Better late than never—the 2023 Fringe Festival kicked off on Wednesday, August 23rd and will be presenting a lineup of unique and exceptionally talented works until Sunday, September 3rd.
Always offering something new, the Fringe Festival showcases 150 performances that are unique to each artist’s expression and creative mind—hence the suited theme, ‘change’, for the 37th annual festival.
Featured within this wide variety of performances are 30 local, national, and international artists giving audiences tastes of dance, comedy, drama, spoken word, kids programming, or late-night cabarets!
Choose your flavour and don’t miss the chance to glimpse into the vibrancy at venues across downtown Victoria—locations will shift between five traditional hotspots and four fresh and unconventional venues to bring new theatre experiences.
This newly launched ‘Unconventional Venue Lottery,’ has brought walking/moving shows, outdoor shows created in nature, and a community hall to bring audiences a new spice of theatre.
Some shows include ‘No Worries If Not,’ a show created and performed by comedian Katie-Ellen Humphries about laundry, love, and lying. Her charm and wit has been described as “hilarious and original” by Brent Butt from beloved Canadian sitcom, Corner Gas.
‘Poems For God’ is an interactive clown comedy performed by ZeekTech Productions and the winner of the Orlando Fringe of the Fringe award! It’s said to dance the edge of humour and horror in the most captivating way and is sure to occupy a forever space in viewers’ minds.
‘Chiaro:Scuro’ brought to you by dance company Broken Rhythms—who have presented multiple ‘Pick of the Fringe’ winning shows and now brings a blend of Film Noir genre and Germanic Expressionism to tie together the light and dark of the human condition.
While you’re out and about, keep an eye out for their new Producer, Emmett MacMillen—a trans nonbinary interdisciplinary artist with over a decade’s worth of experience and passion for theatre!
“As the new producer for the Victoria Fringe Festival, it’s an absolute thrill to take on the care of this festival and its artists,” they said.
“My hope is that my love of new, experimental, and community theatre will help this year’s artists to shine!”
Additionally, MacMillen is said to love science fiction and cats, and holds their own artistic and writing practices that focus on gender and how that relates to the body.
Ticket prices are as follows:
- Single Tickets – $12 – $15
- 5-show Munch Card pass – $65
- “Fringe on the House” accessible tickets are also offered
The full schedule as well as tickets for each show can be found on their website. All tickets are sold in advance from their box office or online, so be sure to grab yours ahead of showtime!
More information on how to purchase tickets and ticket policy can be found here.
In addition to regular programming, the Fringe Festival offers ‘FringeKids Fest’ and a nightly ‘Fringe Cabaret’ to meet artists, mingle, and relax post-show.
Lastly, don’t miss out on the ‘Pick of the Fringe’ awards taking place at the Victoria Event Centre on Sunday, September 3rd, from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.—the perfect send-off and cheers to this phenomenal event.
2023 Fringe Festival
- Where:
- Box office: Intrepid Theatre, 2-1609 Blanshard Street
- Show locations vary
- When: Kicked off August 23rd and runs until September 3rd—showtimes vary
