The dynamic 2023 Sydney Fringe programme is here, with more than 400 events and 12 festival hubs across the city this September.
Highlights include a special performance from iconic Australian band Rogue Traders for Fringe Ignite, acclaimed local and international shows presented across Made In Sydney and the Touring Hub, Fringe’s first ever Dance Hub at Sydney Dance Company, and the return of micro-festival LIMITLESS, celebrating d/Deaf and disabled artists.
“We are incredibly excited to present the full programme for this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival, which has shaped up to be one of our most dynamic and diverse,” CEO and Festival Director Kerri Glasscock says. “Now in my tenth year as Festival Director and CEO, I have seen our festival community continue to expand, explore new terrains and push boundaries with each iteration.”
“We can’t wait for audiences to experience the innovative works as part of the festival-first Dance Hub, our hand-picked shows for Made in Sydney, plus our fabulous new precinct takeover at Entertainment Quarter. Taking over the city for an entire month, Fringe has something for everyone!”
Things kick off with Fringe Ignite in The Rocks, headlined by Rogue Traders and showcasing some of the best of the festival’s comedy, cabaret, music, dance and more. Rogue Traders will take to the Argyle mainstage, alongside The Great West, False London, MUNGMUNG, PEPTALK and DJ Victoria Anthony.
Sydney Fringe Cabaret Club returns to the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel, with a month-long programme of cabaret including Naomi Eyres with ‘GlamourPussy & The Hip Replacements’, plus, join drag royalty Hannah Conda, Charisma Bell and Carmen Geddit for a night of glamour, empowerment and entertainment. . . And, experience a mass karaoke singalong at Loafaoke where everyone is encouraged to join in, and the only options are Meatloaf songs.
There’s a distinct presence of First Nations artists and stories in this year’s Sydney Fringe too. There’s proud Ngarrindjeri/Bungandidj man and choreographer Lewis Major, who brings his intimate one-to-one performance work ‘Lien’ to Fringe’s first-ever Dance Hub. It’s an intimate exchange between Major and one audience member, who come together for a singular, ten-minute encounter. Further highlights include Brianna McCarthy’s ‘Dragon Hearts’, and weaving workshops with Wiradjuri woman and artist Peta-Joy Williams.
Chinese-Australian writer, comedian and food enthusiast Jennifer Wong will host ‘Feast’, a sumptuous night of storytelling, laughter, and Filipino food. It features Wong and six of Sydney’s funniest comedians, writers, and a chef. Plus, Hurstville Plaza will come alive for Fringeville, a huge night of live music, dance, and spectacle.
Made In Sydney is back at PACT Centre For Emerging Artists, with a programme of three locally-made works by some of the city’s most exciting independent theatremakers and artists. There’s Almitra Mavalvala’s genre-bending one-woman show ‘Blacklisted’, ‘Plenty Of Fish’ from Clockfire Theatre Co featuring Emily Ayoub and Madeleine Baghurst, and ‘Betty Is A Butcher’ from Thomas Campbell.
The Touring Hub at PACT Centre For Emerging Artists will feature award-winning productions from the USA, New Zealand, Poland, the UK, and across Australia. Highlights include Jolanta Juszkiewicz’s solo show ‘The Mother’, and Jon Bennett’s acclaimed show ‘Playing With Men’.
LIMITLESS micro-festival returns in 2023, with a dedicated hub at 107 Redfern. It celebrates d/Deaf and disabled artists, while offering an inclusive and accessible space. Highlights include ‘Crips & Creeps’, ‘The Reckoning’, and a screening of short films curated by Emily Dash.
These events (and more) join a packed programme including the Spiegeltent Festival Garden at the Entertainment Quarter Showring in Moore Park, featuring ‘The Marvellous Elephant Man The Musical’, ‘GODZ’, ‘Titanic: The Movie, The Play’, and Garry Starr’s ‘Greece Lightning’.
Tickets are on sale now.
Sydney Fringe Festival is on from 1-30 September.
