Sydney Fringe Festival 2010

First published on 3 Feb 2010. Updated on 5 Apr 2011.

Here is the exposed underbelly of the Sydney arts scene in all its glory: more unconventional, uncompromising and uncouth than anything you're likely to see under a spotlight in the city all year. From 10-26 September, theatres, pubs and public spaces in the inner west will play host to 280 events in the first ever, and long overdue, Sydney Fringe Festival, under artistic director Kris Stewart. "The inner west has always been a home for Sydney's artistic community, and we want the Fringe to continue that great legacy," Stewart says.

The two-week event will culminate in the awarding of the Independent Artist Prize, with one of the festival entrants set to win $2,500 cash. To book tickets and for more information, take a poke around the Sydney Fringe.





Something or other will definitely be in the air in the musical comedy Van Park starring 70s singer John Paul Young. Young plays a washed-up, burnt-out rocker who hung up his white disco suit long ago and is now living in a derelict caravan park full of broken rock'n'roll dreams. With the genuine musical credentials behind it - it's written by Long Way to the Top director Greg Appel and also stars Steve Kilbey of the Church - it's bound to hit all the right notes. Seymour Centre, 10-11, 16, 18 Sep, $24-$28.

If you dig cool threads as well as the swooping, oscillating tones of the Doctor Who theme, check out Lunarmorph, a fashion show with a difference. The work of cutting-edge designers will be accompanied by the sounds of laptop-shunning three-piece synth orchestra Studio Serpentine. They'll be whipping up electro hits old and new on swoon-worthy old-school equipment only - including a vintage Korg vocoder and a theremin. Enmore Theatre, Sat 11 Sep, $30.50.

For those who prefer their music with rocks in, the rockingest blimp around, the Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin Celebration, lands in Sydney for the eighth year in a row. A 12-strong band and seven guest vocalists will recreate and reinterpret all of Zep's biggest tracks, banging out an apocalyptic guitar solo or two and surely squeezing all manner of citrus fruit. Enmore Theatre, Thu 16 Sep, $79.90.

You might also find yourself tempted to sing along to the twisted, provocative folk stylings of Sally Hackett, wielding her instrument like a weapon in Just Another Cunt with a Guitar. Such modesty! Newtown Theatre Foyer, 17-18, 24-26 Sep, $20-$24.

Other highlights include:

Bygone Error  - A snappily dressed bunch dish up British music hall songs from the late 1900s with a good dollop of comedy. The Fuse Box, Enmore, 16–19 Sep, $24.

Burlesque Assassin  - Knife Waltz launch their debut EP Vintage Romance as Nikki Nouveau shows just why a man should never cross a woman. Cue nunchucks, dirty tricks and seduction. The Red Rattler, Marrickville, 11, 12 & 16 Sep, $20.

Regurgitator  - Hot off the back of their successful rescoring of Akira, the three-piece band showcase their first new material since 2007. Manning Bar, Camperdown, 25 Sep, $25.

The Tango Saloon - Julian Curwin’s acclaimed band play tunes from their dark second album, Transylvania – a unique fusion of tango, cha cha, spaghetti western and pretty much everything else in between. 505, Surry Hills, 22 Sep, $15.

Headroom - Popular Sydney club night presents a night of futuristic hip-hop beats from the likes of Cleptocleptics and Monk Fly with visuals by JAX. Hermann’s Bar, Camperdown, 10 Sep, $10.






Franz Kafka's tale of a man turned insect, Metamorphosis, inspires a new nightmare in Greta. Six years after her brother Gregor transformed into a giant bug overnight, Greta and her family haven't recovered. It's the story of a family wanting to forget, making use of shadow, animation and a creepy-crawly score provided live by acoustic folk and roots duo Portable Junk. Newtown Theatre Foyer, 16, 18-19, 25-26 Sep, $15-$24.

For something not quite so dark, a tribute to the simple pleasures of life in the two-woman clown act a tiny chorus should tickle the ribs of audience members of all ages. Its joyful combination of physical theatre and mime won over audiences at last year's Melbourne Fringe Festival, winning the People's Choice Award for Best Performance. CarriageWorks, 10-11, 14-18, 21-25 Sep, $20-$24.

With a tip of the hat to the fierce work of American theatre sadists David Mamet and Neil Labute, The Margin of Things is the story of three down-on-their-luck friends who attempt the perfect crime - robbing the home of a friend - but set a devastating chain of events in motion. Greek Theatre, 13, 15, 17-19 Sep, $20-$24.

Audiences of all ages will be delighted by The Magic Hat, based on the beloved children's bedtime story of the same name by Mem Fox. It's about a hat that transforms anyone who wears it into an animal. There'll be shadow puppetry, song, rhythm, movement and plenty of family-friendly mayhem. Newtown Theatre, 25-26 Sep, $15-$24.

The phantasmagoric theatrecraft of Philippe Genty and the Polish Plastic Theatre has inspired the show Blind, as You See It. Exploring the memories of a young woman losing her vision, and based on interviews with people who have lost their sight, it features chairs that come to life, walls that breathe and things magically appearing and disappearing. CarriageWorks, 11–18 Sep, $20–$24.

There's also a smorgasboard of gastronomic-themed events to tempt the tastebuds and your other senses besides: Deli Chicks, a play about life, work, and the art of serving up just the right amount of cheese and mince; Food for Thought, in which the kitchen meets the circus; and, for a pick-me-up, try the highly-aromatic confessions of actor/playwright/barista Christopher Sellers in Coffee.

Other highlights include:

Zetland - The world premiere of a new Australian play by young writer Jasper Marlow tells the darkly comic tale of three young men who struggle to avoid failure in the Inner West. Sidetrack Theatre, Marrickville, 14, 15, 17-19 Sep, $24.

Shakespeare in Full Colour - This fusion of some of Will’s greatest works is the second production from the Colour Blind Project – a new theatre company that showcases multicultural and indigenous talent. New Theatre, Newtown, 2042, 16, 18 &19 Sep, $24.

In the Slaughterhouse of Love: Romeo & Juliet - Shakespeare’s classic love story is retold using physical theatre and drawing inspiration taken from the mystic works of Sufi poet Rumi. The Greek Theatre, Marrickville, 21, 24–26 Sep, $24.

Starry Comet Night - This political farce looks at how mankind copes with impending disaster through the reactions of four ordinary characters who find out the world is going to end in five years’ time. Boiler Room, Marrickville, 12, 17-19 & 24 Sep, $20.

The Sensuous Woman - Naree Shields undergoes the Vagina Renaissance to become an empowered female – lewd and crude in this provocative, erotic comedy with bursts of music and clownery. School of Arts, Newtown, 10–12, 18–19 Sep, $20.



 

 

 

There'll be people and games and stories to tell, but the latest outing of former Play School presenter Monica Trapaga is definitely not one for tots. Trapaga will channel Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse and other songstresses who have succumbed to one drug or another in the tantalisingly titled Monica Goes to Rehab. Notes Restaurant and Bar, 15-16 Sep, $20.

Meanwhile, Sheridan Harbridge, direct from the Edinburgh Fringe and winner of the Sydney Cabaret Showcase, brings the frilly-frocked Mrs Bang to life in Mrs Bang: A Series of Seductions in 55 Minutes. Mrs Bang dedicates her sexy jazz and pop numbers to her many ex-lovers - including the members of her band that don't seem to have shown up. Choose your seats according to your feelings on audience participation. Notes Restaurant and Bar, 20-21 Sep, $20.Cabaret Alive and Kicking This Best Cabaret nominee from the Adelaide Fringe, featuring the outstanding vocals of Nikki Aitken, is a chaotic ode to cabaret in all its forms. Seymour Centre Sound Lounge, Chippendale, 16, 18 & 22 Sep, $20.

Other highlights include:

It's Time to Sparkle Darlings  - Experience comedy cabaret and Vegas tunes from glamourpuss Gigi Fontaine as she dusts herself off and takes to the stage once again in her first show since 1989. Newtown Theatre, Newtown, 10-12, 17, 19 Sep, $24.

Ladies & Gentlemen… Ms Denise Gold! - Fresh from Beef Week, the proud winner of ‘Miss Newcastle Showgirl 1985 (Runner Up)’ sings and dances up a NSW storm. Seymour Centre, Chippendale, 13 & 17 Sep, $20.

Only Just Begun  - Meredith O’Reilly tugs on those heartstrings as she revisits an eclectic collection of songs from some of the greatest stars who died before their time – from Jim Morrison to Patsy Cline. The Fuse Box, Enmore, 13, 17–19, 24 Sep, $24.

Beautiful Things - Freddie and Eden take us on a musical journey through a philosophical minefield where ideas of good, evil and perfection are all up for debate. Notes, Newtown, 22 & 25 Sep, $16.






Dance artist Matthew Day will unleash his first full-length solo work, Thousands - a controlled, contemplative work that challenges the very vocabulary of dance, performance and entertainment. Day dances in super slow-motion - so that we can think about it, dammit. Pact Theatre, 18-19, 23-25, $18-$22.

And the telltale click of stilettos will punctuate an anthropological, choreographic study of that most exotic of species: the Blonde. Blondes in the Wild (The Italian Forum, Leichhart, 21, 23-24 Sep, $20-$24) promises a cheeky look at blondes and blondeness - with much to say on the price of feminine beauty.

Other highlights include:

Carmen  - Yasmine Amber explores the raw passion of Carmen in an original Flamenco theatre dance version of the tragic tale incorporating gypsy songs. The Forum, Leichhardt, 16, 18 &19 Sep, $24.

A Poet and a Dancer - Sheena Miss Demeanour flaunts sizzling burlesque moves as the Storytellers serve up neo-beat poetry using exotic imagery. The Forum, Leichhardt, 13, 17 & 19 Sep, $24.

Cuckoo - This new dance theatre work about a woman-doll trapped in a deconstructed cuckoo clock is steeped in loneliness, pain, strudel and schnapps. Boiler Room, Marrickville, 21, 23, 24–26 Sep, $20.

Pistol Whipped- Get transported to a tantalising neo-noir world filled with guns, revenge passion and comedy with technical dance moves inspired by acrobatics and burlesque. The Forum, Leichhardt, 15,18 & 22 Sep, $24.

Rhythmic Enchantment - The classical Indian dance form of Bharata Natyam is given a contemporary edge in this rhythmic, spiritual performance. The Forum, Leichhardt, 12, 17 & 18 Sep, $24.

Artist Mark Dubner is the dirty-minded and drooling custodian of a collection of grisly specimen jars. His exhibition, Vile promises to be the epitome of ‘fringe' art (Ultimo Project Studios, 10-25 Sep). Photo artist Donna Bailey from the photography collective Oculi is showing portraits of kids who live in the drought-ravaged regions (Buzzzbar Café, 10-26 Sep). And finalists in the Marrickville Contemporary Art Prize include contemporary artists living, working, practicing and making in Sydney's inner west (Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Camperdown, 3-19 Sep).

Other highlights include:

artRiot - This provocative collective challenge social norms and incite rebellion with this interactive mishmash of creative political works from Sydney’s urban underground. Annandale Hotel, Annandale, 11–26 Sep, FREE.

Irreverence - Controversial, subversive and fierce, the 20 artists of Tortuga Studios open their doors. Come and snatch a peek of the underground art scene at work with this one-off opportunity. Tortuga Studios, St Peters, 18–19 Sep, FREE.

Magic Wallpaper Hideous Beauties Collection - Art and science interwine as microscope imagery of a variety of living tissues from human blood to plant ovaries is projected digitally for your viewing pleasure. Plump Gallery, Enmore, 2042, 10-20 Sep, FREE.

Black Sheep 4th Annual Google Exhibition - Thirteen artists Googled the phrase ‘black sheep’ and had to pick one of the search results as the sole inspiration for an artwork. Here are the diverse results. Hardware Gallery, Enmore, 7-25 Sep, FREE.

The Adventures of Nunu - A spontaneously improvised experience that takes the audience on a journey to the land of Nana through the joint efforts of two painters and two musicians. Buzzzbar Café, Newtown, 2042, 16 Sep, FREE.





You can (literally) hop on your bike and tag along with a tour of the inner west in Projector Bike, a 60-minute travelling show featuring video works from local artists projected on walls and buildings around Newtown (24-26 Sep, free). And don't miss all the celluloid weirdness of the 4th Sydney Underground Film Festival (Factory Theatre, 9-11 Sep).



Other highlights include:

Candy Royalle: Love Spectacular - Performance poet Candy Royalle takes us on a one-woman journey through the twists and turns of multi-sexual love. Madame Fling Flong, Newtown, 19–20 Sep, $20.

Black Friday - History and modern technology collide on the streets of Newtown as players are guided through a virtual encounter with the Union Street eviction riot of 1931 by a GPS device. New Theatre, Newtown, 14–17 & 20–23 Sep, FREE.

Celebrity Theatresports - Nine celebrities offer up their stories to be turned into hysterical live sketches by nine comedy improvisers. The laughs are all for a good cause with proceeds going to CanTeen – an organisation for young people living with cancer. Enmore Theatre, Enmore, 18 Sep, $45.

Fighting Fire - Circaholics Anonymous present a blazing show full of acrobatic antics and enough fire to keep those cockles nice and toasty. Seymour Courtyard, Camperdown, 15–18 Sep, FREE.

Steampunk Symposium - Sir Dij Dijor, inventor of steampunk, presents his compendium of bizarre contraptions from a past spiked with science fiction, alongside steampunk burlesque and vaudeville entertainers. The best steampunk costumes will win a prize! Enmore Theatre, Enmore, 11 Sep, $35.50.

The best events for kids:

Famous Maurice Flea Circus - Hard times have fallen on the flea circus and now the fleas struggle to keep the show alive in this circus show for all the family. CarriageWorks, Eveleigh, 16, 18, 21 & 23 Sep, $12-$24.

Caterpillars Can Fly - A pantomime for adults and children, Caterpillars Can Fly is the story of a little girl who dreams that the world could be beautiful. It’s performed in both English and Vietnamese. Newtown Theatre, St Peters, 18–19 Sep, $15.
 
Magic Mic Conway’s Rubbish Show  - Music and mayhem made from heaps of junk! Join Magic Mic for songs and fun galore. Newtown Theatre, St Peters, 19 & 26 Sep, $15.

Pesciolino  - An adventure under the sea for kids aged 3–9 complete with gutsy little fish, magical mer-lady and miserable shark. Newtown Theatre, St Peters, 18–19 & 25–26 Sep, $15.

For details on these and hundreds more events go to Sydney Fringe.