Hold on to your hats...
Dunedin's court jester tips his topper to a rakish angle today and embarks on a 11-day romp through our streets and Presbyterian sensibilities.
The 2012 Dunedin Fringe Festival will bring 50 events, involving 370 New Zealand and international artists, to town.
The comedy cycle starts at 5pm today at the Woodhaugh Gardens, with the "On Yer Bike" costumed bike ride to the Octagon, followed by the official Fringe launch at 5.30pm.
Pick out some glad rags, pump up your tyres, slip on some bike clips and join in the fun.
The entertainment after the launch includes live music and a fashion runway show, which promises to be anything but fashionable.
The mystery of the big, red shipping container in the lower Octagon will also be revealed.
Director Paul Smith says the festival is as much about audiences taking chances as the performers.
"We all want to be surprised, intrigued and entertained and, sometimes, it's good to step outside your comfort zone and take a wee risk. The Fringe is the place where new ideas emerge and new talent is discovered."
Most shows have three-day seasons, so grab them while they're hot.
Breaking legs tonight are Fickle Finger of Fate and My Dinner with Dick at the Fortune, Be Glad You're Neurotic and Goodnight Irene at the Globe and Piccolo Cor at the Mary Hopewell Theatre.
The Polson Higgs Comedy Club starts at 7.30pm at Ironic Cafe, where James Nokise, Finn Roy, Sam Smith and Simon McKinney will be playing funny.
Later tonight, make a date with the undead at Zomburlesque at Sammy's.
When the undead are in bed, the nightly fun continues at the Festival Club at Ironic Cafe.
First up tonight is the Devil's own troubadour, Delaney Davidson, and Two Cartoons.
The Festival Club is the place to go where artists and audiences mingle after the shows.
Pop along and pop a cork, a one-liner or an ego.
The Fringe is back.
The fun starts here.
WHAT'S ON
TODAY
• Daily: Rare Goods, lower Octagon.
• Daily: Party Up Large, Cnr Vogel and Jetty streets.
• Daily: Billboard Sixty Special, Andersons Bay Rd.
• 9am-4pm: Performative Painting, Studio2 Gallery.
• 10am-6pm: Botanica Banners, Dunedin Botanic Garden.
• Noon: Fringe Picks, lower Octagon.
• 5pm: On Your Bike!, Woodhaugh Gardens and Octagon.
• 5.30pm: Fringe Festival launch, Octagon.
• 6.30pm: Fickle Finger of Fate, Fortune Theatre Studio.
• 7pm: Goodnight Irene, Globe Theatre.
• 7.30pm: Piccolo Cor, Mary Hopewell Theatre.
• 7.30pm: Polson Higgs Comedy Club, Ironic Cafe.
• 9pm: My Dinner With Dick, Fortune Theatre Studio.
• 9pm: Be Glad You're Neurotic, Globe Theatre.
• 9pm: Zomburlesque, Sammy's.
• 10pm: Festival Club, Ironic Cafe.
• Night: Music to Repel, Age Concern car park, Bath St.
TOMORROW
• Daily: Rare Goods, lower Octagon.
• Daily: Party Up Large, Cnr Vogel and Jetty streets.
• Daily: Billboard Sixty Special, Andersons Bay Rd.
• 9am-4pm: Performative Painting, Studio2 Gallery.
• 10am-6pm: Botanica Banners, Dunedin Botanic Garden.
• Noon: Fringe Picks, lower Octagon.
• 5pm: Concrete Chimera, Bunker Under Salisbury Boutique.
• 5.30pm: None DNA, None Gallery.
• 6.30pm: Fickle Finger of Fate, Fortune Theatre Studio.
• 7pm: Goodnight Irene, Globe Theatre.
• 7.30pm: Polson Higgs Comedy Club, Ironic Cafe.
• 8pm: Firestrom, lower Octagon.
• 9pm: My Dinner With Dick, Fortune Theatre Studio.
• 9pm: Be Glad You're Neurotic, Globe Theatre.
• 9pm: Zomburlesque, Sammy's.
• 10pm: Festival Club, Ironic Cafe.
• Night: Music to Repel, Age Concern car park, Bath St.
• Various: Blue Oyster Performance Series, Blue Oyster Gallery.
