Get your tickets for ‘A Woman’s Wit Wisdom and Pratfalls’ from the Exchange, our media team know first hand that Joan is a very interesting woman with a lot of stories to tell!
Find her at the Scout Hut on Saturday night at 7.30pm.
Slightly vertically challenged, ABSOLUTLEY ADORABLE young lady wants to know the answer to the following questions…
Do you enjoy tweed?
Do you feel life is better with red wine on tap?
Do you find yourself in the odd Shakesperian play?
Do you have a pulse?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then I will be willing to consider your application to be a doting suitor. Please drop a post it note through the artist registration window at The Exchange with your vital statistics and phone number. I’M WAITING FOR YOU. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
Note from the Editor – Someone please respond, she hasnt let me leave the press office for three days. For god’s sake PLEASE SOMEONE MALE RESPOND.
An alter ego which has taken the form of a pelican?
An obsession with crustaceans?
If so – DON’T PANIC!
Fringe plague is mostly harmless. Mostly.
We have asserted that patient zero was a Mister Jack Whitewood. He has been contained and we hope this outbreak will clear up by Sunday night, maybe Monday morning.
If symptoms persist, head straight to The Ventnor Exchange and have a swift import beer…maybe an Island Roasted coffee…maybe browse the vinyl…maybe buy a ticket to something nice…
Miri talks to Hazel and Katharine from Gaudy Bunting at the Exchange this morning ahead of their second show at Ventnor’s Pier Street Playhouse. The pair talk about The ‘How to Never Forget Anything Ever Again’ Show, the inspiration behind it and being women in theatre.
Attention all fashion boff’s and vintage toffs. Today is the day of the “Vintage, Retro and craft fair” kindly put together the fabulous Events co. & The Travelling Tea Rooms… We spoke to Khia Janzen – Owner and Director of the company about what to expect over the next few days.
– Most importantly, tell us when and where can we find the vintage fair ?
“We’re based at Ventnor Winter gardens – (right at the top of the esplanade) and will be open from 10am – 4pm today and Saturday.
-What kind of things can we expect to find at the Vintage Fair today ?
“Honestly, there’s so much going on, stall’s and traders selling retro trinkets and collectables, cream teas (or boozy coffees!) and of course the “Oh So Vintage” fashion show.”
-What time will the fashion show be kicking off ?
“Our models will be hitting the catwalk at 1pm sharp on both days. We’re incredibly lucky to have the fantastic “Oh So Vintage” lending out their garments to us, it’s going to be a real treat!”.
-Has Vintage culture always been a great love of yours?
“Yes definitely, when my business partner and I started the company I would say I was the main driving force for the vintage aspect. The Travelling Tea Rooms are all kitted out with over 170 different kinds of 60’s – 80’s china wear. Anything made after then just doesn’t stay in one piece. Vintage is quality!”
So Fringers, 10am – 4pm tomorrow. Fashion show kicking off at 1pm, be there or be square!
Well tomorrow it may turn up at The Plaza. Dear Great Aunt Sofia is popping in to see her nephew once removed (we think, she maybe on the run) and with her she comes in the world’s last surviving mobile sorting office, which has retro-chic charm. Within the office is an archive of undelivered letters for you to rummage through and check that Aunt Marg was right the letter was undelivered.
Or why not go old school (just like this printed paper) and pick up and quill or fire up your fingers on the typewriter and compose a letter to a pen pal for ‘Friends for Pens’. The Last post will be at the plaza to fulfill all your faux pas postal needs today and tomorrow from 11-1pm/2-4pm.
Capitan Hook; our thoughts turn to the typical villain of a children’s story, like many others he is just the ‘big baddie’ who steps in the way of good ’cause he can. There’s no more to it. Is there?
Think again. In his show ‘I Hooky’, Olly Fry presents a whole new insight in to the mind of Hook, adding depth and seriousness (but not without humour!) to a character that is not so childish after all. And,not forgetting, his toy bear Smee!
Olly gives us the perfect one-man performance, captivating his audience entirely. He also gets the audience involved, adding spice to the soliloquy.
This is a truly great show; funny, dramatic and emotional – what more can you ask for?
Wednesday at the Fringe brings all the fun of the carnival! Caroline is our girl on the town, she’s been to meet some of the people walking in the procession as well as free fringe performer Tilly Twist, Yoga with Maitri and Karen Tweed from the Sailors and Shipwrecks fancy dress ceilidh.
In a magical setting overlooking the bay of Ventnor, artist Isabel Rock treated an intimate audience to her fantastic stories. Sparkling wit went hand-in-hand with laughter and unexpected moral twists.
Listeners found themselves entangled in a world with outrageous characters and creatures. The laugh-o-meter rocketed skywards and left the audience with some wet pants.
If you have the chance, I can highly recommend that you catch the reading Friday evening at 6pm on the rock of Belgrave Rd and find out more about a mer-monkey on his mating adventure.
The Fringe Forum was joined by Bruce Webb, Ray and Caroline Foulk and hosted by our supreme lord and master, Jack Whitewood.
There were some interesting notions from Ray Foulk towards the idea of expanding the Ventnor Fringe; similar to Edinburgh Fringe. Though it seems that there is little desire or ambition to take anything away from our small town.
“I don’t see Ventnor Fringe leaving Ventnor” says Jack.
There was then a mention that Ventnor is a very different place to the rest of the Island, which to its credit, it is. The discussion moves onto how Ventnor has had a quick succession of events and venues spring up in a short time and this marvellous seaside settlement is regarded as a cultural hub of the Island. Bruce explains that he lives in Sandown and despite having lots of creative friends there, Sandown is not regarded as high on the list of places to stay. Thus bringing the idea of expanding the Fringe back around. The natural succession of conversation then turns to the substantial lack of accommodation here in Ventnor. It is noted that places like Sandown and Shanklin have it in abundance; thus a way to extend the tourism benefits of the Fringe.
The problem with accommodation is also largely down to the time of year. The height of summer is a notoriously difficult time to book accommodation. It is especially difficult to find rooms for 400 performers in this town of 6,000. They dismissed the idea of moving the Festival to another month to remove this problem; as such this will be an on-going problem.
Concerns were raised that with growing popularity and demand, people are worried that VFringe would lose its friendly boutique-esk atmosphere. These concerns were met with an uncertainty on how they plan to deal with demand but Jack explains that they have no interest in expanding to a commercial level. There were laughs toward the idea that Fosters would ever sponsor the event; they never will. Jack feels that the accessibility of the Fringe is something they wish to maintain and develop.
Bruce highlights the IOW Film Festival outlook; That even if they wanted big films, they don’t have the facilities in Ventnor and because of this, they’d rarely succumb to any kind of sponsorship. This means that the threat of the Fringe accepting any unethical financial backing (becoming inaccessible; particularly to non-theatre goers) is made redundant.
There was an interesting correlation between Ray and Jack’s very different festivals. Despite Ray’s original IOW Pop Festival being on a very grand scale, he still maintains a distinct passion to share music with the world. It seems his interest in the Fringe stems from the organisers’ similar thirst for all forms of art and culture. Both trying to stay away from the world of big conglomerates, though I think our Fringe has a little way to go before Dominoe’s come a-knockin’.
