London Fringe 2010 Launch

London Fringe director Greg Tallent reports (edited):

The Press Launch for the London Fringe 2010 (www.londonfestivalfringe.com, 2-27 August 2010) was held on Tuesday evening 6 July 2010 in The Actor's Church, (also known as St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ED) in the centre of Covent Garden, London. There were performances by various fringe artists to give a flavour of the tremendous variety of art and performance in the London Fringe.

The evening included details of the ten new London Awards for Art and Performance 2010. The London Awards will be presented to winners and commended artists at a ceremony in the Palm Court at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel, Aldwych, WC2, on 26 August 2010, at 19:00.

Charles Wahab designed a new cocktail, the Fringetastic, for the event, and artist Rosa Genchi painted the London Fringe 2010 painting. It was followed by a party at the Phoenix Artists Club. There's a press release for more information at http://londonfestivalfringe.com/general/awards/press/index.php

Programme: 18.00-18.30 About the London Fringe and London Awards 2010; welcome in the Church; music: Michael & Jane vocals, Oliver Lincoln-Scott piano. 18.30 Comperes: Comedians Eric Lampaert and Joel Dommett. 18.35 Music: Helena Isabelle, Oliver Lincoln-Scott & band. 18.45 Welcome to the Fringe by London Fringe director Greg Tallent. 18.50 Art in the Fringe by poet Cahal Dahal. 18.55 About 2 plays on the Fringe by Amy Tez. 19.00 Belly dancing by Shifan Salih & Gypsia. 19.10 About London Awards for Art and Performance 2010, by organisers. 19.25 Opera by Stephen A Brown. 19.30 Finale by Eric Lampaert & Joel Dommett. 19.30 to 20.00 Drinks, networking, music. 20.30 Launch Party at the Phoenix Artists Club, Soho.

Around 200 people came, including: London Awards for Art and performance 2010 organisers Gillian Best Powell (art), Tracy Howl (photography), Louise Ayling & Imogen Crouch-Hyde (comedy), Kaye Conway (best play), Cahal Dahal (poetry), Maude Laflamme (theatre writing), Patrick Lyons (new music); Kate Smith (London Debates organiser), Daryl Folkard, Terence Anderson, Genevieve Sibayan, Wendy Thomson, Diana Thomas, Nicola Hollinshead, Andy Powell, Fleur Poad, Saskia Willis, Jonathan Hansler, Catherine Balavage.

Hot August Fringe 2010 Launch

Hot August Fringe (HAF, www.hotaugustfringe.com, 26 July to 28 August 2010) launched on Friday 25 June 13:30 to 14:30 at Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT, www.rvt.org.uk, 372 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HYs). David Mills (in absence of joint organiser Catia Ciarico) writes (edited):

'About 40 guest nibbled canapes and quaffed champagne while watching a selection of performances from the five-week festival. Included among the audience were Paul Burston & Ben Walters (Time Out), Gill Manly, Catia Ciarico (HAF), Paul Oxley (RVT). Performances included: Tricity Vogue as the Blue Lady, strumming her ukelele, serenading the crowd with numbers from her show The Blue Lady Sings; Hackney Empire music-hall favourites Underbling & Vow and resident bearded lady Timberlina with an end-of-the-pier singalong from their Double Decker / Sightseeing Bingo Knees-Up; steamy yet cheeky acrobatic dance from boy-lesque troupe More or Lesque; a preview of Cognitive, a one-on-one solo performance installation from London's hottest enfant terrible performer, Scottee. Paul Oxley, owner of the RVT, spoke about the HAF and its success in its inaugural year 2009. The attempt this year is to be more focused and more ambitious at the same time.'

Camden Fringe 2010 Launch

Camden Fringe (www.camdenfringe.org, 2-29 August 2010) is now in its 5th year. Its launch party was on 14 June 2010, 19:00 till late, at the New Diorama Theatre, 15 - 16 Triton Street, Regents Place, London, NW1 3BF (www.newdiorama.com).

Michelle Flower, co-director (with Zena Barrie), of Camden Fringe writes (slightly sub-edited):

'I think there were about 300 people there through the night, most of whom were performers. Some people who came: Chris Mellor (Camden Council), Steve Bennett (editor, Chortle), Tony Hadley, Josh Loeb (Camden New Journal), John Jackson Almond (Shaw Theatre), John Plews (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), George Sallis (Lion and Unicorn), Tamzin Paskins (Lion and Unicorn), Matt Ball (Camden People's Theatre), Fringe Report Award winner Rosie Wilby, Trent Burton (Trunkman Productions), Catie Wilkins & Lauren Shearing (both glamourous), Penny Sims & Susan Turnbull (ravishing), Dan Mersh / Paul Litchfield / Jeremy Limb (The Trap), Ricky Dukes (Lazarus Productions), Gemma Leader, Martyn Donnelly, Charlotte Chinn & Ari Levy (crucial members of the Camden Fringe team), Frazer Brown (Rival Theatre Company), 3 x Divine Divas, Harry Deansway (The Fix).

'The party took place at the New Diorama Theatre, where people packed out the foyer and explored the stage space (which was, at the time, set for a production of Faust, so was looking very dark and decadent). The party started at 7pm and filled up quickly. The free booze (a selection of pink and white fizzy stuff) was quickly consumed so attention shifted to the New Diorama bar and the charming staff behind it. It was a very informal affair - no speeches or performances, just a chance for venues, performers and producers to meet each other and for many brochures to be collected and taken home. Michelle Flower & Zena Barrie (joint directors, Camden Fringe) hosted, with help from Gemma Leader and Charlotte Chinn. There was a nice picture in The Stage on the 1 July 2010.

'There were many yellow balloons, and it took until 10pm (3 hours into the party) for the first balloon to be sucked dry of helium and for the squeaky singing to begin. The hosts left at 11.30pm leaving a few stragglers propping up the bar.'

Alternative Fringe 2010 Launch

The launch of London Alternative Fringe Festival (www.alternativefringe.com, 1-31 August 2010) 'a month-long celebration of the Capital's alternative nightlife' was held on Thursday 8 July 2010 at Soho night club Madam JoJo's (www.madamejojos.com, 8-10 Brewer Street, London, W1F 0SE). It was hosted by the festival's director Alexander Parsonage who writes (slightly sub-edited):

'We kicked off the night at 6:30pm with a drinks reception and chance for the performers, press and promoters to get to know each other over a few free drinks. At 7 the audience started arriving, a mixture of friends and fans of the various acts involved in the night, a lay pubic curious to see what August is going to have in store, a slightly conspicuous hen party complete with pink feather boas and mini pink top hat, and the general friends and supporters of the Festival keen to see it launch with all due celebration. The fabulous Des O'Connor hosted a showcase of acts who'll be appearing in the Fringe. I was particularly pleased that we were able to showcase a piece created specifically for the festival by Ben Watson [The History of Everything (in Five Minutes)]. We finished the showcase off with a set from the lovely Nina Hatchwell's new EP Nina. At 10:30 we then handed the night over to the Earl of Ealing, resident DJ at the Wam Bam Club (every saturday during the Fringe) who filled the dance-floor with a selection of 30's and 40's swing. By the end of the night a fair few free drinks had been consumed, business cards exchanged and plans for the Fringe shared and expanded upon.' Other performers included Moonfish Rhumba, Beau Burlington, Slap 'n' Tickle Girls, Eastend Cabaret, No Strings: The Gypsy, Claire McKenna Ring Them Bells!, Pistol & Jack.

The audience of around 80 included Ben Walters (Time Out), Nicola Rayner (Dance Today), Bob Catterall (City Journal), Katie Elston (Tara Arts), Gillian Best Powell (Cor Blimey Arts), Daryl Folkard (playwright), Buffy Sharpe (librettist, producer), Jenni Halton (Company Manager Pluck), Dan Simon (Artistic Director Oubliette), Paajoe Gaskins (Venue Manager, Madame JoJos), Brad Channer (Venue Manager, Jewel Bar), Tim Clark (Such Small Portions), Flavia Fraser-Cannon (producer), Belinda Wylie (actor), Laura Stowe (pr), Tracy Howl (photographer).

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Thank you to Greg Tallent, (director, London Fringe); David Mills (in absence of Catia Ciarico, joint organiser, Hot August Fringe), Michelle Flower (co-director, Camden Fringe); Alexander Parsonage (director, Alternative Fringe). To be fair to all the fringes, links at the top of the page are listed in alpha order, articles & thanks in reverse alpha order

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