With over 4000 artists and 350 different shows, you could be excused for feeling daunted about the Melbourne Fringe program. For navigational purposes, I’ve compiled my picks for a literary Fringe experience. Featuring top-notch writing, robust debate, standup superstars and magical stories, these are the ‘MFringe’ events that will interest those with a love of literature…
Banjo With the Ploughboys as house band this extravaganze of song, poetry and narrative is the perfect chance to rediscover the works of Banjo Paterson.
BULLET: a super hero comedy Celebrating the re-emerging genre of radio plays, SJ Green and S Fabri present this live reading of six episodes of their superhero comedy.
FUGLY! One of Melbourne’s kookiest – and most talented – theatre companies, Sisters Grimm, presents an art-drag performance party like no other.
Pirate Rhapsody, Mermaid Requiem Go on a romantic journey as cabaret artist Tommy Bradson retells Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid with an original score by John Thom.
Political Asylum If current affairs is your thing, don’t miss this LOL-a-minute lineup of political satirists.
Welcome to Thonnet Teenage fiction writer couldn’t find a publisher for his novel, so he adapted his manuscript for the stage…
Your Show is 15 Minutes Too Long An all-star lineup of critics debate the current stage of arts reviewing and criticism in the digital age.
There are also events by lit-crowd favourites Crikey, Going Down Swinging and Women of Letters … and that’s just the tip of the artistic iceberg.
For more inspiration throughout Melbourne Fringe, be sure to visit Buzzcuts, featuring daily event reviews written by the young writers at Express Media.
What are your picks for the Melbourne Fringe?
Lisa Dempster is the author of Neon Pilgrim and editor of the Australian Veg Food Guide. She is also the director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival.