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| Joann Condon (credit: Cat Humphries photography) |
Every day we are learning more about our exciting Fringe performers. Below follows extracts from press releases giving a flavour of what’s in store from Little Britain actor Joann Condon, the revitalised Buxton Art Trail and Chapel Arts Creative Writing Group, making its live Fringe debut. For full details of their shows see our listings on https://buxtonfringe.org.uk/descriptions2022.html. If you are a Fringe performer who would like to be featured in our blog, please send your press release, or even just a quote from you, to press@buxtonfringe.org.uk.
Joann Condon: Little Boxes - alphamum productions
Little Boxes is a comedic and inspirational, self-penned story. It follows Joann Condon (Little Britain, The Last Letter from Your Lover), as she explores the boxes she has “found herself in” throughout her life: The hopes and dreams of a child, the frustrations of an acting career, the tensions of being a parent, the grief in losing loved ones, the fear of being...herself.
“Condon promises we will laugh and cry … and laugh and cry we did”
Phoenix Remix
Described as “funny, touching and at times heartbreaking,” by London Pub Theatres, Joann uses personal anecdotes to highlight assumptions and judgements made about her based-on looks, age, gender and background. The phenomenon of classifying people is called ‘social categorization’ by psychologists and can impact how others view and treat us and vice versa. Most of us can relate to experiences such as these.
“It's natural for people in our lives to want to force us into nice little boxes,” says Condon, “but the scary thing is, you often end up putting yourself in that same box."
Little Boxes is the first time she has written and starred in her own production.
BAT2022: Buxton Art Trail
Buxton’s hugely popular, award-winning Art Trail is back! The sixth Buxton Art Trail, BAT:2022, will be taking place during the final weekend of the Buxton Fringe from 23-24th July. In a first for the Art Trail, there will also be some venues exhibiting at other times during the Fringe giving BAT an even wider reach this year. Art lovers should look out for the free BAT guide brochure which lists each of the participants and events with details of all times and venues.
As ever, the event will present a huge variety of work from artists of all ages from 6 to 96, both professional and amateur and from community groups based in Buxton, but in a new feature for 2022, BAT will be based round two central venues: Buxton Infants School and The United Reformed Church on Hardwick Square. Displays will also be exhibited in artists’ studios and homes around the town, all clearly marked on the BAT map inside the brochure. With the Buxton Garden Trail running from 23-24th July as well, visitors can combine both pursuits, calling in at BAT venues at the same time!
A free event, BAT:2022 also offers a chance to join in activities and to watch artists at work. There will be plenty of work for sale but organisers stress that it is fine to come along to look and to chat and, most of all, to enjoy! Further exciting additions to the event will be announced on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, which will offer sneak previews and hints for trail-goers.
Says BAT Chair Linda Rolland: “Following on from our much appreciated outdoor event Art on the Railings in 2021, The BAT team is delighted to be able to once again present the Buxton Art Trail in its most popular format. We have a really great variety of work being shown in and around the town so we hope townspeople and visitors will visit as many venues as possible over the weekend.”
Reconnecting: Chapel Arts Creative Writing Group
Chapel Arts Creative Writing Group from Chapel-en-le-Frith in the High
Peak has announced that it will be treading the boards at Buxton Fringe for
the first time.
The local writing group will be performing its poetry, mini-plays, stories, monologues and more at two special events during the Fringe both taking place at Rems Cafe Bar and Restaurant in Chapel-en-le-Frith.
Led by author Mark Henderson, the group is open to all but includes
professional writers and award-winning talent among its ranks. Members of
the group recently scooped first and second prizes plus a longlist
commendation for stories submitted to a national horror competition run by
Fantastic Books. The resulting anthology, Dread Cold, featuring all three
stories, will be published on Halloween this year.
The multi-faceted theme for the group’s Fringe performances is
“Reconnecting”. Says Mark: “We’re all learning to ‘reconnect’ since we
came out of lockdown. However, ‘Reconnecting’ can be interpreted in many
other ways, too – and we’re exploring a lot of them! This is a great
opportunity for attendees at the Fringe to enjoy the group’s creative talent.”
A registered charity, Chapel Arts was formed to encourage the
development of a broad range of arts in the Chapel-en-le-Frith area.
