rdgfringefest2016

COMEDYMUSICTHEATREFILMDANCEFAMILYIMPROVSPOKEN WORDCABARETVARIETY

20 - 24 JULY

2016

Image by www.gooeyeye.co.uk

WELCOMEWelcome to the Reading Fringe Festival 20162016 started with a bang for Reading, as it welcomed in the Year of Culture. A chance to celebrate all that is fantastic about Reading’s arts community.This year in honour of 2016 the RFF have gone for a whole new look and increased the number of acts that we have on offer, the festival is positively bursting at the seams with comedy, art and thea-tre. A big thank you to Simon Pursey who did our redesign, if you would like to check out more of his work then contact us!A big thank you to our featured artist Tim Wilson for allowing us to use his wonderful piece of artwork on our front cover. Check out more of his stuff at www.gooeyeye.co.uk or www.fb.com/gooeyeyeAs ever we are incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors and partners. Without you the festival would not be possible.Most importantly though is you, our audience. Thank you for continuing to support the Fringe Festival or if you are a new supporter, welcome! Come and be blown away by what Reading and beyond has to offer!Happy ‘Festivaling’ from all of us at the Reading Fringe Festival!

eventu

Female Arts

SPONSORS & PARTNERS

Become a Sponsor Reading Fringe Festival is an ever growing event, over the past 4 years we have seen it go from strength to strength, growing in audience numbers and acts. By supporting RFF you could be a part of our journey, helping us to grow and continue attracting talent from across the world to Reading. You will be supporting the local arts scene by helping us provide an important platform for groups heading to Edin-burgh and beyond.

Reading Fringe offers a range of corporate sponsorship and hospitality opportuni-ties to suit any budget. Associate your company with the Fringe whilst targeting our audiences or enjoy a specially designed hospitality package. For more information please contact [email protected].

Become a FriendBe our friend, our audience members underpin the success of the Reading Fringe Festival and we would love you to be our friend! Be a part of the RFF’s journey and help us continue our work!

Map data © 2016 Google

VENUE MAP1 Milk Bar

Penta Hotel

Watlington House

Purple Turtle

Shehnai

Progress Theatre

RYND

The Rising Sun

Broad Street Takeover

St Laurence Church

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6 WAYS TO BREAK A BIRD

A poet and a parrot make sense of their fears.If you’ve ever met a parrot, you’ll know that they feel no shame. So, for a woman whose body does not fit the societal mould, they make pretty good companions. This is the story of a feminist with body issues and an anxiety disorder, learning to live with a parrot.Spoken word 1hr Becci LouiseFri 22 Sun 24

21:0018:30

£6£6

Progress Theatre Milk Bar

ALTERNATIVE QUEEN

Showcasing the biggest, brightest and downright eccentric side of Reading. For one night only come and be entertained by our talented Royals-to-be, all competing to be crowned Reading’s Alternative Queen 2016. Proud to be raising money for SupportU.Cabaret 1hr30 Steph Weller

Sun 24 19:30 £10 Penta Hotel

TICKETS READINGFRINGEFESTIVAL.CO.UK

@RdgFringeFest fb.com/RdgFringeFest

BANGING FUN STUFF

A physical comedy with a strange policewoman. We want everyone to have fun and prance joyfully about the place. But a crime has been committed and worrisome PC Pauline needs your help to solve it. Her fate is in your hands. And so is yours. Part adventure, part cry for help, part party.Comedy 0hr55 The Cutlery CrewSat 23 18:30 £8 Progress Theatre

BEST OF SMOKING HOTStand-up that’s Always Smoking and an audience that is Always Hot! This ‘best of’ show is taking a look back over the last two years. Smoking Hot was founded in 2014 to showcase the under-ground Reading stand-ups. Comedy, Stand-Up 1hr Lucas Jolson

Wed 20Sat 23

21:0020:00

£8£8

Watlington HouseProgress Theatre

BRAND NEW COMEDY SHOW!8 actors, 3 weeks, no script. witness the result! Di-rected by ‘London 50 Hour Improvathon’s’ Seamus Allen. “...professionalism I would expect from people with many more years experience.” - Get ReadingComedy, Drama 1hr READ CollegeWed 20 19:30 £8 Watlington House

(Small Step)

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BUDDHISM AND CATS

A stand up comedian who over thinks life to a silly degree. If you got your idea of adulthood from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. but reality hasn’t lived up to the expectation, if you live more in your head than in the moment, if you feel connected online and profoundly disconnected from people offline, this show is for you.Comedy 1hr Simon CaineSat 23

Sun 24

21:00

18:30

£8

£8

Watlington House (Small Step)Purple Turtle

CASPAR THOMAS MAGIC & MENTALISM

Rarely attempted, interactive, sleight-of-hand magic & mentalism. Magician & comedian Jerry Sadowitz says, “Caspar’s sleight of hand and mentalism is of a standard rarely seen anywhere, and never attempted by the current generation of magicians. Phenomenal!”Magic 1hr Caspar Thomas

Thu 21 19:30 £8 Purple Turtle

CLARE PLESTED: FLOCK UP

Character comedy with sequins and sambuca.Character comedy show by one half of the critically acclaimed Plested and Brown. “Plested’s a natural character actress” (Scotsman). “Like a better-looking Dave Allen… it’s a pleasure to spend time in Plested’s company” (chortle.co.uk).Comedy 1hr Clare PlestedThu 21Sun 24

21:0017:00

£8£8

Purple TurtlePurple Turtle



BROAD STREET TAKEOVER

Sat 16th July Seska (Magician)Clowning around Clown Parade Reading Rock Academy Reading School of Dance A Midsummer Night’s DreamClown Showcase

ExtrasStory time on the busFace Painting

CLOSING PARTY

The end of the fringe is not a time to be sad. Come and have a drink with us and celebrate this wonderful year of fringeynessBeverages Until Late Reading Fringe Festival

Sun 24 21:00 FREE Penta Hotel

Talented troubadours play short sets in town centre pubs. 15 minute, acoustic sets played in a variety of bars across town by roving musicians. Take your choice, stay in one pub and see a succession of per-formers or follow one act and visit many hostelries!

All Outside Marks & SpencerAll FREE

11:00 &11:4012:1512:3013:0015:05 & 15:1515:20

20:00

10:00 - 15:0011:00 - 13:00

Sun 17th July Reading School of DanceSpoken WordFlamenco ThiefDJ Dance & HairShowtunesJelly Workshop

ExtrasStory time on the busTroubadour takeover

11:0011:3013:0012:0014:0014:30

10:00 - 15:0012:00 - 17:00

Heart FM’s Michelle will be attending on Sat 16th from 11am

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cocktail bar

www.milkreading.com

Award winning rum and

8 Merchants Place, Reading Est 2012



DOUZEXNTHONY and The Penny Slots continue their journey to Eurovision. In 2015 Pop Star XNTHONY and The Penny Slots thought they were heading to Eurovision. Equipped with glitter and host of potential bangers, they’re convinced they’ll make it.Cabaret, Theatre 1hr X & Co.

Fri 22Sun 24

21:0015:30

£8£8

Penta Hotel Penta Hotel

FEMALE ARTS FEMINIST REVIEWING WORKSHOP

Gender in the performing arts - a free workshop on reviewing. Would you like to be a critic? How should you structure a review? What is a ‘feminist’ review? Learn about reviewing the performing arts and gender inequality in a free workshop. Open to all genders.Workshop 3 Hours Female ArtsSun 10 Jul 11am FREE Rising Sun Arts Centre

THE FROGS

Attila’s absurd physical theatre ensemble take a trip to Hades. Inspired by Aristophanes’ ancient Greek comedy ‘The Frogs’ as they venture into the Underworld to bring a recently deceased celebrity back from the dead.Comedy, Drama 1hr15 Attila Theatre

Sat 23Sun 24

14:3017:00

£8£8


DON’T KEEP YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND!

Your suggestion turned into a fully-formed, improvised story! Specialising in narrative improvisation the group take on a one-word audience suggestion and turn this into a comedic story.Improv, Comedy 1hr Left Foot FirstFri 22 19:30 £6 Purple Turtle

FILM FESTIVAL

Reading’s own Film Festival featuring a wide variety of short films from every genre. Join us for a great cinematic evening including the results of our international short film competition and the Fringe 48 hour film challenge. Film 3hr Workbench Productions

Wed 21 19:30 £8 RYND

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IGNITE!The stand-up comedy greatest hits of Spain’s best export. Ignacio Lopez brings his greatest comedic hits to a show crammed with one liners, songs and clash-of-culture silliness. A stand-up comedy variety show, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.Comedy 1hr Ignacio LopezWed 20Fri 22

21:0021:00

£8£8


GRAVESIDE MANNERA one-man show that’s positively overflowing with gloom. A disheartened poet, Miserable Malcolm (Bill Jones) attempts to entertain the audience with poems about death and despair, appalling chit-chat and the world’s worst adventure story. But somehow he can’t keep off the subject of his ex-girlfriend, Mavis.Comedy, Spoken Word 1hr Bill JonesSun 24 17:00 £6 Milk Bar

HAMLETSomething is rotten in the state of Denmark. At Elisinor secure psychiatric hospital the ward porter, Hamlet, is having to deal with a continuing sense of paranoia and fear. The inmates have decided to help him out by performing a play for him.Drama 0hr40 John Madejski Academy Thu 21 19:00 £8 Penta Hotel

eventu eventu.co.uk0118 324 0800FROM HEAD TO TOE IN

BERLIN

Comedy and Melody from Weimar to Weill. International cabaret chanteuse Baroness Maria von Hackemann welcomes you to a night of 1930s Berlin Lieder. You are invited to join her vintage Berlin Cabaret for a collection of Weimar cabaret delights penned during the world’s first global financial crisis.Cabaret, Comedy, Music 1hr Maria Hackemann

Wed 20 21:00 £8 Shehnai

Your local independant sandwich bar and coffee shop!

theshedcafe.co.ukThe Old Forge, 8 Merchants Place, RG1 1DT

@shedcafe

fb.com/shedcafe

Proud supporters of technical and design services to the Reading Fringe Festival from the very start in 2013Weddings, Parties, Theatre, Dance, Schools, Corporate Entertainment and more since 2008.

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SUN 10 JUL

11:00 - 14:00

SAT 16 / SUN 17 JUL

11:00 - 17:00

WED 20 JUL

19:00 - 19:50

19:00 - 21:00

19:30 - 20:30

19:30 - 20:10

19:30 - 22:30

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:00

THU 21 JUL

19:00 - 19:40

19:30 - 20:30

19:30 - 20:30

20:00 - 21:30

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:20

21:00 - 22:00

FRI 22 JUL

19:00 - 20:30

19:30 - 20:30

19:30 - 20:30

19:30 - 20:30

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:00

21:00 - 22:00

Rising Sun Arts Centre

Broad Street

Shehnai

Milk Bar

Watlington House

Purple Turtle

RYND

Purple Turtle

Shehnai

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Purple Turtle

Watlington House

Shehnai

Purple Turtle

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Progress Theatre

Purple Turtle

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Purple Turtle

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Progress Theatre





X-Hibition - Photo Exhibtion - 18+

The Servant of Two Masters

MOMologues 3: The Final Push

The Frogs

Pericles - All at Sea

Space Radio Show

I Hope You Are Happy

Banging Fun Stuff

Three Wise-ish men

Mad Monkey Improv

Mozart’s ‘Gran Partita’ Unwrapped

Wonderland 2.0

Uusikuu

Best Of Smoking Hot

Buddhism and Cats

Kinder Music Play and Singalong

DOUZE

A Teacher’s Guide to Surviving Zombie Armageddon

Clare Plested: Flock Up

The Frogs

Graveside Manner

Buddhism and Cats

6 Ways To Break A Bird

Alternative Queen

Closing Party

SAT 23 JUL

12:00 - 18:00

12:30 - 14:00

14:30 - 15:50

14:30 - 15:45

16:30 - 17:30

16:30 - 17:30

18:00 - 19:00

18:30 - 19:25

19:30 - 21:30

19:30 - 20:30

20:00 - 21:30

20:00 - 22:30

20:00 - 22:00

20:00 - 21:00

21:00 - 22:00

SUN 24 JUL

10:30 - 11:30

15:30 - 16:30

15:45 - 16:25

17:00 - 18:00

17:00 - 18:15

17:00 - 18:00

18:30 - 19:30

18:30 - 19:30

19:30 - 21:00

21:00 - LATE

Purple Turtle

Penta Hotel

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Watlington House

Progress Theatre

Purple Turtle

Watlington House

St Laurence Church

Penta Hotel

Rising Sun Arts Centre

Progress Theatre

Watlington House

Penta Hotel

Penta Hotel

Purple Turtle

Purple Turtle

Penta Hotel

Milk Bar

Purple Turtle

Milk Bar

Penta Hotel

Penta Hotel

Circle the events you want to see and check the timings don’t clash don’t forget to factor in transport times to the next venue

Kids Show

FESTIVAL PLANNER 2016

Female Arts Feminist Reviewing Workshop

Broad Street Takeover

Zaatari

Three Wise-ish Men

Brand New Comedy Show!

A Teacher’s Guide to Surviving Zombie Armageddon

Film Festival

IGNITE!

From Head to Toe in Berlin, Comedy and Melody, from...

Best Of Smoking Hot

Hamlet

Caspar Thomas Magic & Mentalism

I Hope You Are Happy

Ma Bessie & The Pig Foot Band

Clare Plested: Flock Up

MOMologues 3: The Final Push

Wanna Dance With Somebody! Or, A Guide To Over...

Spring Awakening

Don’t Keep Your Feet On The Ground!

Pericles - All at Sea

Space Radio Show

IGNITE!

Nose Business

DOUZE

6 Ways To Break A Bird

Please note, all times correct at time of print, please check the website for the latest

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MA BESSIE & THE PIG FOOT BANDA journey through the music of Bessie Smith, empress of the blues. Combining Julia’s rich vocal sound with a band that look as well as sound the part, Ma Bessie & her Pig Foot band mix classic blues and jazz tunes with a selection of original songs and covers from the last 50 years of popular music.Cabaret, Music 1hr30 Julia TitusThu 21 20:00 £8 Shehnai

I HOPE YOU ARE HAPPYBe successful. Make Amends. Save a life. A few years ago Thom presented a megamusical to producers in an attempt to raise £50million. It didn’t work. Now he’s trying one last time. A musical exploration of the gap between ourselves, our dreams and our regrets. This is Thom’s last chance.Drama, Musical 1hr Quite Nice TheatreThu 21Sat 23

19:3018:00

£8£8

Watlington House Watlington House

(Small Step)

KINDER MUSIC PLAY AND SINGALONG

Sing and play along to children’s songs in English and German. Bring your ukuleles, tambourines, woodblocks, or a shaker you can make out of 2 yoghurt pots. Easy music chords & lyrics available.Family 1hr Maria Hackemann Age <10Sun 24 10:30 Family £12

Individual £5 - £8Penta Hotel

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NOSE BUSINESS

Physical comedy combined with storytelling, clown and a little circus. Tales from St Petersburg, the glamour, the drink, the mafia, we listen as the iron curtain falls and Joe heads for back into Europe. Returning home penniless with just the objects and memories he’s collected along the way ultimately free and happy.Cabaret, Comedy, Drama, Clown 1hr Clown NoirFri 22 21:00 £8 Watlington House

(Small Step)

PERICLES - ALL AT SEA

A physicalised re-imagining of Shakespeare’s romance of shipwreck and redemption. A tale of turbulent times and tempestuous seas inspired by Shakespeare’s fantastical story of shipwreck, love, loss and redemption. Drama 1hr Multi Story Theatre CompanyFri 22Sat 23

19:3016:30

£8£8

Watlington House Watlington House (Small Step)

MOZART’S ‘GRAN PARTITA’ UNWRAPPED

A relaxed, informal and informative presentation of a great chamber masterpiece, the Serenade for 13 Winds, perfect for Mozart fans and those less familiar with his music. 1hr30 inc extended intro & interval.Music 1hr30 Wind Soloists of the Aldworth Philharmonic OrchestraSat 23 20:00 £10 St Laurence Church

MAD MONKEY IMPROVThe improvisation show made up solely from audience suggestions. Mad Monkey Improv are back with their 5 Star improv show! No rehearsal and no script they have to rely on their imagination and wit to transform audience suggestions into hilarious scenes in the blink of an eye.Improv 1hr Mad Monkey Improv

Sat 23 19:30 £8 Watlington House (Small Step)

MOMOLOGUES 3: THE FINAL PUSHA funny and candid look at motherhood through the teenage years. By Lisa Rafferty, Stefanie Cloudier & Sheila Eppolito. From the list of parenting fails to the Seven Dwarfs of the puberty years, this play captures the laughs and tears of motherhood through the teenage years.Drama 1hr20 Forthwrite TheatreThu 21Sat 23

21:0014:30

£8£8

Watlington House Watlington House (Small Step)

THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERSTraditional Commedia dell’Arte play, fast-paced misunderstandings and a happy ending. Features misunderstandings, slapstick and traditional comedy. Our students were challenged to create their own characters.Comedy, Drama 1hr30 The Pauline Quirke AcademySat 23 12:30 £6 Penta Hotel

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A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING ZOMBIE ARMAGEDDONWhich is worse? The threat of OFSTED or zombie invasion? This teacher is forced to decide when events at her school take an unexpected turn. Will Year 3 learn their spellings? Why is the cloakroom never tidy? And will OFSTED still visit if there’s a threat of zombie attack?Comedy, Drama 0hr40 The Zombie Teacher

Wed 20Sun 24

19:3015:45

£6£6


FROCK&ROLL & ELSIE’S VINTAGE

Find us at:111 Watlington Street

Reading, RG1 4RQwww.frockandroll.com

Offering a Wonderful Selection of Affordable Vintage Clothing &

Homewares

SPACE RADIO SHOWElectric Soul Cabaret from Outer Space. The theatrical pop of the Berlin based 2 to 5 piece (vocals with piano, cello, computer, bass, and percussion, drums and brass) brings to mind ‘60s spy stories and Science Fiction movies remixed, or vintage revues.Music 1hr Feline & StrangeFri 22Sat 23

19:3016:30

£10£10


SPRING AWAKENINGWhen the pressure of growing up becomes too much. The play deals with a group of school children just entering the age of puberty. Imaginative beings speculating about the mysteries of life.Drama 1hr30 John Madejski Academy Fri 22 19:00 £8 Progress Theatre

THREE WISE-ISH MENA stand up show: three comics and plenty of laughs. A mathematician, a philosopher turned radio presenter and a scientist walk into a bar... and put on a stand up comedy show! We promise three comics and plenty of laughs. Featuring Rhodders, Haran X and James BennisonComedy 2hr Rhodders

Wed 20Sat 23

19:0019:30

£8£8

Milk Bar Purple Turtle

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WONDERLAND 2.0Mad, bad and sad: Alice stars in burlesque Wonderland! Alice Liddell has grown up, but still dreams of her adventures in Wonderland. She can’t leave that world behind. A dark, hilarious, sensual show – you don’t have to be crazy to enjoy this ensemble burlesque performance, but it helps.Dance, Cabaret 2hr30 Dame La Reine and the Reinettes

Penta Hotel Sat 23 20:00 £12.50

WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY!

Or, a guide to managing social anxiety using theoretical physics. Josh is good at dancing, but not at people. On the other hand he did once read ‘A Brief History of Time’ by Stephen Hawking so he reckons he’ll probably be alright.Physical Comedy 1hr Running Dog TheatreThu 21 21:00 £6 Penta Hotel

UUSIKUUUusikuu take you on a very special sepia-tinted musical journey with their thrilling tangos, cheeky foxtrots and melancholy melodies of heartbreak and hope. Uusikuu’s new album Suomi-Neito (“The Maiden of Finland”), released in June 2016 on Nordic Notes, marks their tenth anniversary and we hope you join us in celebrating it with us!Music 1hr Kallaton

Sat 23 20:00 £10 Rising Sun Arts Centre

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Reading Arts Week Exhibition

Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 July 11am – 3pm

The 3B’s, Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH

The annual Arts Week exhibition returns for the eighth year and for the second year running the exhibition will return to the Town Hall. The exhibition showcases all styles and media and includes work by artists and artisans from the Reading area, both amateur and professional. Like previous years works will include paintings, sculpture, photography, textiles, ceramics, furniture, glass, mosaics, jewellery and digital art. For more information or to submit your artwork for this year’s exhibition visit www.reading.gov.uk/artsweek

Monday 10 – Sunday 17 July 2016

X-HIBITIONEmma Gruner is a visual artist working with photography and film. She produces self-portraits depicting her hyper-sexualised form, interacting with the notions of visual pleasures and consumption.Photo Exhibition Emma Gruner 18+ Sat 23 Open

12:00 - 18:00£3 Purple Turtle

ZAATARIThree years ago this was just desert. A piece of verbatim theatre using first hand accounts of Syrian children living in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.Drama 0hr50 Stage-Fright Youth Theatre

Wed 20 19:00 £6 Shehnai

Open for artOPENFOR ART2016

1/2/3 July

Reading’s three day festival showcasing ourarts, heritage, culture and creative industries#OpenForArtjelly.org.uk/open-for-art

Curated by

www.reading.gov.uk/artsweek

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Our vessels are also available for private hire Visit our website for more on celebrating your birthday, wedding, or anniversary on board

JAZZ ON A SUNDAY

Live jazz and swing on boardSelected Sundays

this summer*

SATURDAY SUNDOWNER CRUISE

Start your Saturday night out with an early evening cruise

Every Saturday at 6pm from Sat 7 May*

Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays

Cruising until Sunday 25 Sept 2016

Cruises also run daily during school holidays (see website for details).

Book online for discount prices www.thamesrivercruise.co.uk

*See our website for full details and dates.

Thames Rivercruise

@TRivercruise

Thames Rivercruise Summer Season Experience a leisurely cruise with your family and friends on the river Thames through the scenic Wind in the Willows countryside near Reading and Mapledurham.

PROUD SPONSORS OF THE READING FRINGE FESTIVAL 2016

rdgfringefest2016

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