Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9227 6288
http://www.fringeworld.com.au
Three and a half weeks of entertainment, fun and cultural activities featuring Australian, European and American artists In boring Perth? Perth? Boring?
The FWF has dramatically transformed Perth's cultural scene for good, with a varied, interesting and independent (stress independent), offer of Music (all styles indie!), Theatre (comedy, drama, burlesque) and Films (independent & World films). The Cultural Centre really comes alive when the "Fringers" set their feet in our city and with the many activities and temporary spaces set and come alive in this space.
It is remarkable that the festival, despite its quality, has decent pricing. From the medium-high (mostly for music events) to gratis (free!) for some open-air shows. You could attend an event for less than the price you expend eating out. Is that for real? Yes! Yelp!
The festival attracts a great number of people of all ages, allured by a cultural offer that is relatively new in suburban Perth and allows us experiencing what is happening beyond our shores. We like it because we are citizens of Planet Earth, right? Aliens also like it. So good it is.
The colourful vintage ticketing caravans, the super-friendly staff, and the program were excellent in 2012. I went to four shows this year, and I reminded myself that I should had gone to many more.
DOWNS
I find a disrespectful towards Artists and the public locating their shows in places that are not well prepared for a paid show. Example - the Treasure Chest Chamber was especially opened for some of the FWF shows, and the event much publicised. I attended a theatre function there. The place did look ugly, the antithesis of an artistic-minded place, did not have any ventilation (being a Southern girl I always have a hand fan with me, that was the only ventilation I got), the room was really hot for the public, can you imagine for the actresses under the lights? Moreover, the movable grades were not steep enough, so people looked like a bunch of geese swinging their bodies to see over other people's heads. I hope they are a bit more mindful next year.
I am looking forward to next year's program and to Perth becoming, again, a cheery princess with a fringe.
