Australian performance artists Nikki Aitken and Jamie
Burgess cut a dash in the Octagon yesterday. Photo by Craig
Baxter.
The weird and the wonderful are descending on Dunedin.
The Dunedin Fringe Festival always throws dollops of colour
around town and, with this being the 10th anniversary of the
festival, we should expect it to be far and away the best
yet.
More than 300 national and international artists will bring
their experimental and contemporary acts to town over the
next 11 days.
Their imagination, talent and bravery deserves our attention
and support.
One of the best things about the Fringe is meeting the
different artists, such as Melbourne cabaret comedians Nikki
Aitken and Jamie Burgess, who were out spruiking their show
yesterday after arriving in Dunedin the day before.
''It's a very, very funny show,'' Burgess said.
''It's about being single and trying to navigate the daily
world and the show biz world,'' Aitken added.
''It's also about the relationship between gay men and
straight women. Straight women like gay men, because they can
still have a knight in shining armour.''
''And gay men like being able to be a knight in shining
armour,'' Burgess interjected.
''Or, at least, rainbow-coloured armour.''
Their cabaret show, ''Gobsmacked: Showbiz and Dating'', opens
its six-night season at Isis Lounge tomorrow. The Octagon is
the festival hub, where you can get tickets and ask questions
at the Otago Daily Times festival kiosk.
Fringe Picks are on at noon in the Octagon every day, where
you can enjoy lunch in the sun and sample the flavours of the
Fringe.
The annual Polson Higgs Comedy Club will be in the Municipal
Chambers at 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday both weeks
of the festival. Most of the funny people are from Auckland,
which comes as no surprise, really.
The festival club this year is based at new music venue
Queens, in Queens Gardens.
The club opens at 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday both
weeks of the festival.
Tonight begins with Niko Ne Zna and Whiskey and the Wench.
The 2013 Dunedin Fringe Festival is on until March 24.
- nigel.benson@odt.co.nz
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