Fringe powers up for biggest fest ever

7pm January 24

Fringe powers up for biggest fest ever

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Tap That ii: One of the dance productions featured in
Fringe 08

The 2008 Fringe is so big that not even a floor could hold the weight of the super-action mega power of Fringe 08, the biggest in the 15-year history of the festival.

The 2008 New Zealand Fringe Festival today launched its programme at a gala event in Welliington, featuring more than 100 shows on show for the first time ever.

The launch was held at Wellington's The Frontroom venue but preparations went awry when a forklift, essential for carting around the biggest programme in Fringe history, fell through the floor.

Luckily a slab of plywood and a bit of number-8 ingenuity saved the day and the crowd of hundreds of invited guests, politicians, media and creative types assumed the patch-up job and associated hazard tape was part of the theme for Fringe 08: Super Action Mega Power.

Fringe director Mark Westerby said: "Fringe is back and bigger than ever. Not even a floor can withstand the awesome power of Fringe 08.

"This year we're putting on more than 100 productions including our own Fringe-made events. The city of Wellington will be awash with Fringe goodness for over three weeks. Where-ever you look, they'll be a-Fringin' goin' on."

Fringe 08, the 15th annual Fringe Festival, features a total of 95 participant shows among the categories of Dance (9), Music (7), Outdoor (6), Theatre (39), Visual Arts (18) and the new category of Comedy (16).

Fringe-made events include Fricnic, Surfin' on the Fringe, Chalk the Walk, the closing night awards ceremony, free performances at Fringe HQ on Civic Square and the near-nightly live talk show The Chit Chat Lounge. The festival begins February 8, running to March 2.

Fringe 08 programmes, media disks and images available,
please email marketing@fringe.co.nz

ENDS

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