Written By Tyrone Baptiste
The Camden Fringe will be back for a 17th season next week!
There are over 300 shows confirmed, making it their biggest festival yet! There is something for everyone from comedy to drama which is taking place at some of the best small venues in North London. Here is our preview of some of the shows coming to Camden Fringe.
The first Camden Fringe took place in August 2006 at the Etcetera Theatre and included 57 performances by 22 acts over 4 weeks. The Camden Fringe has now grown to involve over 20 different venues and up to 300 acts annually.
Now for the preview of what's to come...
‘This Girl’ – The Cynthia Lennon Story
Monday 31st July to Wednesday 2nd August 2023
‘This Girl’ tells the story of Cynthia Powell, a shy student from Hoylake, who fell in love with a young musician called John when they met at Liverpool Art College in 1957. She became Cynthia Lennon, his wife and mother of their son, Julian. Much of the play is told through the eyes and ears of the people who knew her best, revealing previously unknown and until now, unpublished material. 'This Girl' is one of the greatest love stories of all time and this musical play charts the emotional journey of Cynthia‘s life before, during, and after Beatlemania. It features original songs and music arrangements by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Frankie Connor, Billy Kinsley of The Merseybeats, and Alan Crowley. For tickets - ‘This Girl’ – The Cynthia Lennon Story - Camden Fringe
Bar
Lemon Shed Theatre
Sunday 6th August - Wednesday 9th August 2023
Lemon Shed Theatre presents 'Bar' - a look at what is right and wrong. Created by East 15 students - this is going to be something to watch.
Smoke. Sweat. Neon lights.
The place where four women went from strangers to sisters is being priced out and sold on, and leaving isn’t easy. Every corner of the bar is engraved with history: names on the toilet doors, leftover tips from tourists and the best worst cocktails in South London. The morning after their final celebration at the bar, tensions rise and clashing moralities get in the way of what should be a peaceful end to the place they've called home. BAR uses movement and original music to relive the highs and lows of the night before. The piece explores the complexities of consent when everyone has something at stake. Frankie won’t be a bystander again, Angel needs a place to stay, and Ruby’s been waiting for Cecilia to commit. Confronted with a deadline to leave the bar and salvage their friendships, the four need to figure out what’s real and what’s right.
For tickets - BAR - Camden Fringe
INVASION! An Alien Musical
Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society
Monday 31st August - Thursday 3rd August 2023
Johnny Fox is chasing the job of his dreams at Lotus Land, Britain’s most magical theme park. But when his childhood toy comes to life, Johnny discovers the park hides a sinister secret: it's run by alien invaders!
With multiple 5* credits to their name, the team’s past work has been described as “a blast from start to finish” (TCS for last year’s hit Blue Workers: The Musical) and “the hardest I’ve laughed all Fringe” (FringeGuru for Space Mystery: A Mystery in Space), with last year’s The Man Who Wouldn’t Be Murdered being nominated for a Pub Theatre Award.
Inspired by Back To The Future and Little Shop of Horrors, INVASION! is sure to leave audiences with a spring in their step, a smile on their face - and a monster on their back!
I can't wait for this show! The music is fantastic (you will go home singing the songs) - for a taster of what's to come - INVASION! Teaser Trailer - YouTube
For tickets - INVASION! An Alien Musical - Camden Fringe
Holly Stars: Birthday
Holly Stars
Monday 7th August 2023
Holly Stars is turning 40 and she’s ready for a new decade to begin. She might be on the fast track to middle age but nothing’s going to slow her down. However, when Holly’s neighbours try to stop her from organising the party of her dreams, Holly goes to war. Will her 40th birthday be her most dramatic yet? Come and find out in this stand-up comedy special with an opening performance by Richard Energy.
Holly Stars is a comedian and writer, best known for her smash-hit west end murder mystery, Death Drop. Described by Attitude Magazine as “a spitfire of a host”, Holly also regularly writes and performs her own solo shows including Justice For Holly, Nightmare Neighbour and FORTY.
For tickets - Holly Stars: Birthday - Camden Fringe
A Theatre Show
Precarious Theatre
Friday 25th August - Sunday 27th August 2023
After the success of Failure Studies in 2021/22, Marco Biasioli and Precarious Theatre are back with a brand new show, A Theatre Show. This new thought-provoking work explores the challenges contemporary artists face in the production of their art and the lengths they are willing to go to in order for their creations to be shared with an audience. Focusing on four theatre-makers who decide the only logical way to fund the performance of their work is to become criminals, A Theatre Show wonders whether art is really worth the sacrifice.
For tickets - A Theatre Show - Camden Fringe
Neverland
act2festival
Wednesday 2nd August - Saturday 5th August 2023
The piece will be devised over a two-week rehearsal process by a group of emerging young performers ages 18-26. NEVERLAND will explore themes of "growing up", our "inner child", "escapism", and "running away" through poetry, live music, movement, and dialogue. What NEVERLAND becomes will be completely dictated by the emerging theatre-makers that ACT II works with.
Set at a festival, with a tent and a live DJ on stage, NEVERLAND promises to be the fringe show of the summer.
For tickets - Neverland - Camden Fringe
The Bareback Kings
Thursday 10th August 2023 - Saturday 12th August 2023
The Bareback Kings are a drag-king comedy group. Through improvisation, cabaret and sketch, the lads take on the issues of our age: gender, politics, twerking - whatever comes up! They’ll steal your hearts and expand your minds, one crotch-thrust at a time! Their physical, high-octane comedy is rude, crude and even heartfelt, as it explores the notion that, in these difficult times, it's still ok to be a lad. So long as you're not a nob about it. The show features improvised comedy, song, dance, and at least a dollop of lip-syncing to classic boy band tracks.
So if you like your comedy riotous, real, and with a sock down its pants, you'll love The Bareback Kings.
'Genuinely hilarious'
- The Sunday Times
Assessment Centre
Craig Henry
Saturday 8th August, Wednesday 12th - Thursday 13th August 2023
Thank you very much for your recent application. We are delighted to inform you that you have been successful at sift and following this, we would like to invite you to attend our Assessment Centre.
The Assessment centre will take place in North London and will require an hour of your time. During this time your skills and suitability for the role will be tested through a series of tasks designed to evaluate our core competencies through your performance. The dress code is smart and upon completion of the Assessment Centre, we will inform you of the outcome within 48 Hours.
We look forward to meeting you and wish you the best of luck for the day.
For tickets - Assessment Centre by Craig Henry - Camden Fringe
These are just some of the 300 amazing shows Camden Fringe is offering. Please continue to support local theatres and especially the companies who are making these shows.
To find out more and discover more shows - Welcome - Camden Fringe
It's going to be great!