Camden Fringe Pod

Zena and Michelle meet Nia Williams and Katie Blackwell of Three Chairs and a Hat Theatre who are bringing their show Mrs Pack to the Camden Fringe this summer. Find out about the real story behind this new piece, the challenges of putting on a fringe musical and recording your performance.Mrs Pack can be seen at the Etcetera Theatre on the 19th, 20th, 24th and 15th of August https://camdenfringe.com/events/mrs-pack/More about Nia: niawilliams.comMore about Katie: katieblackwell.comMore info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

We are delighted that Mark Ravenhill - playwright and theatre maker - agreed to talk to us about his work and to share his advice for fringe theatre makers. Mark is currently mailing out (for FREE!) 101 Exercises for Playwrights via Buttondown. You can sign up and find out more via: https://twitter.com/MarkRavenhill2More info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

We chat to Chris Grady about first time producing, chocolate cake and musicals. Chris Grady is a facilitator, workshop leader and trainer specialising in the support of the next generation of creative producers and practitioners. Chris created and ran the MA in Creative Producing at Mountview Academy for of Theatre Arts, until August 2018. He then returned to live in Scotland where he works for the University of the West of Scotland and founded the CGO Institute to deliver an online Diploma in Creative Producing from 2020. Useful links:CGO Institute https://www.chrisgrady.org/Musical Theatre Network https://www.musicaltheatrenetwork.com/Mercury Musical Development https://www.mercurymusicals.com/More info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

Michelle and Zena speak to Heather Jeffrey the founder and editor of London Pub Theatres Magazine. Heather is a playwright and artistic director of a theatre company, so is always a thoughtful and sympathetic reviewer of fringe shows. She talks about pub theatre, writing press releases, contacting the press and how to become a reviewer.Heather is on twitter https://twitter.com/HJwritesAnd you can find London Pub Theatres here: https://www.londonpubtheatres.com/ Their "Getting Into Theatre" series is well worth looking at if the themes of the Camden Fringe Pod are of interest to you.More info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

We talk about the latest news and then chat to Joe O'Byrne - the Salford Scorcese - about having a lot of brass neck and taking his many shows on the road.More info about Joe and his work: https://www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/More info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

Meet our friends in the South (of London) Rebecca Pryle and Velenzia Spearpoint. They run the Bread and Roses Theatre and the Clapham Fringe, which has now evolved into the Lambeth Fringe. Hear it expand whilst we are chatting.Bread and Roses: https://www.breadandrosestheatre.co.uk/Lambeth Fringe: https://www.lambethfringe.com/More info on the Camden Fringe: www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

Zena and Michelle catch-up with Chris Perkins and Holly Whytock from Eventotron. Eventotron is the arts admin site that the Camden Fringe (and many other festivals and venues use to contact acts and populate their programmes. We find out where it came from, where it's going and what AI means for the future of theatre and fringes.More info on Eventotron: www.eventotron.comMore info on the Camden Fringe www.camdenfringe.comOur music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

We are back for our first episode of 2024. Michelle and Zena catch you up on where things are at with the 2024 Camden Fringe, some venue news and some awards news before an interview with Leslie Ewing-Burgesse. Leslie has performed stand-up at the Camden Fringe in the past and this year has taken on the role of programming the shows for Aces and Eights in Tufnell Park.Here are your useful links for this episode:Leslie's website, including all her social media links https://leslieis.cool/about/acesAces and Eights: https://www.acesandeightssaloonbar.com/Troy Club: https://troyclubcomedy.comCamden Fringe: https://camdenfringe.com/Our music is by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

We have a lovely chat with showbiz legend Bernie Clifton ahead of the publication of his autobiography Crackerjack to Vegas. We were very lucky to speak to Bernie about how he got his start in comedy, his love of elaborate practical jokes and taking to the skies on an ostrich.Order Bernie's book here! https://www.bannisterpublications.com/product-page/crackerjack-to-vegashttp://www.bernieclifton.co.uk/We'll be back with more regular episodes in the new year, when the Camden Fringe opens for applications for summer 2024