The organisers of Ludlow Fringe Festival, which runs from Saturday 17 th June to Sunday 2nd July – have decided this year to “drop” tickets for acts as they are booked meaning they are well underway to selling tickets for the 2023 Fringe.
Anita Bigsby, Fringe organiser says, “Ludlow Fringe goes from strength to strength every year and as our reputation grows, we welcome more and more amazing performers to our little rural idyll. This year we have Jasper Carrott and Dame Judi Dench booked already, plus the highly acclaimed Flabbergast Theatre, who performed Macbeth for us last year are back with their amazing version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Flabbergast Theatres reviews:
Stewart Lee – Top 9 Shows Edinburgh Fringe
Everything you want…in this brilliantly designed show the turns themselves seem to have risen up out of the clay…Shakespeare himself would surely have enjoyed [this show]
I am glad my kids saw this. It will have made them lifelong converts of real theatre… I am glad I saw it, because it reminded me of being 19 in 1987 and coming here and having my mind blown…
For Macbeth 2022
British Theatre Guide ★★★★★
“[Flabbergast Theatre] powerfully emphasize the darkly metaphysical nature of the play…
relentless action and invention. Every perfectly constructed, tightly choreographed moment in the play is explored for maximum impact and clarity of purpose…
This is an exciting and vital interpretation of Macbeth which serves to invigorate one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays with a new intensity.”
For Macbeth 2022
She continues, “We are proud of our town, and our community and we want everyone to enjoy and be a part of the Fringe Festival, which is why we deliver events for all ages, all interests, and all pockets. There really is something for everyone in our festival fortnight, which includes performances of dance, music, talks, walks, workshops, children’s shows, magic, cabaret and comedy.”
What people may not realise is that Ludlow Fringe is a part of the broader Fringe scene that often enables up-and-coming acts to showcase their act at Ludlow before taking their show on to the Edinburgh Fringe – which is a well-known stepping stone for many performers to launch their TV or theatre careers.
Anita says, “We take a great deal of pleasure in the fact that we play a small part in helping launch careers, meaning many of our loyal followers get to see great acts first in our Festival fortnight.”
In 2022, Ludlow also saw the return of Carnival which was reinstated by the Fringe organisers. This proved popular for families and was also embraced by the schools and organisations locally who made costumes and puppets which were paraded through the streets of the town with a plethora of acts including musicians, jugglers and even Queen Victoria! She seemed “fairly amused” by the event!
In 2023 the carnival is going to be created under the theme of Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales which will feed into Flabbergasts Theatres version of ‘A Midsummers Nights Dream’, which is more mythical than the original Shakespeare play. The Flabbergast actors will also be helping local schools and organisations to create mystical costumes and props which will then be used in the carnival as well as decorating the inner and outer bailey of Ludlow Castle, meaning people coming to watch the theatre shows will get a feeling that they are part of the mystical land where fairies live. (The Fringe invites local schools and organisations to get in touch through the website.)
IMAGES: 2022 Carnival in Ludlow town centre – the theme was Eco Carnival
To find out more about the Fringe please visit their website which is www.ludlowfringe.co.uk and sign up to their newsletter, which they use to announce events and keep people in the loop.
This year they have also created a Friends Scheme where Fringe lovers can secure “early-bird tickets” by becoming a Friend, and also be entitled to 10% off two tickets for all events that take place throughout the festival fortnight, plus further events that take place as part of the Ludlow Winter Festival.
Ludlow Fringe also has options for local businesses to become “Sponsors” or “Partners” which is a great way for a business to gain visibility in the local community. There is a 25,000 circulation of the Ludlow Fringe Brochure, that accompanies the Fringe Festival fortnight, in which the Fringe are offering various advertising options.
Don’t miss out, join the loyal supporters of Ludlow Fringe and help to continue the success it brings to our county, as well as ensuring you get tickets for your favourite events
