Bigger Fringe Festival to cater to all tastes

CAPETONIANS are in for a treat when the annual Fringe Festival gets under way from September 21 until October 8 at the City Hall in Cape Town.

The Cape Town Fringe is in its fourth year and is the newest member of the prestigious World Fringe Alliance.

For the first time, the event is set to showcase 104productions across various genres including drama, dance, comedy, performance art, illusion and music.

The Fringe also includes the free Cape Town Buskers Festival, taking place daily at the V&A Waterfront from October 5-8. The line-up sees local and international street performers working the hat with highly physical and entertaining acts.

There are many newcomers to the Fringe this year, from theatre to music and more. These include Samthing Soweto, an upcoming music star from Soweto, Queerly Beloved by Naked Girls Reading which is a small cast of beautiful women who remove their clothing (yes, all of it) and read to an adoring audience. This act is dedicated entirely to queerthemed readings, queer authors and LGBTQI stories.

Benjamin Jephta Elektrik will perform original jazz compositions interwoven with rap/ spoken word, and many more artists will perform.

It is also the first year that the Cape Town Fringe Festival will be a multi-venue festival with 13 venues across the city.

The venues include: Makukhanye Art Room in Khayelitsha, Alma Café in Rosebank, Jolly Carp in Retreat, Fringe Club at the German Club in Gardens, Zolani Sport and Recreation Centre in Nyanga, and Black Box Theatre in Delft South.

“The programme has been developed to be innovative, inspired and significantly Capetonian in subject matter and relevant to all South Africans – exploring slices of life from the perspectives of different Cape Town communities,” said Sascha Polkey from Rabbit in a Hat Communications.

Tickets for the Fringe Festival vary. To book, visit capetownfringe.co.za and register. From there, you will be able to book and pay for your tickets.