfelt.
Gerard arrives hauling a wooden memorial bench behind him. He creates his space and goes about his business in his own way.
And then he is joined by Ernie, whose energy and ability to wildly whip around the space contrasts with Gerard’s measured and gentle pace. They catch each other, cradle each other and support each other – and, at times, appear exacerbated, and determined to disrupt the rhythm the other has created.
This is a wonderful, intimate, bite-sized exploration of relationships and interactions between generations, and the way in which age plays a part in the roles we take on in life.
It transpires that this piece is mainly down to Ernie, which is a fantastic demonstration of young skill. Both performers have a fantastic range of experience between them, and that seems to strengthen their creative relationship.
It’s a pleasure to catch this magnetic dance piece with two brilliant men and beautiful musical accompaniment; proof that, while age can be a central theme, it presents no barriers to the abilities, skills and impact of a performance.
Huzzah! Another riotous and rambunctious offering from i.e.theatre graces the stages of Fringe TheatreFest this year in the form of Cavalier!
Thanks to advances in science and generous funding, a member of the Royalist army slain in a Devonian battle has been resurrected, and is ready to regale us with noble tales from times gone by. But wait: he’s not alone!
Joined by a loyal squire, and a familiar figure of the Roundhead persuasion, they set about recreating the rivalry that divided the country almost 400 years ago, pitting the audience against each other to decide who should win the Battle of Barnstaple.
Expect i.e.theatre’s trademark larger-than-life characters, hysterical history and a royally good time. The trio are tremendous, rallying up the audience and bringing a huge amount of energy, creativity and imagination (in some rather brilliant costumes!).
Cavalier! could well be crowned one of the favourites of this year’s Fringe. Boisterous and brilliant: long live i.e.theatre!
There is great pleasure in hearing untold stories of well-known characters – especially villains. Perhaps we will better understand the motives behind their wicked ways; perhaps we will discover their sweeter side; or perhaps their nefariousness simply runs down to the core.
A decade ago, Monkeydog premiered Something Rotten (or The Claudius Complex) at Fringe TheatreFest, and now they are returning for an encore. Theirs is the story of one of Shakespeare’s more cunning characters, Hamlet’s uncle Claudius – murderer, plotter, liar…or misunderstood man? Throughout the production, we have the chance to see what was happening off-stage and behind the scenes; what Claudius was thinking and feeling as Hamlet’s story unfolded elsewhere, and what was left unexplored and unwritten by the Bard.
We are even, for a moment, given the chance to question Claudius’s culpability and capability as a murderer. What if he is just misjudged? Could he simply be a man desperate for love and affection? As the play goes on, relationships are fleshed out, secrets revealed, and opinions shared, giving us even more of a backstory and uncovering even more of a motive.
Robert Cohen’s stage presence is fantastic as this bitter and paranoid man, commanding the space with a regal and shrewd attitude. As in any quality one-man show, he holds our attention with excellent pace and cleverly breaks the fourth wall, involving us, the audience, as conspirators and confidantes. Props are simple but effective, and the segmentation of each scene ensures momentum and suspense are well maintained.
This is a sleek, engaging and observant resurrection of a Fringe TheatreFest favourite from Cohen and director Jenny Rowe, and a great addition to any festival lineup, sure to draw in fans of Hamlet and novices alike. A real pleasure to watch.
It takes skill and sensitivity to tackle stories of trauma and assault with accessibility and wit, but Kathryn Marper manages to achieve the perfect balance in her one-woman Sh*t Show.
This performance comes laden with trigger warnings, and is, by all means, a tough watch – it may not be for everyone, in that sense – but Kathryn’s ability to bring in dark humour, keen observations and authentic characterisation while facing some of life’s darkest moments head on make this a must-watch piece.
Jessica is facing a challenge that no woman should face. She is in therapy, trying to rebuild her life, and navigate feelings of blame, guilt and anxiety. She hates herself, she hates her therapist, and she hates the situation she’s in.
Jessica is so likeable, so relatable, so complex and human that your heart is with her all the way. The title of the show is a curious one, too. It seems a little unfair to call Jessica’s life a Sh*t Show – and we have to ask ourselves whether it’s a more appropriate label for the state of mental health support, and the misogyny and violence that has invaded our society.
Simple production and effective use of voiceover and lighting means that Jessica and her story truly take centre stage. You cannot take your eyes off her performance.
Sh*t Show is a masterful and powerful exploration of the current epidemic of male violence against women, the wide-reaching impact of sexual assault, the misconceptions of fault and blame and accountability, and the state of women’s healthcare and safety. It will leave you feeling full of rage and compassion; a furious feminist tour de force.
Sh*t Show is an uncomfortable but compelling and critical watch, sensitive and sharp, and certainly undeserving of its self deprecating title.
This is a lyrical piece of original spoken poetry beautifully staged by Unexplored Places Theatre Co. The economical use of set, lighting and sound engage the audience through a universal journey to the specific intimate musings of the speaker of the poem, Dr Lucy Buchanan, welcoming the audience into her GP surgery and sharing her stories of patients, as well as her personal intimate experiences of love, motherhood, sensuality and bereavement. The performance ends by taking us back to the opening set in the beautiful landscape of Devon, a sense of the ocean and the magnificence of the universe.
The performance moves seamlessly from the familiar comic and banal setting of the Travelodge to the deep and powerful letters to a coroner telling the audience about the recorded deaths of patients and reminding us of our mortality. The writing portrays a visceral experience of personal love, sensuality and bereavement.
This a totally engaging and captivating dramatic spoken poetry piece by an accomplished writer and performer reminding the audience of the transience of life and moments of experience that we relive and enjoy till our inevitable passing away back into the universe. There is a powerful sense of nature and intimacy in this courageous piece of writing. A must see if you enjoy spoken poetry performances.
‘Improperly’ promises absurdity, quick wit and chaos and it delivers on all three. The Exeter-based improvisation group conjures scenes and songs from audience suggestions in an hour of fast- moving entertainment.
The performers were on lively form before the show even began, encouraging us to write down phrases for later use in an improvised scene. This kind of pre-show warm-up pays dividends later on when requests for the audience to come up with relationships between characters, different scenarios, and even the emotions the characters are going to feel, come thick and fast.
The show takes the form of a series of ‘games’ involving different combinations of performers and is energetically compèred by Sam Morgan and supported by the impressive musical skills of Sarah Madisson on piano. And because they are based on the suggestions of the audience, the results are unpredictable. No two shows will ever be the same and much of the humour comes not from what is performed, but from watching the performers trying to come up with whatever it is.
A song made up on the spot in operatic style. A conversation between a teacher and a reluctant pupil where every sentence they said had to start with the next letter of the alphabet. A Shakespearean scene set in McDonalds. A taxi ride where everybody seemed to be called Justin. These were just a few of the delights we enjoyed – never to be seen again.
Some of the success of this type of performance is undoubtedly down to the creativity of the audience and I have to say, I don’t think we were too bad. There was the odd time that a challenging suggestion was passed over for something a little more mundane, but the skill of the group at making something out of nothing is undeniable.
‘Improperly’ is engaging, quick and laugh-out-loud funny. A good way to spend an hour.
This was my first TheatreFest viewing of the year, and this light and whimsical musical trio certainly helped transport me into our odd little Fringe world for the week.
The second appearance for Amanita Grove since last year’s moody and jazzy musical setlist, they take quite a step away in genre to create an enlightening musical soundscape of the natural world alongside some spoken word tales of folklore and the elements.
It really felt like a journey not just through wildlife, as Amanita Grove’s vocalist Cheryl so charmingly walks us through, but also feels like a journey through different cultures as well, with some unique instruments like the Koto or a Tibetan bowl to aid with that.
Suitable for all ages, this is a show where you can really allow yourself to get lost in its calming nature. Like reading a good book out in your garden, Deep Beneath The Canopy will leave you more positive than you were when you went in.
Autobiographical shows are the lifeblood of fringe theatre but I have rarely seen one that touched me like Lizzie Bean’s ‘Phuckets and Rainbows’. It could be because, as an older woman, she was talking my language but I suspect that was only a small part of it.
Lizzie is a consummate performer – honest, engaging, funny and raw. But above all, real. With an enviable singing voice to boot. And with all that in her favour, you might imagine she had it all. You would be wrong. Because Lizzie has been laid low by doubts and the expectations of society and simply ‘not being enough’ for a good deal of her adult life.
The show takes us through her many attempts to ‘make it’ – in marketing, motherhood, running, weight loss, and mental health where she helps others to do what she found so hard herself. She exposes her struggles to the audience almost literally, starting the story naked. Well, in a flesh coloured bodystocking adorned with ever-drooping nipple tassels! Costumes and props appear out of boxes and buckets in a chaos of colour and energy.
We willing follow Lizzie on her quest to succeed in life, sometimes cringing on her behalf, sometimes – in painful recognition – on our own. Her openness and ability to laugh at herself ensures her audience is with her all the way to her realisation that she just needs to ‘be’. And to allow herself to feel whatever it is she feels. Simple but so hard.
‘Phuckets and Rainbows’ lurches in the best possible way from hilarity to pathos taking in the ridiculous on the way. Lizzie really does feel it all and makes us feel it too. Her infectious invocation to be an ordinary person living an extraordinary life is hard to resist and the audience takes it with them back out into the world. At least for a little while.
Local company, ‘Benny and Kate’ are firm Fringe favourites and rightly so, and this two-hander can only cement that reputation.
‘Weathered’ is funny, tender and unexpected. It centres on university professor Mike and what has led him to this point in his life. The point where his adult daughter signs him up for speed-dating whilst warning him not to go on about rocks, his weird sense of humour, or his ex-wife.
Written by ‘Benny and Kate’ actor Neil, it is assured in its construction, moving swiftly and easily between the present and the past. And it definitely works to the actors strengths. Mike is played by Neil himself, and he is every inch the loveable but irritating man who wants to get everything right but often gets it wildly wrong, including a beautifully bungled proposal.
The rest of the characters from daughter Zoe and ex-wife Annie, to the array of weird and wonderful speed-daters are all played by Debs. She negotiates her way through this challenge for any actor with impressive confidence and using only a few tweaks of costume and accent. A sure case of less being more.
‘Weathered’ is a beautifully crafted piece. It gives us the framework of a story, piques our interest and makes us want to know more. Then it gradually fills in the blanks until the satisfying whole appears. Helped by good direction and strong technical support, it is a fine addition to the company’s repertoire.
This was an abridged version of the play. A full production of ‘Weathered’ will be staged later in the year.
This is Nathan Rodney-Jones’ third time performing at Fringe TheatreFest, but his first in a new guise – for it is not Nathan we see on stage, but Sally; a gutsy, outlandish and fragmenting woman, and lost for words’ maiden foray into drag performance.
Armed with her tumbling red hair, dramatic lashes, and legs for days, Sally pours her heart out on stage, regaling us with outlandish stories of sex, seduction, extravagance and a life on display. As the show progresses, we watch as she cracks little by little, revealing more and more, showing vulnerability, desperation and heartbreak.
Her hard-as-nails, sassy exterior can’t contain her much longer, but she is determined to carry on and give us, the audience, her best – even as some unexpected news sends her into a spin.
This is drag with an edge; it is, as you’d expect, funny and edgy, but it has a poetic, theatrical side which will please anyone familiar with Rodney-Jones’s usual way with words. Sally tests the waters of audience interaction and dips her toe into improvisation; Rodney-Jones is clearly enjoying introducing us to this new member of the Fringe crew.
Sally owns the stage with a confidence that suggests a softer, more vulnerable side. The hardships of life are doing their best to dull her light, but flame-haired Sally cannot be extinguished.
What makes us who we are? The eternal debate between nature and nurture, and the idea of predestination, are at the core of Richard Pulsford’s new one-man show.
Known for his puns and jokes, Richard takes a new direction with this piece, exploring his heritage in great detail. With the help of images, digitised film and charming photographic memories, he gives us an insight into his unusual and diverse family tree.
We get to know his Yorkshire Dad and Immigrant Mum, and how the paths they took and decisions they made may have made Richard the man he is today. There are several surprises, wry observations and a few revelations, and Richard goes into a huge amount of depth.
Currently a work in progress and script-in-hand performance, this show has great potential to be a commentary not only on Richard’s heritage, but of immigration, trauma and the complex relationships we navigate throughout life. Richard himself is likeable and authentic, too, and you warm to him as he shares his life candidly. I hope Richard continues to develop this piece as he enjoys this new avenue of performance.
Theatremaker Poppy King desperately wants to tell us all about Connie Converse; a singer, songwriter and activist who disappeared without a trace in 1974, leaving just a letter and a legacy that would be far less than she deserved.
This show is her chance: Poppy channels her fascination with and fondness for Connie into a thirty-minute, two-woman performance; a vignette on Connie’s life. Poppy shares Connie’s story with her co-star, Jess May-Cox, and we feel as if we have stumbled upon a moment between friends. Using treasures – letters, photos, trinkets – all stored in a small filing cabinet, the pair dress up, embody Connie and her friend/mother/Walter Cronkite, and perform songs and conversations to reimagine and recreate key moments in Connie’s curious life.
We learn of a woman with depth and an artistic heart; who took unexpected twists and turns for the time in which she was born; who channelled her beliefs into beautiful, poetic music. We piece together her past with letters and archive material, imagine her reactions, and puzzle over her eventual disappearance.
The title of the show is apt, as we are Finding Connie Converse for ourselves. For many, including myself, this is very much a new discovery, experiencing her work for the first time, and this performance does a great job at giving us just enough to paint a picture, while leaving the rest for us to explore and enjoy ourselves.
Poppy embodies Connie and performs her songs beautifully, using guitar skills learned especially for the show, clearly keen to do her justice. This combination of narration, acting and music makes the show well paced and warm, and a delight to watch; this being King’s first piece of writing makes this tender, carefully created piece all the more special.
Finding Connie Converse is an intimate and touching tribute to a woman whose work and name have been lost to time. The two performers, Poppy and Jess, have a wonderful connection. One hundred years after her disappearance, Poppy King’s determination to bring Connie’s legacy to Fringe TheatreFest means that we are treated to a very special show.
If you weren’t familiar with Connie Converse before now, no doubt MayKing Theatre has sparked some curiosity; I, for one, am glad to now have Connie in my life.
Silly, funny and with tongue firmly in cheek, Leslie Bloom Solves a Murder is the perfect way to spend an hour. You never quite know what you’re in for at the fringe but this is a show you can walk into and know you’re in safe hands.
Leslie Bloom welcomes the audience to the Toddlingham Neighbourhood Watch committee meeting, with a lucky few becoming more active members than they might have been expecting. It may seem all tea and cake at first but, alas, one member is no more. Using highly tuned detective skills, dance and her trusty flip chart, Leslie leads the audience on an interactive whodunit that is wonderfully camp from start to finish. It’s up to the audience to examine the evidence and decide who should go down for the crime. Or, as my fellow audience members and I did, accuse everyone and hedge our bets.
It is a joy to sit down to a show and just enjoy it. There’s no pretence, no tech wizardry and no invoking of political change. Just pure entertainment. Simon Topping has an easy, relaxed performance style and is in control at all. This is the first time I’ve seen Leslie in action but I hope it’s not the last.
Welcome to a world where the Internet is no modern invention, and William Shakespeare himself had the World Wide Web at his fingertips.
Do You Want To Know? invites us to imagine the Bard ordering his pens online, and King Henry VIII floating on a lilo, in this alternate universe. This uncanny new reality offers an ideal platform upon which to ask some complex and critical questions about legacy, cookies, and how we use the internet.
Two fledgling academics are faced with the most difficult decision of their careers when an exciting new opportunity presents them with information which shatters all they knew to be true; information which could change the face of culture forever.
After all, what happens when you discover your idol is not who you thought they were?
The cast of Overmorrow Theatre tackle some of the biggest questions we are facing in this ever-more digital world. What does our online presence say about us? When are we truly ourselves? What should we believe when it comes to someone’s online activity? How much of our digital footprint do we want to leave behind? And how much can you separate art from the artist?
Add to this elements of love, death, feminism and assault, and you have a complex and provocative idea performed brilliantly and skillfully.
Do You Want To Know? is impactful and engaging, offering up an hour of thought-provoking theatre.
Often, we see themes emerging each year at Fringe Theatrefest. Last year, it seemed rebellion was on our minds; this year, we have myths, legends and the origins of our world.
Perhaps, in these turbulent times, we are turning to our past for entertainment, reflection and reassurance. Perhaps we are merely aware of the ever-changing nature of the world, and keen to preserve and carry on traditions and stories, keeping precious things alive for generations. Perhaps we are seeking answers; perhaps we just want to get lost.
Whispers of Woden is a chance to learn about our country’s Saxon past, hear stories almost lost to time, and escape the modern world for something more primal.
There are tales of war and romance. We are reminded of how our country was built: on the arrival, conflict and eventual coexistence of multiple cultures and communities. We learn about stone circles, great springs and settlements; about Hengist and Horsa, invasion, and battle.
Our storyteller is captivating and curious; it is as if he has walked straight from the forests and hills of ancient England and found himself here. He is impressive in both costume and ability to create an atmosphere, welcoming and wise, asking us questions and inviting us to learn more about our ancestors. He has harnessed history and appears to be keeping it alive single-handedly.
Appropriately, this performance takes place outside, as storytelling would have been back in Saxon England. While the stories themselves are magical – some told from memories, and some read from an ancient tome – it is this ‘staging’, this connection to the elements, that enhances the experience and makes the tales all the more real.
If you are lucky enough to experience Whispers of Woden at the top of Castle Mound, you will hear of battles and betrayal as the wind blows in the trees around you and birds caw and call as if on cue. With the grass beneath your feet and a horn of mead in hand, you feel even closer to the very people whose stories you are hearing.
This is a must for history lovers, those curious about our ancient past, and anyone keen to try something a little unusual this Fringe.
Sam Gilroy is a dancer, a teacher, a leader…and a mother.
She is navigating a new chapter of life, riding the ups and downs of parenthood, wrangling a toddler, and trying to stay true to herself.
In Belly Flop, her first show at Fringe TheatreFest, Sam invites us to navigate motherhood with her using her skills in movement, interweaving comedy with playful physical expression. This is a no-filter performance: there is labour, and there are poonamis; there are tender moments of childhood play, and frustrating doctor’s appointments; there is simultaneous loneliness and joy; and there is rage, love, and hope.
Sam has fabulous stage presence and is passionate in her performance, calling for equality, understanding, and a better, kinder, more effective support network for mums. She is calling out for change and celebrating mothers of all kinds, using her skills as an artist and engager to seek solidarity and send a message.
This show has absolutely come from a very personal place, and has the distinct feel of having been created by a woman spinning many plates, managing many identities, and juggling many feelings.
Whether you are a mum wanting to feel less alone and seeking solidarity, someone who is supporting a mother in your life and looking to understand their experience, or simply a lover of dance and performance with a passionate and personal core, Belly Flop is for you.
We carry the past with us, particularly the things we are told about ourselves from an early age. Unfortunately, it is often not the compliments and kindnesses that stick, but the criticisms and failures that we take with us from childhood to adulthood. They haunt us, taunt us, whisper in our ears.
When she was younger, Mia was told she was a failure. She struggled immensely with maths and was put in the bottom set at school. She was put into the bottom set for everything, in fact, and it is this, even though she has since gone on to excel both academically and theatrically, that she cannot shake.
Mia is using her platform here at Fringe Theatrefest to both entertain and raise awareness of Dyscalculia – a learning difference that affects mathematical ability. But this is no sob story – Mia attacks this topic with vibrancy, humour, wit and some very catchy songs. She confronts past teachers and leans on pop-culture heroes; faces her foes and seeks acceptance; and there is always, always an opportunity to take to the mic with a song or two.
Mia is incredibly funny and commands the stage. She is so open with us, so keen to share and speak out, and is unashamedly bold, honest and brilliant.
And, with all the shattering of stereotypes and assumptions, the show is moving; Mia leaves us with the message to look back at the path we have taken and stay true to who we are, not who we are told we are.
Around 1 in 4 adults have a fear of maths, and while having issues and anxieties about numbers isn’t necessarily the same as diagnosed Dyscalculia itself, it’s clear the numerical negativity shared in this show will resonate with many. Even if maths isn’t the thing you struggle with, there will be something for everyone to take from this show.
I am no whizz at maths myself, but everything in this show adds up to create something brilliant; Mia gets an A* from me.
Agbo Play are back at Barnstaple Fringe TheatreFest with their latest performance workshop: The Covenant – A Yoruba Creation Myth.
Performed in the round, this is not so much a show as an event; a conjuring, a sacred ritual, a celebration, a party, bringing traditions of West Africa to North Devon through song, dance and spoken word.
The boundaries between performer and audience do not exist here; there is no stage, no limits. We are a part of the show, encouraged to speak and echo sacred words and phrases, create beats with our bodies, and imagine the creation of Earth as it is told in Yoruba culture. We are invoking the Gods and enjoying the traditions of praise poetry.
Ayodele Scott and David Evans are forces to behold, commanding the space with immense energy and spirit, leaping and lifting each other, engaging with us eye-to-eye, and embodying creatures and deities with stunning physicality.
There is a warmth to this performance; it is captivating and grounding. We are unable to take our eyes off the pair as they speak in unison, move with fluidity, and invite us into a spiritual space that we have built in Barnstaple Library.
The final ten minutes of this performance is protected time to learn more about the performance and try some of the movement ourselves, however possible. We are invited to contort, physically respond to fragments of the story, interpret the words in our own way, coached – no, encouraged, inspired! – by Ayodele and David. If you can stay for this part, then do!
Do not be deterred by the promise of participation; this is as gentle and joyful as it gets when the artists invite you to join in. Shake off your worries and self-awareness, and lean into this opportunity for liberating and joyous self-expression and celebration of Yoruba culture.
Fia-Bhán Theatre Company are back to bring more of their Dublin charm to Fringe TheatreFest for a second year running. After their delicious and delightful performance of Celtic Sandwich in 2024, we are now gifted Tatty Bogle; another mythical and magical show which fits in perfectly with this unofficial 2025 theme!
At the start, we are told that this show is still in progress; there will be instances of scripts still in hand, and opportunities for feedback to develop the piece. This ‘rough draft’ nature of the show does not mean rough in quality, though, as we are treated to a performance that is warm and genuine, and undeniably worthy of the stage already.
Many of you may have heard of or encountered Tatty Bogle – or the scarecrow – and while she herself does not make an appearance in full, she is alluded to time and time again; she is the thread – or rather, turnip! – which brings this show together.
We join a group of young hikers as they find a spot to spend the night; but it is dark, and wild, and a wail or two (the wind, or a banshee?) prompts the telling of stories and legends from Irish and Scottish history.
Expect changelings, giants, the creation of causeways, and even the King of Cats, all shared with wonderful humour, physicality, charisma and energy. The cast members clearly enjoy each other’s company immensely, and you really do feel as if you have joined a group of friends regaling each other with tall tales (or truths?) in the middle of nowhere.
This is a good-natured, slightly unpolished (but no less entertaining!) fringe performance, and a very welcome return to Barnstaple; I look forward to seeing how the show grows, and what Fia-bhán Theatre Company concoct next.
After 22 years, and with over twenty original shows under their belt, Dreamshed Theatre know a thing or two about the creative process. While I’m sure they’ve experienced the much-worshipped eureka moment, they have also, no doubt, experienced the drought of Writer’s Block.
And that is the basis of this show; two creators, performers and old friends, trying to come up with their next big Fringe Festival hit show. Write what you know, perhaps!
Bill Cronshaw (Dreamshed’s Creator and Artistic Director) and John Martin Stevens (Associate Director) are a delightfully witty (and somewhat grumbly) duo, bouncing off each other’s dry humour and scathing observations. There is a one-upmanship between the pair; trying to outdo each other’s ideas, pinch snippets of script, and bag the biggest role. They are an enjoyable watch and have a similar feel to classic comedy duos; ever exacerbated with each other, but loyal at heart.
Throughout the show, we are privy to fragments of performances from a range of scripts of varying quality as they try to make their minds up. There are cliches, questionable accents, and an attempt at adaptations as the pair are doing their best to decide what their next Fringe audience will enjoy.
Many creatives in the audience will be able to relate to – and appreciate – this agreeable portrayal of the artist’s struggle.
If you are a lover of dance, predominantly non-verbal theatre, this performance by an ensemble of young, talented and professional dancers, is a must see.
Moreover the performance is a wonderful introduction to novice dance audience members to the world of vibrant movement, sound and lighting in a live performance by an accomplished ensemble of dancers supported by an excellent team of technicians.
A pertinent contemporary performance of the world that teenagers and young adults need to navigate through, the right to feel safe and a warning about individuals out there who dangerously threaten the well-being and indeed life of young, vulnerable and unsuspecting adults. The performance skilfully combines a variety of dance forms such as contemporary dance, expressive movement accompanied by spoken dialogue, rhythmic controlled movements to the beat of text messaging and frenetic clubbing dance.
The performance is haunting and shows the effect of spiked drinks on unknowing, innocent victims out for the night to share in a celebration. The dance is beautifully choreographed and performed combining different paces, stillness which is vibrantly contrasted with the frenetic movements of clubbing which increases as the spiked drinks take effect leading to a breakdown.
RS Dance Company don’t leave you with a gloomy and despairing conclusion but rather use the medium to inform the audience about the extent of the epidemic of spiking drinks, the need for caution when clubbing and the road to recovery through talking therapies and friendships. We witness the slow recovery from isolation, fear and shame from falling victim to this common crime. ‘Unknown’ informs the audience about the dreadful statistics of victims of spiking and ways to regain trust and eventually be able to enjoy well-being and the pleasure of clubbing together safely.
This is an outstanding performance by an accomplished ensemble of young dancers, beautifully backed by a compelling sound track and skilfully using projected images and lighting to enhance the performance and switch the location, time and mood of the different episodes. It will undoubtedly appeal to audiences throughout the UK and indeed to a wider international audience.
A wonderful trip inside the mind of an incredibly creative person, Shaun Sorial’s tale of an unfortunate little boy turning into a tomato is full of warmth, wit, and humour. This five-minute long performance is packed full of twists, turns and very funny jokes.
Congratulations to Shaun on this wonderful debut, I’ll never look at a tomato in the fridge in quite the same way again.
To begin at the beginning, the very beginning, Giorgia Ciampi takes us on a journey through the very earliest stages of evolution and creation, a journey presented through physicality and movement, a journey that looks at how we came to be, and asks us to consider how we grow, and what we aspire to be.
Songs, unique soundscapes and some spoken word pieces guide us through the evolutionary progression of a mollusc in the primordial soup, but it’s through Giorgia’s movement and dance that we are truly able to connect with the trials and tribulations of the little lifeform, needing to toughen up and fulfil its potential. Giorgia can dance, the strength and poise of her movements portraying the slowness of the creature’s early life cycle are impressive, but when juxtaposed against sequences featuring the erratic tides of the ocean, they showcase a remarkable physical performance that displays both control and chaos.
Approximately 4 billion years ago, events were set in motion that resulted in life on Earth. Don’t miss your opportunity to feel what it was like and ponder whether we have lived up to our potential.
Thousands of years of folklore and mythology have taught us lessons we all know by heart; and while different folkloric traditions can’t agree on exactly which bridges have trolls living under them, or where a dragon’s weak spot is hidden on its chest, they can all agree… You must stay away from the Bad Thing.
But what do they know? Luckily for us, Simon, curator of the The Bad Things Experience is in town, and we are all invited to meet the Bad Thing up close and personal, very personal.
Bad Things is an absurd clowning experience unlike any other, when The Bad Thing, clothed in a pair of Y-fronts, a Santa hat and very little else emerges onto the stage to entice us with his gifts and freakish sense of humour, the audience is made aware very quickly, that there are no boundaries to where this show could take us.
Bad Thing is not alone; he is joined on stage by his faithful companion Dog and a beguiling potential love interest that this reviewer won’t spoil. Together they take us on a journey through this hilarious nightmare.
While the absurdist nature of this show imposes no limits on what these characters can do, the performances by Joe Brooks, George Jacobs and Will Jones shine through the grim, slime covered world they have created for us. It’s their commitment to the characters and their performance, their revelling in the ugliness of it all that makes this show something else, and despite the grotesque nature of the things they are doing, they can’t hide just how much they are enjoying bringing it to life.
Clowning, the bond between man-dog and beast, interpretive dance, and a bold new analysis of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS are just a few of the delights that Bad Thing has for us in his little sack.
Don’t miss it, it’s the fringiest show at the Fringe.
Imagine a world in which every conceivable aspect of our lives, if every single service and institution that we rely on to exist, could be altered or removed entirely in the pursuit of increasing profits.
Perhaps it is not so difficult to imagine such a scenario in 2025, it seems like these decisions are being made by companies every day. Which is why Too Big To Try by Fungus and Moss is worth checking out, as they imagine what it must be like, to be a young, intelligent and compassionate person working hard to do good in the world, only to discover that the only companies offering that kind of opportunity have very different motivations indeed.
Full of energy, the performances from Lara Jordan, Finn Brannigan, Harry Pender bounce around the stage as fast as the rapid-fire dialogue, bringing to life the absurd mundanity of office life butting heads with the often illogical and insane policies and projects demanded of them by their management.
This reviewer was reminded of the physicist Lisa Meitner, whose research and experiments were taken from her and used to build the atomic bomb, capturing the feeling of helpless injustice at the hands of bureaucracy is when this play is at its best, and it is a play. It is so wonderful to see this company taking their first steps as a company, doing so with a fully fledged script and confidently taking to the stage with a production not afraid to hold a mirror up to the times we are living in.
If you want to be fully entertained and engaged ‘How I Almost Died’ is a performance well worth seeing. It is packed full with comedy, pathos and anti-climax. A masterful performance of original comic writing. Matthew David Jones creation of Otis Mallard, a tragic comic character, intrigues the audience as the layers of the onion are skilfully peeled away to gradually bring the audience closer to the tragic comic truth.
A simply staged performance with competent use of lighting and sound track to change the place and tone of this slick performance. The layers of comedy explore the struggle to be ourselves in a world of 5 minutes fame, a need for acceptance and to be seen as exceptional. Otis Mallard is an unreliable narrator who inadvertently exposes the banality of contemporary life. He is a fascinating fantasist, a liar and an engaging entertainer whose deft use of multi-role playing and storytelling creates his tragic-comic inner and outer worlds. The performance ends with a twist in the tale, and makes the audience ponder on what happens next. Perhaps there is possible sequel to this play; a journey to selfhood, wellbeing and self-worth without the need for fabrications and fantasies?
A creative, theatrical one man show, full of comic moments, pathos and a rich subtext. An accomplished script and performance of comic-tragedy, or as Matthew David Jones wittily dubs it, a ‘dramedy’.
Take a look at your hands. What do they say about your life, your experiences, your time on this Earth?
IzOkei’s Tina invites us to take a moment to consider how our bodies, our palms, our fingertips can tell others about what makes us who we are. She explores the incessant march of time, and how we never have enough; how time affects our bodies, and how we can face our anxieties. There is a brief contemplation of fertility, age, and womanhood, and a consideration of the complexity and multi-layered nature of memory.
This is an intimate, one-woman show with no need for props or a set. Instead, we have connection, quiet contemplation, and even some time to meditate on who we are and where we have come from. Tina holds the stage beautifully; she is warm, relatable, and gentle. It feels very much as though you have found yourself in a secret space, where you can pause life for a brief spell, and look inward.
If you have ever felt worried you’re ‘running out of time’, experienced the pressure to ‘keep up’, or noticed how your body changes day by day, this show is sure to speak to you and help you feel connected.
Often, when we walk through the doors of TheatreFest venues, we find ourselves in the strangest of places, and here, we enter a strange little cottage to spend some time with a witch and a dragon.
Following on from their fantastical Draenoggin, which charmed us in 2024, JackShaw are back with an all-new show, and another wonderful opportunity to listen to tales from enchanted woodlands, curious creatures and magical folk seeking company, comfort and connection.
It is a dark and stormy night – a classic setting for some mysterious storytelling – and the witch and the dragon have three tales to share. The witch is lonesome, the dragon is brooding, and the mood is ripe for reflections on loss, love and learning. It is time to hear from the much-maligned ‘baddies’ of folklore and legend, as they reveal their softer sides.
These stories are not only entertaining and well crafted, but have heart and depth. They are short but intricate, with moments of wit and beauty, and are sure to delight audience members of all ages. The JackShaw trio have fantastic stage presence and chemistry, too, and their use of puppetry and simple staging is a treat to watch.
Slip away from the hubbub of the Festival weekend to spend a little time with some master storytellers in a land far beyond North Devon.
Eden Ballantyne has returned to Fringe Theatrefest for his third year of storytelling with Stories Alive, and this time he’s determined to share the adventures of the Norse gods in all their selfish, brutish glory.
Prepare to be transported back to times of ancient myth and legend, and discover how tales have been twisted by time. Stories Alive do away with the friendly, charming, gregarious characters we imagine Thor, Odin, Loki and company to be (thanks, Marvel!) and instead reveal their tricks and lies, their deceit, and their cunning. They are, it transpires, far from the friendly figures we know and love in film today!
Instead of Barnstaple’s Guildhall, it is easy to imagine that you are tucked around a crackling fire with like-minded curious folk and a hot cup of something in hand, as a bearded stranger bedecked in Viking cloak and tunic regales you with the slightly gory and the mightily obscure.
Eden – a natural storyteller with a twinkle in his eye – takes you from tale to tale with wit, warmth and a wide smile, almost as if he is giving you the sneaky inside scoop, the real deal, the unfiltered stories that were once shared before Hollywood got its hands on them.
To hold an audience’s attention with nothing but a well-lit stage, a suitable costume, and a wooden box is no mean feat – but with Eden at the helm, this journey to another world is easy, and we discover a world of enormous serpents, shapeshifting deities and stone giants.
Whether you know your Heimdall from your Hoder, or you have little to no knowledge of these ancient times, this is an hour well spent.
At the very heart of Fringe TheatreFest is storytelling, of all kinds, for all folks.
For 2025, The Puppet Roadshow brings us a charming and heartfelt story of patience and growth with The Fairy Who Wanted to Fly.
We meet Mary, a little girl who loves nothing more than spending time with nature in her Grandfather’s garden, and who wishes to fly like the fairies in the forest. As the story grows, some spiteful sprites and a dishonest raven challenge Mary’s curious and trusting nature, but honesty and support triumph over ambition and deception.
The hand-carved puppets in this show are utterly delightful, offering a great amount of beauty and character. Their loveliness is enhanced once you learn of the personal journeys that make them unique; each scrap of fabric holds a treasured memory, and each design element is carefully considered.
The raven swoops overhead; the fairies flutter between audience members; and Mary delights with a simple head tilt and a wave of her ‘gardener’s’ hands.
At its surface, this is a colourful, whimsical, nature-filled story of innocence, imagination and hope. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find messages about resilience, support, and patience that will resonate with anyone who has navigated challenging times in life.
Here is a show for all ages and is sure to enchant while leaving us with a sense of poignancy. The Fairy Who Wanted to Fly is a wonderful example of how storytelling, creativity and characters can help us navigate, understand, and accept the ups and downs of life.
Allow yourself to be whisked away for a few minutes of gentle, yet layered, entertainment.
Demand for places in Fringe TheatreFest has almost doubled amongst North Devon companies in the last 5 years. And a substantial part of that welcome pressure comes from local theatremakers beginning to forge a career.
Fifteen years ago, at the end of her last school term, Poppy King volunteered for Fringe TheatreFest. This year she’s been heading up the Fringe comms. In between she’s been to drama college, worked in London, started a family and moved back to North Devon. She’s currently working for Beaford in a production role and – huge excitement – has her first play in development through the Landmark Theatres’ Seed Commission scheme.
Joining Poppy on stage is Jess Cox. Fringe first knew Jess as a reviewer for the Fringe blog when she was back from Aberystwyth University for the summer. Jess is now a senior member of the Fringe production team and has regularly presented her own work at Fringe over the last few years. She currently splits her time between North Devon and Bristol, working in a variety of theatre roles. She has become a regular member of the Burn The Curtain team.
This year Jess is appearing in i.e. theatre‘s Cavalier! which was part of last year’s Seed Commission programme at Landmark Theatres. The production now reaches its apotheosis at this year’s Fringe – though who knows what further heights it might aspire to! Cavalier! is a rumbunctious mix of ridiculousness, games, calamitous music and biting satire set at the outbreak of civil war in 1642.
The other members of the cast – Elliott Grant and Isaac Burnett – are also making their way in the world of theatre, having made their mark at Fringe TheatreFest, Elliott based in Bristol, Isaac in Dundee.
.Sam Gilroy made her Fringe debut in 2014.having just graduated from a Contemporary Dance course at Falmouth University.. She was a regular performer at Fringe for a number of years before moving away to find work in Hampshire. A couple of years ago she moved back to Devon and has been re-establishing herself in the area. Her first solo show, Belly Flop, is a semi-autobiographical piece of work looking at the intersection between life and career and becoming a mother The piece has been developed in assocation with the Exeter Phoenix where she is an Associate Artist and will be part of Villages in Action‘s From Devon With Love scheme.
Nathan Rodney-Jones has been part of Fringe TheatreFest since, as a young teen, he was a guest performer with experimental theatre company Almost Human. He has lapped up everything that Fringe has thrown at him – all kinds of theatre experiences to inspire him, but also volunteer and reviewing duties. Latterly, he has premiered a number of mesmerising spoken-word shows that blur theatrical boundaries. And this year, as he graduates from the prestigious creative writing course at the University of East Anglia, he appears for the first time in drag in his brand new show Tube tops and tribulations of a falling woman.
Nayomie James, who is presenting a revised version of her great success from last year’s festival, Does It Hurt? has been taking advantage of the wonderful theatre-writing scheme that Paines Plough offers nationwide – in collaboration with Landmark Theatres here in North Devon. This will lead to her first fully realised play script as a solo writer – though she has a wealth of experience of devising theatre collaboratively.
So, to summarise, there is a wealth of opportunity for developing work in North Devon and Fringe TheatreFest is a great platform on which to share that work, get feedback and be inspired by other theatre-makers.
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