MORE anarchic and more says Jimmy Fay of Bedrock Theatre "Company, the people behind this year's Dublin Fringe Theatre Festival, when asked what makes the fringe different from the main event. Decoded, this means that it has a smaller budget, smaller venues but Probably more fun.
Apart from the question of why this fringe is "official" as in sanctioned and approved by the main festival, when most fringe festivals cheerfully wave two fingers at their parent festivals this year's line up of the third Dublin Fringe, unveiled at Whelan's bar last night, looks pretty happening (as they say in fringe vernacular).
There are more than 60 productions from Ireland, Britain, the US, France and Poland doing their theatrical thing in venues ranging from Andrew's Lane Theatre to Bewley's and various pubs and clubs around the city centre.
Titles include Piwnica Pod Baranami (the oldest cabaret from Europe), Scenes From A Haemorrhage ("featuring the funniest Irish man since Blind Brother Hennessy"), My Name Is Kate Perry d'And I've Been Drinking (self explanatory) and Trawatch (Dollymount strand meets Baywatch).
Like most international fringes, there are bundles of stand up comedy. The notable Australian based Irish comic, Jimeoin, is doing a one off gig at the Ambassador Cinema, past Perrier nominee Owen O'Neill (from Tyrone) is doing his one man show, and The Nualas, complete with that post modern twinkle in their eyes, are doing their "rural babe", stuff.
In recognition of the wild success of Irish comics at this year's Edinburgh Fringe (still the original and best of the fringe species), the Temple Bar Music Centre transforms itself into a late night comedy club with award winning comics, Tommy Tiernan, Jason Byrne, John Henderson, Patrick McDonnell, and loads more.
The fringe starts one week ahead of the main theatre festival (on September 30th) and runs until October 19th.
