The Shiny New Festival: Liverpool’s Fringe
Adam Scovell takes a look at the latest fringe festival to making its way to our shores later this month…
With certain fringe festivals around the country taking full advantage of their snowballing success, it is perhaps increasingly difficult to find a true independent festival that is concerned specifically with the up and coming rather than the already established stadium fillers. Liverpool is a city that has been crying out for a fringe festival of its own since its status as European Capital of Culture in 2008 and it seems that the moment is finally upon us.
Highlighting up and coming artists, dramas, comedians and other performers, The Shiny New Festival (which launched earlier this year) seeks to become a yearly fringe event that provides valuable time and exposure to these acts, as well as that bit more experience, free of the usual enormous booking charges often at play. Held for just one week in the secluded and cosy Lantern Theatre on Blundell Street, it’s set to become the worst kept secret for performance festivals in the North West.
This year showcases a variety of entertainment, all of which seem to be on the brink of discovery, so it is an opportune moment to catch them for a pittance in a friendly and intimate setting. The highlight of the weeklong event is no doubt going to be the musical comedy due, Jollyboat, who mix witty and hilarious lyrics with catchy melodies and hypnotically bad dancing.
Also set to raise a good few laughs is comedic magician Totally Ninja, who apart from being a slippery and smooth working magician, is a master of the one liner and wondrous teller of - often – brutally honest and hilarious anecdotes.
Accompanying these two acts are the stage plays Saving Grace, and Weave; comedians The Clap and Caimh Macdonald and the comedy workshop, The Stand Out Comedy Show. These will all be playing over various days, beginning 17th July, allowing for a good taster session of new acts on one our endless summer nights.
Adam Scovell
The Shiny New Festival runs from the 17th to the 20th of July at the Lantern Theatre Prices begin at £15.50 (£12.50 confessions)
