Latest news with #performances
CBC
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
2025 Hamilton Fringe Festival biggest in years and sure to 'spark joy,' says executive director
This year's Fringe Festival in Hamilton is "the biggest festival that we've had since the pandemic," said its executive director, Christopher Stanton. Stanton said there are over 400 performances happening in the city's downtown core over the next week. Many shows will be on more than once over the course of the 12-day festival, which started on Wednesday evening. Stanton said 2025 is a banner year for the festival, as it received over 200 applicants for 28 "main series" spots. "There's no sort of artistic director choosing what gets to go on the stages," he said. "It's either by a random draw or it is first come, first serve, so all of those folks that got in, they were chosen randomly." Stanton said this model gives new artists the same chance to get into the festival as those with more experience. "It really does level the playing field," he said. "It gives everybody a chance to have their voice heard and platformed." The festival has 18 indoor and outdoor stages around the city and an "insane diversity of shows," including magic and comedy shows, puppets, dances and musicals. "I guarantee something is gonna spark joy for you," said Stanton. The festival has transformed King William Street, part of which is now closed until mid-September, into a "vibrant, pedestrian-friendly hub filled with music, dance, drag, film, painting, and performance," noted the Hamilton Fringe website. "It's the living, beating heart of the festival—and the place to celebrate the weird, wild, and wonderful Hamilton Fringe community!" Programming on the street is free. Some shows and events include: Limb Loss, Love, a comedy show about the life and intersections of a disabled, mixed race and Jewish person. Fringe on the Streets – Outdoor Walking Tour, a free outdoor performance where attendees will "experience a wild and wonderful version of the city through live art." Brown Noise, a comedy play exploring different sides of the South Asian-Canadian experience. 3 Hours, 10 Minutes, a two-person drama play. A Very Queer Easter Pageant, a "drag-infused" comedy and "dramatization of the Bible's Easter story." Mind the Gaps, a performance from queer and disabled artist Nathan Lise exploring true stories from his life. Ugly Privilege, a stand-up comedy set with Vancouver comedian Jessica Pigeau. Hope in Hot Times, a "clown-inspired" physical comedy show. The Fruits that Rot in our Bellies, an "afro-surrealist ghost story" about a "young non-binary person coming face to face with the spirit realm." 500 Doubloons, a play about people's theories on a real story about a pirate who paid what is now worth $400,000 for a woman to take off her clothes. Visiting my Mother and Other Repetition Compulsions, a drama about "the complicated ways families love but not always like each other," according to its playwright, Patrick Michael Teed. Katherine Teed-Arthur, who is part od 500 Doubloons, said she's been to Fringe before and this year "feels special." "It feels like there's a real joy and exuberance and excitement for the Fringe this year that has been feeling like we were cautious in years prior, and now we've really come back into it and are able to embrace it without as much trepidation," Teed-Arthur said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Advance bookings plea to protect local theatres
Theatre goers are being asked to purchase their tickets further in advance to help keep performances running. The Corn Hall theatre in Diss, Norfolk, say they have had to cancel or postpone performances due to a low number of advanced sales. Lee Johnson, general manager at the theatre, said that as a charity, they needed people to book further in advance to work out if a show is financially viable. He said: "Booking your tickets early helps us to ensure that the event can go ahead. I can say to the producer that we've sold 100 tickets... Then they're happy, and I'm happy." Three performances have been cancelled at the Corn Hall this year because of low sales, and other have been postponed to a later date. The change in habit to favour late bookings is something that Mr Johnson said became more "prominent" after the COVID 19 pandemic. "I think people became so used to events getting cancelled during that difficult time," he said. "You'd book a ticket, and the show would be cancelled, or it would get shunted forwards by six months, then something else would happen." Mr Johnson said the cancellations had an "immense" effect on both the theatre's finances and reputation. "It's not just the impact on the charity when we need to refund people, but people also think, 'well if they've cancelled that, what else are they going to cancel'. "I really don't want to cancel any shows, but when you're talking to producers who say we are not going to make any money out of this, we are left with no other option." Adam Taylor, chief executive of Norfolk charity The Garage Trust, said he has also noticed a shift in consumer habits. He runs both The Garage theatre in Norwich, and The Workshop performing arts venue in King's Lynn. "We are seeing the same trends that are being reported by a number of other theatres across the county in terms of ticket sales being much, much later than they were before," he said. 'Rising costs' Mr Taylor said this meant more unpredictability with box office sales, and changes to programme to reflect it. "Our programmes might now be more risk averse than they were three or four years ago, presenting less of a broad stroke in programmes," he said. "Coming out of the pandemic we assumed that things were going to reset, and they very much haven't... Behaviours have changed quite substantially." UK Theatre, which supports theatres and practitioners, said they were beginning to see audiences returning to advance bookings. Hannah Essex, co-chief executive, said: "Encouragingly, there has been a marked return to earlier booking habits among regional audiences. "While theatre is more popular than ever, many venues are facing rising costs with flat or declining public investment – a situation that is increasingly unsustainable. "If we are to secure the future of regional theatres for the next generation of audiences and creatives, we must ensure there is a strategy for sustainable long-term investment." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Big drop in plays staged by theatres over past decade 'I want to promote small theatres' - Suranne Jones Gavin & Stacey star pops in to friend's show
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Advance bookings plea to protect Norfolk theatres
Theatre goers are being asked to purchase their tickets further in advance to help keep performances Corn Hall theatre in Diss, Norfolk, say they have had to cancel or postpone performances due to a low number of advanced Johnson, general manager at the theatre, said that as a charity, they needed people to book further in advance to work out if a show is financially said: "Booking your tickets early helps us to ensure that the event can go ahead. I can say to the producer that we've sold 100 tickets... Then they're happy, and I'm happy." Three performances have been cancelled at the Corn Hall this year because of low sales, and other have been postponed to a later date. The change in habit to favour late bookings is something that Mr Johnson said became more "prominent" after the COVID 19 pandemic. "I think people became so used to events getting cancelled during that difficult time," he said."You'd book a ticket, and the show would be cancelled, or it would get shunted forwards by six months, then something else would happen." Mr Johnson said the cancellations had an "immense" effect on both the theatre's finances and reputation. "It's not just the impact on the charity when we need to refund people, but people also think, 'well if they've cancelled that, what else are they going to cancel'."I really don't want to cancel any shows, but when you're talking to producers who say we are not going to make any money out of this, we are left with no other option." Adam Taylor, chief executive of Norfolk charity The Garage Trust, said he has also noticed a shift in consumer runs both The Garage theatre in Norwich, and The Workshop performing arts venue in King's Lynn."We are seeing the same trends that are being reported by a number of other theatres across the county in terms of ticket sales being much, much later than they were before," he said. 'Rising costs' Mr Taylor said this meant more unpredictability with box office sales, and changes to programme to reflect it."Our programmes might now be more risk averse than they were three or four years ago, presenting less of a broad stroke in programmes," he said. "Coming out of the pandemic we assumed that things were going to reset, and they very much haven't... Behaviours have changed quite substantially."UK Theatre, which supports theatres and practitioners, said they were beginning to see audiences returning to advance bookings. Hannah Essex, co-chief executive, said: "Encouragingly, there has been a marked return to earlier booking habits among regional audiences."While theatre is more popular than ever, many venues are facing rising costs with flat or declining public investment – a situation that is increasingly unsustainable."If we are to secure the future of regional theatres for the next generation of audiences and creatives, we must ensure there is a strategy for sustainable long-term investment." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Local paralyzed concert pianist returns to the stage with new tool
Edmonton Watch Riccardo Baldini played three performances with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Winspear last month with help from a tool he co-developed, Resonate.
France 24
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Arabic language takes centre stage at Avignon's 79th theatre festival
Culture 12:58 12:58 min From the show For three weeks every summer, the streets of the southern French city of Avignon are overrun with performances of all kinds, from classical drama to spontaneous stand-up comedy. FRANCE 24's Olivia Salazar-Winspear went to check out this year's programme, as festival director Tiago Rodrigues invites Arabic-speaking artists to show their work as part of his guest language initiative. We discuss the multimedia storytelling of "When I saw the Sea", a performance created by Lebanese director Ali Chahrour exploring the injustices and indignities experienced by migrant workers in the "Kafala" system and hear how personal stories give his work powerful emotional authenticity and a universal resonance. We also hear from Zena, one of his inspiring actresses, and reflect upon the resistance of the Lebanese cultural sector, despite the recent crises the country has endured.
