Fringe fest binds us together

I've heard it said that humans are not made of cells, they're made of stories. I think this goes for communities too; stories bind us together, help us figure out our collective identity, and give us the chance to understand each other better.

The Nelson Fringe Festival is an incredible gift in this regard, we are invited to share in dozens of stories from a diversity of perspectives.

Here follows a brief excursion through my Fringe encounters over the past three nights, thank you to Jasmine Turner for her mahi and for curating my schedule:

I Am. Performed by embodyMe (dance), Red Door Theatre

I Am opens with strips of cloth hanging from above and neutral masks strewn about the stage. It is the epitomy of fringe from the outset. Two dancers interact with one another, the masks and cloth. It is abstract. These are two human beings engaged in an experimental act of expression and connection; the festival providing a safe and supportive space for this to happen.

Taylor Ruddle: Panic at the Buffet. Taylor Ruddle with guest Jennifer Rose (stand-up), Studio One

Jennifer Rose is a polished, intelligent and bold comic. She delivers what I often think of as a Shakespearean device, hearts are opened with laughter and then able to experience something serious more profoundly because of this. Taylor's style of comedy is self-effacing, humble and inclusive. Taylor is genuinely a really nice human and made me feel safe. Both are wonderfully engaging storytellers.

Catfish. Salome Bhanu (stand-up), Refinery ArtSpace

Salome shares details of a life journey from Mumbai to Hamilton, parental expectations (did Salome “catfish” them?), and reveals how pink eye can be a gift. Salome brings a vulnerability to the work that is at once reckless and endearing.

Plucked Straight from the Sleeve. Flo Pauls, Refinery ArtSpace

Flo takes us on a heart-ful journey through key moments in life, each one inspiring the composition of a song, creating a moving and musical loveletter to his family. Flo creates a warm atmosphere to share a private world with the public.