So what's on at the Fringe then?
The Newbury Fringe this year runs over two days. Sunday's family arts day has been added to with an extra day of music at the Bandstand.
The Newbury Fringe this year runs over two days. Sunday's family arts day has been added to with an extra day of music at the Bandstand.
The Newbury Fringe Festival 2006 has been funded by:
Building on the huge success of last year's Fringe we are busily putting together an even bigger and more exciting programme for 2006. In addition to the usual Sunday of family arts and crafts this year will see two full days of music at the Bandstand in Victoria Park.
New this year also will be theatre, poetry and song in the Central Library on Sunday afternoon. The Watermill Theatre's Will Wollen has written a short play specially for the Fringe at the Library - Oi! are you reading at me? will be performed three times during the afternoon by actors from the town's famous Watermill Theatre. The Newbury Poets Workshop and Enborne Consort will complete the programme at the library.
Cool laid-back jazz is the theme for an afternoon in the Balcony Bar at the Corn Exchange. Hot on the heels of their sell-out success at New Greenham Arts local jazz band Gail Hendrickx Jazz Experience and two supporting bands are planning a fantastic afternoon of cool jazz.
Whilst in the Corn Exchange take a look at the Open Studios exhibition there; Aspects of The Landscape.
Following on from the immensely popular mosaic work shop of last year, local artist designer Paul Forsey is back on Fringe Sunday with another innovative workshop for everyone to join in and create their own personal piece of art. This year, we are fortunate also, to have local artist Jonathan Diorio running a hands-on ceramics workshop in Victoria Park. This promises to be a highly innovative activity under the guidance of an artist renowned for his teaching of children and young people.
Want to make music yourself? Berkshire Young Musicians Trust have been sponsored by Greenham Common Trust to present two music workshops for families and individuals who have no musical training, but who would like to make music for the first time. These Sunday workshops are for everyone from the age of 8 to 98 and no previous musical experience is required.
More theatre is planned for this year's Fringe with local theatre groups and schools lining up to perform on Sunday afternoon. Newbury Dramatic Society will perform their one act comedy What's for Pudding?, a fast-paced and entertaining play which delves into the lives of its five characters as their boring Saturday evening rapidly turns to intrigue.
Dance is alive and well in the Kennet Centre again this year with a big programme of local dance groups. Newbury's number one shopping centre will reverberate to the dance on Sunday 28th May.
To complete Sunday's Festival atmosphere, as well as music and the arts there will be stalls in Victoria Park exhibiting an array of local crafts. This is a fabulous chance to discover the wealth of talented local crafts people, and to take the opportunity to try your hand at a variety of items such as jewellery, basket making, tatting and weaving.
The Sunday Fringe would not be complete without it's connections with the ever popular Art on the Park. With its hint of Paris as artists display their paintings on the railings of Victoria Park. This is art at affordable prices with many one-off ceramics, original wood designs, jewellery and paintings to choose from. Talk to the artist who created your chosen piece of art.
This year the Fringe's music programme in Victoria Park is planned for two full days on Sunday and Monday from 12 noon to 8pm. A wealth of local singers, musicians and bands are being signed up to perform. See you there!
Keep checking here as our programme develops, and help to shape the festival by telling us who you would like to see on stage at the Fringe - click here to contact and tell us.
