Out with the old, in with the new

Things being what they are the Fringe blogging team will probably fail to work out who is doing this and multiple messages wishing you a Happy New Year will be posted. But better two or three good wishes than none at all?
With the Fringe we don't expect many entries before January and then things pick up steadily. So thanks and congratulations to Tideswell Male Voice Choir for getting the ball that is Fringe 2014 rolling. The Choir has deservedly built up a huge and loyal following over the years and we can confidently predict a sell-out for their show in July.
If you can't wait until then there is much in the new Buxton Opera House programme that is Fringe-related. The Kaleidoscope Community Choir has its origins in Local Vocals which was established by Carol Bowns and performed at the Fringe on two occasions. Carol directs KCC which meets on Tuesdays (1-2pm in the Pavilion Arts Centre) and on Monday evenings (7-8pm) upstairs in the Old Clubhouse on the following dates:
Feb 10 & 18; March 4, 10 & 18; April 1 & 15; May 6, 12 & 20; June 3, 9 & 17; July 1 & 14. There is a promise of a Fringe Concert on July 15th!
Buxton Film runs an annual short film competition and screens the best entries during the Fringe. From March 25-30 it also screens, in collaboration with the Opera House, a Festival of World Cinema. 17 films, in 9 languages over 6 days in 2 venues. This year's programme includes at its core, films about the lives and experiences of children as well as recent box office successes such as Blue Jasmine, Le Week-end, Philomena and Sunshine on Leith.
Crimes Against Taste went down very well at Fringe 2013 and they are at the Arts Centre Studio on Friday February 14th at 7.30pm. A mix of song-cabaret-satire their new show is "Tales of Lust, Love and Heartbreak" a mixture of original songs and comedy classics this will be a memorable Valentine's Day!
Regular Fringe visitors are theatre companies Library Theatre, Cotton Grass Theatre and Black Box Theatre Company and all are at the Arts Centre Studio in March and April.
Library Theatre will be doing two of Alan Bennett's much-loved Talking Heads extended monologues. Cotton Grass is doing "The Unknown Land" written by Buxton playwright Caroline Small. A play for one actor and many characters it is a compelling tale of extreme survival with musical accompaniment by singer/accordionist Keith Kendrick.
Black Box have a history of innovative Shakespeare productions and it will be interesting to see their account of "Romeo and Juliet".
Fringe (and Buxton) favourite Matt Pritchard will be presenting his show "Extra Sensory Deception" at the Arts Centre on Sunday 1st June - an entertaining mixture of magic, comedy, deception and silliness suitable for all from 6 upwards.