SPOTLIGHT Bath Fringe
ALL PHOTOS © PAUL BL AKEMORE
ART ATTACK The creative types of Bath will always be working away on a new project, pandemic or no pandemic. Over a weekend in October, the streets were taken over by street performers for a walk about performance. The six street acts were part of the Fringe’s New Work Works scheme with funding from Arts Council England and the Roper Family Trust. New Work Works gives up and coming talent the opportunity to collaborate with professional directors and workshop leaders to craft their performances – the positive results were obvious to see. The six acts included Curious Company with the Department of Complaints, along with Fringe regular Queenie, Fun in the Oven Theatre with Witcheroo, The Newspaper Man by Joe D’Orso, SUSSAN the Robot created by Sun & Moon Theatre and The Shy Mice by Stephanie Reeves and Bobby Tromple, created by James Crawley. “We love doing street festivals, and normally that’s just what we do, but it’s somehow even closer to the spirit of the art not to tell anyone about it beforehand, so that everybody comes upon the performers unexpectedly,” says Steve Henwood from Bath Fringe Festival. “If there’s one thing better than a smart show adding to the charms of a pleasant place it’s when you didn’t expect to find it there. That way it’s a complete bonus, a totally unexpected gift.” For more: www.bathfringe.co.uk
clockwise: The Shy Mice;The Department of Complaints; Bobby Tromble on the hunt for pidgeons; SUSSAN the Robot out for a stroll; The Newspaper Men
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 7
