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The Brighton Fringe is here again!  Running throughout May, England's largest arts gathering is going from strength to strength, drawing together the city's already-vibrant cultural scene and cementing its position among the leading Festivals of the world.  Informal and manageable, all events are within easy striking distance of London - or if you're coming from further afield, Gatwick's a short train ride away.

The Brighton Fringe is four weeks long this year.  In a change from previous festivals, events run from 4 May right through to 2 June - taking in both May's bank holidays, as well as school half-term.



 
Dead Happy
Published on Tuesday, 07 May 2013
4

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4 stars

At your house
Theatre
15-19, 22-26, 29-31 May, 1-2 Jun, 8:30pm-9:20pm
Reviewed by Darren Taffinder

 World Premiere.
 Suitable for age 16+ only.

Last year I applied to be a coffin bearer. It sounded like a great job for a writer – part-time and in the fresh air. In the end, I decided not to pursue it, as my own father had recently passed away and I wasn’t sure being so close to other people’s grief would be a good thing. During the interview though, I was taken behind the scenes of the funeral home, and it was a fascinating insight into something we really do not like to think about at all.

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Tiny Tempest
Published on Monday, 06 May 2013
3

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3 stars

The Warren (venue website)
Theatre
3-6 May, 6:00pm-7:10pm
Reviewed by Mathilda Gregory

 World Premiere.
 Warning: Contains flashing lights.
 Family-friendly. Suitable for all ages.

Tiny Tempest is an exuberant children’s show, presented by a versatile, charismatic cast. They tell us the story of The Tempest, using key scenes from Shakespeare’s play, mixed up with songs and some physical theatre. The cast all play multiple roles, and the deft switches made by one actor between Ariel and Caliban were particularly impressive. The musical abilities of the cast were also notable and the show had some neat and clever theatricality.

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Sister Acts
Published on Monday, 06 May 2013
4

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4 stars

Marlborough Theatre (venue website)
Cabaret
2 May, 7:30pm-8:30pm; 4-5 May, 10:30pm-11:30pm
Reviewed by Mathilda Gregory

 Warning: Contains strong language.
 Parental Guidance. Under-17's must be accompanied by an adult.

This review contains language which some readers may find offensive.

Sister Acts is an incredible, sprawling, manic mess of a show. Presented in two sections, exuberant drag divas Mzz Kimberly and Son of a Tutu perform two linked stories: Soul Sisters, and Whatever Happened to Son of a Tutu?

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The Sugar and Honey Cook-Along!
Published on Monday, 06 May 2013
3

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3 stars

Upstairs at Three and Ten (venue website)
Theatre
4-6 May, 1:30pm-2:10pm
Reviewed by Mathilda Gregory

 Warning: Contains strong language.
 Suitable for age 16+ only.

Sugar and Honey are part of the baking and home-crafts craze that has taken off in the last few years and shows no sign of slowing. Setting the startling innuendos of The Great British Bake Off in their satirical sights, this duo, in bright wigs and retro frocks, have picked a subject matter that is ripe for mockery. And their left-field barbs often hit the target.

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Mess
Published on Sunday, 05 May 2013
5

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5 stars

The Nightingale (venue website)
Theatre
4-5 May, 7:15pm-8:15pm
Reviewed by Darren Taffinder

 Parental Guidance. Under-17's must be accompanied by an adult.

A musical about anorexia may not sound like the most uplifting way of spending a Saturday night. In fact, going in, I was more than a little anxious; plays about “Big Issues” can so easily end up feeling like a very special episode of Grange Hill. Especially when the words “semi-autobiographical” are used. But I needn’t have been nervous… because this one was brilliant.

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The Sleeping Trees Odyssey
Published on Friday, 03 May 2013
5

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5 stars

Marlborough Theatre (venue website)
Theatre
2 May, 9:15pm-10:15pm; 3 May, 7:30pm-8:30pm, 9:15pm-10:15pm
Reviewed by Mathilda Gregory

 Warning: Contains strong language.
 World Premiere.
 Parental Guidance. Under-17's must be accompanied by an adult.

Sleeping Trees are tipped by the Marlborough Theatre, in their programme, as stars of the future; and after seeing this show, I’m happy to second that. The company’s three performers, James Dunnell-Smith, Joshua Smith and John Woodburn have put together a wild-eyed tale, with mime and music, lots of jokes and some very physical theatre, all to recount Homer’s Odyssey – or what they could remember of it without going back to check.

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Housemates - The Sitcom
Published on Thursday, 02 May 2013
3

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3 stars

Hanover Community Centre (venue website)
Comedy
17, 24, 31 May, 8:00pm-10:00pm, 8:20pm-10:00pm
Reviewed by Darren Taffinder

 World Premiere.
 Suitable for age 16+ only.

Sitcoms are like hamburgers: easy to make, but hard to do right. I’m a big fan of the format, and done well they can be fantastic. All the best examples, whether it’s Friends, Seinfield, The Office or even Keeping Up Appearances, share three main traits – strong characters, a solid plot and a willingness to push a scenario as far as it will go.

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Buddhism: Is it just for Losers?
Published on Wednesday, 01 May 2013
0

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preview

The Nightingale (venue website)
Theatre
30-31 May, 1 Jun, 9:00pm-9:40pm

 World Premiere.
 Warning: Contains strong language.

For this, the last of our advance picks for the 2013 Brighton Fringe, there are two things we need to make clear. Firstly, we don’t think that Buddhism is for losers. And secondly, it’s the wildest of all wildcard choices; all we really know about it is what we’ve read in the programme blurb. But when we looked more closely, and saw who was behind this provocatively-titled show… well, it was simply too tempting to resist.

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