Each year, the theatre world’s eyes turn to Edinburgh as the Festival Fringe gets going. It is the biggest gathering of creatives in one place you will ever get to see. It is an opportunity to meet others in the industry and see some amazing, thought-provoking theatre and, between a few of us at Norwich Theatre, we will see almost 150 shows across the Fringe.
The Fringe is where artists and creatives cut their teeth and hone their skills. For us at Norwich Theatre, it is a chance to find the next big thing for our stages. We are very proud that year after year, we can bring our Norfolk audiences the very best of the Fringe. As I write this on the train back from Edinburgh I can say that we already have upwards of 30 shows from this year’s Fringe in our Playhouse of Stage Two diaries to make sure our audiences in Norwich and Norfolk will see it first.
However, the Fringe is more than just seeing amazing shows. It is a melting pot of cultures, a constant driver of inclusive practice, and audiences are open to seeing and trying new things. You also get a deep sense of what society is thinking, how they are reacting to the news of the day, and what matters most.
This year, by far and away the best work I have seen has been female-led and it seems like a really exciting time for work created by amazing creatives within our sector who identify as female and the stories they want to tell. Of course, you have Fringe royalty like Sophie Duker, Maeve Higgins, Bridget Christie, and Ria Lina but other stalwart Fringe female creators such as Bryony Kimmings, telling the incredibly interwoven stories of female circus artists in their 40s and 50s, and Norwich Arts Centre favourites Sh!t Theatre with a profoundly moving show about loss and grief.
In addition to these, a new play, Lynn Faces, written by Laura Horton and co-commissioned by Norwich Theatre, has just won the Birds of Paradise Exceptional Theatre Award. The show is about Leah, who is trying to recover from a toxic breakup by forming a punk band with her friends inspired by Alan Partridge’s long-suffering assistant Lynn Benfield. It is funny, farcical, and poignant and explores the impact of abusive behaviour and the power of female friendship. This incredible show will visit us at Norwich Theatre Stage Two in January. Trust me when I say you have to come and see it if you get the chance.
Although there is undoubtedly still a need for more female creatives, it’s brilliant to see female talent shine both on stage and off and receive more acclaim than ever before. What is incredible about these shows is the shift to having frank discussions about female experiences. Whether that is about relationships, illness, friendships, and so much more, they are being told in creative ways through the unique female lens. One of the biggest success stories of the Fringe in recent years has been Fleabag and Baby Reindeer and it was also amazing to see the producing tour-de-force of Francesca Moody, who cut her teeth in Norwich at curious directive on Elm Hill, back with two Fringe Firsts again.
While it is true that these stories are from women’s perspectives on topics, they are ultimately about the human experience. Regardless of how you identify, the chance to see some fantastic creative work that pulls you in is one of life’s greatest joys.
Representation matters. Seeing women’s experiences reflected on stage allows audiences to connect, understand, and be seen themselves. At Norwich Theatre, we champion diversity both on and offstage and we believe it is incredibly important that we have these stories by amazing female creatives.
In the next few months, already on-sale we have comedians Laura Smyth, Rachel Parris, and Maisie Adam, an Agatha Christie play directed by Lucy Bailey, a show about cancer diagnosis and running by playwright and performer Katie Arnstien, and a play about the legendary singer Nina Simone.
This commitment extends to our Take Part work in the community. This term we have two workshops that focus on telling stories from a female perspective. Wise Bold Visible Woman celebrate stories of transformation and Women’s Stories that will explore what being enough looks like.
The amazing and powerful female-led stories at the Fringe were fantastic to see, and I feel they mark an opportunity we cannot miss. We all need to capitalise on this great work by promoting, investing in, and shouting about it so we can inspire others to create. After all, I look forward to a time when I do not have to comment on how great it is that there is more female work; it would all just be art.
For more information about Lynn Faces or Norwich Theatre’s Creative Engagement activities, visit norwichtheatre.org or call the Box Office on 01603 630 000.