'Dangling over the edge': Shows from around the world take centre stage at Regina Fringe Festival
Plays from Portugal, South Africa and, of course, Regina will be performed in Queen City starting Wednesday
If you're looking for theatre in Regina that's a little different, you're in luck this week.
The 14th annual Regina Fringe Theatre Festival kicks off Wednesday with 22 plays to see, plus the Kid's Fringe. The festival promotes itself as "Provocative. Explicit. Outrageous. And dangling over the edge."
The shows in this year's festival cover a wide variety of topics and are presented by a range of companies — some from here in Regina and others from around the world, some of which follow a Canadian circuit of fringe festivals throughout the summer.
Performances range from spoken word to musicals and other types of theatre, with titles like Sex? But I'm Canadian! and Puppet Guy: Africa's Top Ventriloquist.
There are also shows aimed at kids, including Melanie Gall's Opera Mouse and African Folktales with Erik de Waal.
CBC Radio's The Morning Edition spoke Wednesday to a performer who may be offering up one of the "fringiest" shows at the festival.
There's lots of amazing things and they all have their edge.- Dandymouth, Fringe performer
Dandymouth — based in Lisbon, Portugal — describes his show, also called Dandymouth, as "spoken word for the 22nd century. Fifty micro-stories, mixed with whizz-bang technology and served up with a touch of traditional clown charm."
The performer put out a call for musicians to perform with him in his show. He said they didn't have to have a lot of experience — just enthusiasm and willingness to improvise.
"If somebody's not great with their instrument and just comes along and gives it everything they have, that's a wonderful gift to the audience," he said.
He also applauded the other shows in the festival, as he was able to see them at the preview Tuesday.
"Never mind my show, there's lots of amazing things and they all have their edge."
Performances at Regina Fringe are at five different venues: the Unitarian church, the Saskatchewan Express Musical Theatre Studio, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, St. Mary's Anglican Church and the Artesian.
Theatregoers can buy tickets online at the Fringe website. The festival runs until July 15.
With files from CBC Radio's The Morning Edition