Culture

Introducing the very first Big Fringe Variety Show – A spectacular night of revellery and laughter from a selection of some of the finest acts at this year’s festival.

Can’t decide what to go and see? Join us in the Big Top on Sunday 25th July at 6.30pm for this unique extravaganza as we present a mixed bill of six new acts you wont want to miss, bundled together for the perfect night out! 

Your host for the evening… Joe Black!

Dark cabaret DRAG darling, musical comedy misfit and vintage vaudeville villain Joe Black will be master of ceremonies. Living somewhere between the stages of music, theatre and comedy, Joe Black takes an audience firmly by the hand and guides them into a place where the strange and unusual reign supreme. Sounds very Ventnor Fringe!

Elsie Diamond 

Elsie Diamond is an international burlesque performer, cabaret singer and compere. Inspired by the music hall tradition of comic song, opera, pop culture and her background in costume design, Miss Diamond has an eclectic repertoire of sultry routines. Be it wartime classics, 18th-century satire or classic fan dance, Elsie will add a vintage sparkle to grace any occasion. We can’t wait to see what she brings to Ventnor! (You can also catch her full length solo show at the festival)

The Ventnor Darlings

Ventnor’s very own Darlings have been knocking about this old town for a long long … long time. They are regularly to be found in local establishments butchering the classics. Singing along is encouraged, if only just to massage their egos. Often to be described as ‘musically adequate, but always well dressed’, VD isn’t just an malady, it’s a lifestyle!

Fanny Quivers

Fanny Quivers is the Isle of Wight’s very own cross-dressing clown who needs practically no encouragement. This handsome woman is here to make you laugh and bring you some joy. Her specific talents are yet to be determined, but she can guarantee you’ll get a show… whether you want it or not!

The Oddfellas 

Having recently fled from Parts Unknown, The Oddfellas are returning to the stage once more! With their unnatural blend of magic, mischief, and mayhem we’re excited to be amazed and amused by their antics!

And Special Guest… Pat Gently

Last but by no means least, this is the one and only Pat Gently. We’re delighted to hear she’s coming out of retirement for a very special guest performance as part of the The Big Fringe Variety Show. Created by Ventnor Exchange especially for the festival. What an honour! 😂

Don’t miss out, book your tickets online here

With the Government confirming all legal restrictions on social distancing to end, we wanted to provide additional information on exactly what to expect at this year’s Ventnor Fringe.

We can’t wait to welcome you back with ten days of inspiring creativity after 15 difficult months. It’s going to be a particularly memorable moment and an extra special celebration this year. However, we know not everyone feels able to be among large crowds and while we are a relatively small event, we’ve been putting lots of planning in place to ensure everyone can take part, at a level that feels comfortable for them.

1.)  The Return Of Live Music

The lifting of restrictions means the return of standing gigs and dancing! It means shows with the likes of Gengahr, Do Nothing, Los Bitchos & Billy Nomates among others are all set to go ahead. We’ll only be operating one standing venue, Harbourside, and we’ll be recommending all audiences use the NHS Track & Trace QR Code provided at the venue. We’ll also be creating an extra seating space for those who’d prefer to remain further away from the stage but still listen to the music.

2.)  An Expanded Parkside

This year we’ve extended Parkside into more of Ventnor Park (It’s approx 3x the size!) to provide lots of open space for those wanting to soak up the atmosphere but keep away from the crowds. There’s lots to see and do, with live music on the Bandstand each day, a new bar, wellbeing sessions and an ever rotating selection of street theatre, buskers and traders or check out the ticketed shows in our tents.

3.)  Standby Tickets Are Valid!

If you’ve bought a ‘Standby Ticket’ for any event at the Fringe, these are now valid. Venues will return to full capacity, but we’re working hard to ensure good ventilation in all of our spaces, a maximum capacity in any one indoor venue of 200, and extra hand washing facilities available across the festival.

The vast majority of performances at the Festival are under 90mins, as recommended by medical experts, and while not compulsory the wearing of masks is very much encouraged for those who would like to.

4.)  More Street Theatre & Busking

If indoor venues or even tented spaces are still uncomfortable for you fear not as this year there will be more outdoor theatre and busking than ever before! Alongside daily music at Harbourside and the Bandstand in Parkside (Ventnor Park) performers will be spilling out across the town so keep your eyes peeled for acts in every direction. We’ll be publishing more information in the coming days.

There’s also ticketed open air theatre taking place in both Parkside and Ventnor Botanic Garden with shows like The Three Musketeers, The Puppet Van, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Treasure Island.

5.)  No Tickets On The Door – But A New Box Office In Parkside

To avoid congestion at the entrance of venues tickets for events will no longer be available on the door. You will be able to book right up until the performance online or in person from Ventnor Exchange (located 2mins walk from St. Catherine’s Church and Ventnor Arts Club) or our new Parkside Box Office, located near the main entrance to Ventnor Park and a few mins walk from The Magpie, Parkside Playhouse and Comedy & Cabaret Tent. Both festival box offices will have dedicated team members able to help you select shows to see, answer enquires and book tickets. Both will be open from 9am – 10pm each day.

6.)  Looking After One Another

It goes without saying that we all need to look out for each other in these unprecedented times. Please respect those who wish to keep their distance or avoid physical contact, as well as our amazing crew and volunteers who have had to learn many new processes and work exceptionally hard this year to be able to make Ventnor Fringe take place. If you feel unwell or start displaying COVID symptoms, please don’t attend the event and seek a test first. Test kits are available completely free of charge from any chemists and a list of common symptoms can be seen on the NHS website here. 

It is not compulsory to have been double vaccinated to attend the festival, but please do test regularly and whenever displaying symptoms.

7.)  Support The Fringe

Love the Fringe? Please do support the event this year. As with many arts organisations around the country it has been an incredibly difficult period and despite financial support from Arts Council England and the DCMS, which we are very grateful for, there has been considerable additional costs in putting on this year’s event, and losses from the cancelled 2020 festival. Every ticket sold, drink purchased or donation made makes a huge difference and this year is more important than ever to ensure our survival and recovery for years to come. There’s nothing on the Island (heck – maybe the world!) quite like the Ventnor Fringe. With your help we can keep this truly independent, creative and community minded event for the future.

Today we’ve been chatting with The Noise Next Door to find out more about what to expect at their debut Ventnor Fringe show!

Twelve time sell-out veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and one of the country’s most sought after comedy club headliners, The Noise Next Door leave audiences everywhere in awe of their lightning-quick wit and totally original comedic talents. They have been performing their own distinctive brand of off-the-cuff comedy together since they met at university.

Hello Noise Next Door, we’re very excited about seeing you perform at Ventnor Fringe, will this be your first time at the festival? Are you looking forward to visiting the Isle of Wight?

This will be our very first time at the festival and we can’t wait! We fully plan to make the most of the trip over to the isle and do all the most painfully touristy things available – hang out at a chine, befriend red squirrels, get one of those little glass lighthouses full of coloured sand… The works.

For someone who’s never seen you before, how would you describe your shows in three words?
Excellent improvised comedy.

Improvising on the spot is quite a skill! You must have had some fantastically strange scenarios played out in the past. What are the wildest suggestions you’ve ever had to deal with? Any particular stories spring to mind?
Yes, yes, we are very skilled. At this one thing. Ask us to put up a shelf and you’ll soon see where our skills fall short! Because everything we do on stage is made up, on the spot based what our audience wants to see every show is very different and every show surprises us! We’ve had everything from a story about a group of Spanish nuns robbing a bank to a rap battle between William Shakespeare and Winnie the Pooh. Our job is to be ready for anything and spin it into comedy gold but audience members can still catch us out. We once asked our audience for a household object and someone suggested a Viking longboat! Anything goes.

After such a long time with limits on live performances due to COVID, it must feel great to be back on the road again. What have you missed about live performance most?
We can’t stress this enough. It’s really nice when a room full of people applaud you when you finish work. We think it should be implemented across all sectors.

The Noise Next Door will be performing their improv show ‘Out and About’ at the Magpie on Sunday 25th July at 9pm. Book Tickets

We’ve always believed there’s something special about Ventnor, this dramatic clifftop town that provides the perfect backdrop to the festival.

For many performers travelling to perform in Ventnor, whether during the Fringe or at other times of the year, it’s become a regular b-line from the normal touring circuit. We spoke to some of the artists who have made it an annual pilgrimage to find out what keeps them coming back!

Charlie Dore, Musician

“This will be our 4th Ventnor Fringe and each year I’m always fascinated by the sheer diversity of events. I love being part of that festival buzz and it seems that energy is reflected back by our audiences. Beyond our own bubble it’s like an Arts version of a brilliant street market: you’re heading out to buy some comedy and on the way you fall in love with a 1940’s book bus, a punk opera, a drag cabaret and end up at a puppet show. My only regret is that I never get to see enough of it. Next year I’ll book AIr B & B for the whole week. ”

Charlie Dore is performing at St Catherine’s Church on Friday 23rd July. Book Tickets

Ahir Shah Portrait Shoot TOR Studio Saturday 12th September 2020 ©The Other Richard

Ahir Shah, Comedian

“I’ve been visiting the Island to do stand-up for several years now, and my favourite bit is always after the show. The real treat is sitting in a line on the beach with friends and a beer, watching the sea roll in and a quantity of stars unimaginable to this Londoner’s eyes unfurl themselves across the canvas. There are many things in this world that serve to remind us (or do they remind us that we serve them?) how small and insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Would that they were all so beautiful.”

As well as hosting Pick of the Fringe, Ahir Shah will be previewing new material in the Comedy & Cabaret Tent on Friday 30th April. Book Tickets

Luke Wright, Poet

I’d barely even heard of Ventnor five years ago when I arrived wet-socked one march for a tour gig, but what a brilliant surprise. Ventnor has all the faded seaside charm we Brits demand from our coastal resorts plus a smattering of interesting vintage-y shops, cafes, and the incredible Ventnor Exchange which is one of the best small venues in England. I’ve gone there every year since and my heart always leaps when the taxi drops down the hill and I see the sea. And I can’t wait to return this July when I’ll be performing some bawdy Georgian street ballads at the Ventnor Fringe. Long live the Isle of Wight!

Luke Wright will be performing ‘The Ballad Seller’ in The Magpie on Tuesday 27th July. Book Tickets

Gráinne Maguire, Comedian

“The Isle of Wight has the friendliest, warmest, best looking audiences in the world. I look forward to visiting  every year- all comedy festivals should be as fun!”

Gráinne Maguire will be performing her new show ‘Subtext Is For Cowards’ in the Comedy & Cabaret Tent on Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th July. Book Tickets

Ventnor Fringe is all systems go, here is everything you need to know about how this year’s festival will take place.

Like everyone we’ve been eagerly awaiting the Government’s latest announcement and while the decision to delay the lifting of final restrictions is disappointing, we’re working hard to ensure that Ventnor Fringe will return next month.

Restrictions on events and venues are now due to be lifted on 19th July, just in time for the festival, which will take place from Friday 23rd July – Sunday 1st August.

We’re optimistic that this will be the case, but as we’ve all learnt over the past 18 months nothing is certain and we need to make sure we’re prepared for any eventuality. With that in mind we’re made a few changes to this year’s event:

Standby Tickets
Once a performance has sold more than it’s socially distanced capacity ‘standby tickets’ will become available. There are tickets that will be valid if Government restrictions are eased before the festival. However, if restrictions are extended and social distancing has to be kept at the current recommended levels, these tickets will be fully refunded.

Digital Programme
We’ve made the difficult decision not to produce a printed brochure this year. Rules on restrictions are not likely to be confirmed until 12th July and we don’t want to produce a programme with inaccurate information. Instead, we’ll be producing ‘Venue Timetables’ which you’ll be able to download from our website and print at home, or pick up copies from Ventnor Exchange.

Event Alterations
To accommodate the possibility of social distancing we’ve had to make alterations to a small number of events already on sale. This has included moving some acts to larger venues, or adding additional performances. All ticket holders affected will be contacted directly by our team.

Free Fringe
Although some events will be announced sooner, we’ll be revealing the full line up for the Free Fringe after the Government announcement on 12th July.

Thank you to everyone for all of your patience and support in these challenging times, we’re going to do everything we can to bring live performance back to the Isle of Wight and can’t wait to see you this summer!