From the Underground Press Office:
Underground Venues are celebrating their sixth year on the Buxton Fringe with the addition of two new spaces to their collection, and their largest programme yet – in every sense of the word.
The Arts Centre Studio and Arts Centre Auditorium – part of the state-of-the-art Pavilion Gardens development – allow space for some big shows and big names, heralding a new era for Buxton Fringe entertainment. Henning Wehn, the self-styled German comedy ambassador to England and star of Radio 4’s The Unbelievable Truth, heads a spectacular line-up of top-class comedy that also includes Isy Suttie – better known as Dobby from Peep Show – and Tom Binns from The IT Crowd and Knowing Me, Knowing You, With Alan Partridge.
Also from the world of Radio 4 comes the long-suffering, much-loved (if fictional) Ed Reardon – star of Ed Reardon’s Week (voted Best Radio Show by the Broadcasting Press Guild). Ed will be taking to the stage for the first time in a specially penned work that both celebrates and bemoans his troubled literary career to date.
The Arts Centre also plays host to some outstanding family entertainment, such as The Maharajah And The Kohinoor, a fascinating exploration of British and Indian history, recently returned from a tour of Californian schools, community centres and Gurudwaras. And the family fun continues back in the main Underground Venues base with something for all ages – from Cowboy Baby, a Texan adventure for under-7s, to Magic? Really?, an unbelievable mix of illusion, comedy, mind-reading and silliness.
And, in amongst these new stars, is a host of original work by Buxton Fringe favourites. Buxton-born Three’s Company, with award-winning playwright Tom Crawshaw, are teaming up with veteran actor and king of the one-man-show George Telfer to premiere Not The Messiah, the irreverent story of the life of enigmatic Python-star Graham Chapman. Last year’s winner of both the Best Actor and Best Play award at the Fringe – Alex Moran – returns in Hyde, a new play by local writer Polis Loizou, whose last hit The Sexes also returns.
Along with a large dose of music, spoken word and experimental, classic and physical theatre, it all makes for a bumper line up 67 vastly different acts (and counting!) From one-man shows to 15-strong spectaculars, from TV personalities to local rising stars, spanning every genre and the length and breadth of Britain (and beyond) – all packed into 4 spaces and 19 electric days – from the 6th to the 24th July.
The state of the arts in Buxton has never looked so strong!
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Underground Venues on the Buxton Fringe | 6-24 July 2011 | www.underthefringe.com | @underthefringe
See the website for all show details and maps to all venues and spaces.
Press enquiries and images: press@underthefringe.com
General information: hello@underthefringe.com