Comedy, Cabaret and a Canadian Circus!

R.A.D Productions, Velcro City

MEDIA RELEASE

14 January 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

There’s nothing like an extravaganza of comedy, cabaret and a Canadian circus to give you a new perspective on life. Back for 2014, Dunedin’s eclectic annual Fringe Festival promises a line up featuring an array of emerging talent from the local community and abroad, with X-rated puppet shows, burlesque marching girls and Vague de Cirque all the way from Montreal, Canada.

The 2014 Dunedin Fringe Festival, which runs from 13-23 March, presents the New Zealand premiere of Carousel and Clothesline by touring Canadian circus company Vague de Cirque from Montreal. Featuring artists from world renowned circus company, Cirque Du Soleil, and a show which will come directly from the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Vague de Cirque is a must see act this Fringe Festival.

From the other side of Canada comes an award winning solo theatre show about Irish poet, singer, songwriter and entertainer Thomas Moore. New Zealand born actor Richard Hanna presents Melody Moore, a show that won Best of the Festival at the Calgary Fringe and a 5 star rating from the Times Colonist in Victoria.

These are just two of the more than 40 events set to take place at dozens of venues throughout Dunedin. Festival Director, Paul Smith, said over 200 performers from throughout New Zealand and overseas will descend on Dunedin for the Festival.

Urban Heart Productions, Finding Hephzibah

“This is our 11th Festival and it is packed full of exciting new work by some of the best artistic talent Dunedin and New Zealand has to offer,” said Mr. Smith. “The Dunedin Fringe has a reputation for presenting innovative and experimental work and we can’t wait to share this year’s programme with the wider public.”

Special events produced by the Festival include a pre-Festival Gala Launch on 12 March, the infamous Polson Higgs Comedy Club, and for the first time in 2014, a mobile caravan cinema called Reels on Wheels. This unique event will present a showcase of short films by New Zealand and international filmmakers at a variety of locations.

“We are committed to engaging directly with the public and if that means taking to the streets in a pint sized caravan, then that’s what we’ll do,” said Mr. Smith.

Another high profile street event produced by the Festival is the Fringe Fishbowl – a shop window performance space active each day of the Festival. Located in the Festival Hub the Fishbowl will feature daily performances designed to stop people in their tracks.

The Festival is proud to present 16 New Zealand works that will premiere at the 2014 Dunedin Fringe Festival. Funded by Creative New Zealand these new works are a major investment in Dunedin and New Zealand’s artistic talent and a massive boost to this year’s programme.

Flagrant Productions, In Flagrante

The Dunedin Fringe Festival is a major regional event and part of a circuit of Fringe Festivals in New Zealand and Australia. The 2013 Dunedin Fringe Festival attracted an audience of over 15,000.

The full Festival programme will be launched on 5 February 2014 in print and online at www.dunedinfringe.org.nz.

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