Fringe to celebrate its 50th anniversary
Three weeks’ worth of music, dance, and drama
Windsor Fringe starts today (Friday) with a three-week programme of eclectic events marking its 50-year anniversary.
The Fringe will include a mix of music, dance, drama, cabaret supper club, pop-up art and even a secret event.
One key event will be the 19th Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing 2022. Amateur playwrights worldwide were invited to submit a 30-minute one-act play – bringing in 90 scripts from 23 countries.
Three winning scripts were selected by the judges and will be transformed into plays performed at The Old Court Windsor, over three evenings: October 7, 8 and 9.
The winning scripts are
Black Forest by Valerie O’Connor; Person of Interest by Mike Pearcy; and The Exhibit by Euan Mumford.
One of the three will be chosen as the overall winner and awarded the £500 prize at the awards ceremony on Saturday, October 8.
Other events include:
■ Joni’s Soul, Friday September 23, 8pm, The Old Court
Joni's Soul began as a collaboration between singer Gina Foster and guitarist Ronnie Johnson, attracting ‘some of the UK’s finest players.’
■ Girls Record Lounge Presents Babylon, Saturday, September 24, 7pm, The Old Court
An evening of music, canapés, rum punch, an art exhibition and the film Babylon – a 1980’s British classic directed by Franco Rosso, written by him and Martin Stellman (Quadrophenia), and shot by Academy Award winner Chris Menges (The Killing Fields).
■ Time Machine Dropouts, Friday September 30, 8.30pm, The Old Court
Join the Dropouts as they traverse musical genres through the last 50 years, blending DJ skills with live music and cosmic lights.
■ The Human Library, Saturday October 1, 10am-1pm, Windsor Baptist Church/Tree House Cafe
A Human Library involves a 10-minute conversation with a ‘Human Book’, where difficult questions are expected and answered.
■ The Bloody Poets, Friday October 7, 7.30- 9pm, The Loading Bay Cafe
A one-off theatrical storytelling experience combining music, poetry, dance and visual arts.
■ Windsor Fringe Secret Event, Saturday, October 1, 7.30pm, secret venue
Take a chance on a secret event at this year – details of the meeting point will be sent via email to ticket holders.
■ Multi-venue pop-up, Saturday October 8, 12-6pm, The Hope/Prime Studios/The Loading Bay Cafe
A platform for artists to showcase and sell their original works: prints, T-shirts,
crafts, Vinyl and collectables. Also featuring vegan food, a record fair, DJs, live music and more.
■ Gabi Garbutt with Christine Walters, Friday October 14, 8pm, The Old Court
Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations are a soul-punk band with radio play on BBC6 and Radio X. They have toured with acts such as the Libertines, Big Country and Edwyn Collins, and The Boomtown Rats.
■ Cabaret Supper Club, Saturday October 15, 7.30pm, The Loading Bay Cafe
Chef Chris Nelson will provide a full three-course plant-based dinner, while special guest Naomi Wood will provide cabaret/circus themed entertainment in between courses.