Organisers ready for city's first Fringe festival

Organisers of the first Midlands Fringe Festival say they are hopeful of drawing in audiences to the 17 shows across Wolverhampton.

Following the tradition of the Edinburgh Free Fringe, the local event is asking audiences to "pay-as-they-feel" at the shows put on at K Teas Cakes, Lych Gate Tavern and The Qattery between 25 and 27 July.

Other shows will see comedians Lucy Porter and Stephen K Amos perform at the Arena Theatre, with tickets costing £15.

Organisers, Steve Pottinger, Dave Pitt and Emma Purshouse from Poets,Prattlers and Pandemonialists, said the festival "will be an opportunity to experience great shows while enjoying a coffee or a pint".

The collective of poets, all from Wolverhampton, said they wanted to put an event on in a city they know well.

"Fringe is all about taking theatre/performance out of its usual setting and presenting it in pubs, cafes and other available spaces, Mr Pottinger said.

"This helps break down barriers and makes it more accessible to folk who might not feel at home in a conventional theatre.

"We've chosen venues which are inviting and welcoming, where the management are as excited about the idea of bringing Fringe to the Midlands as we are."

The group have previously performed at the Edinburgh festival and said they "wanted to bring a bit of that magic to our own region", and have secured funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England to make it happen.

The University's Arena Theatre did a lot to support local creatives and was an obvious choice for the two headline comedy shows on Friday and Saturday.

"For the past several years we've worked closely with Wolves Lit Fest, and as part of that we've put on five Fringe shows over the course of the Saturday afternoon of their festival," Mr Pitt said.

"This Midlands Fringe festival is a step up from that, and we're very grateful to Arts Council England for providing the funding which makes it possible.

"The festival will be an opportunity to experience great shows while enjoying a coffee or a pint. Any money the audience throw in the hat goes direct to the artist – that's what Fringe is all about."

Ms Purshouse said the group hope to build on the first year and keep the event going.

"This year is us dipping our toes in the water – we'll be keeping our fingers crossed for positive feedback from performers, venues, and audiences alike, so that next year we can build upon what we're doing this time round, and make it bigger and better," she said.

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