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London Fringe Festival benefits budding artists and seasoned performers

Artists and performers from across the globe will be in London for the next 10 days showcasing their talent at the London Fringe Festival, which kicked off yesterday at venues throughout the city.

Although the festival usually runs in August, it will be running from June 18-28 this year in order to be consistent with the rest of the fringe circuit. The festival is a unique combination of film, theatre and art — theatre being the main event. There are over 45 theatre companies involved, all from different parts of the world.

Jayson McDonald, a London-based actor and playwright, is no stranger to London Fringe. “The London Fringe has been a great place to try out new material in front of a friendly audience. It’s a great place to…stretch yourself a little further than you’d normally go, because it’s an un-juried festival with no standard of presentation,” he says.  “Anything goes…so I’ve had the opportunity to experiment a great deal.”

McDonald will be in 22 performances over the next 10 days and has been in various fringe festivals across the country.

Kathy Navackas is the head coordinator of the festival and has been preparing for this year’s festivities since before last year’s festival began. “We are always looking ahead. I am thinking of 2010 and beyond right now,” she said.

Artists and companies have come from all over to showcase their talent. “We have international companies…and people from across Canada. The festival is about the artists. We just provide the infrastructure that allows them to express themselves,” Navackas says.

With 75 per cent of the demographic ranging from 25 to 55 years old, there is something that appeals to a wide variety of interests.

Andrew McClenaghan, owner of the London website design company Echidna, has been a sponsor of the event for four years. “I met Kathy at a networking event and her passion for the project made me want to get involved,” he said. “The [London] Fringe Festival gives emerging and experienced artists a venue to perform and receive full revenue for their work.”

McDonald agrees with McClenaghan’s sentiment, noting the festival benefits artists and actors of all types. “It allows seasoned performers to exercise their chops, maybe make some money and meet other creative types from around the world,” he says.

Any artist who wishes for their art to be submitted can do so. “It is based on a first come, first serve basis,” Navackas says. “Anyone is eligible, as long as I have space.

The London Fringe Festival may not have been around as long as other fringe festivals across the country, but still it offers its own unique character. “London is a mid-sized fringe and lacks the boisterous hullabaloo of other, older fringes like Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg, but it still has a very bright, energetic festival feeling,” says McDonald.  I’m interested to see what it will look like in 10 years.”

The London Fringe Festival runs from June 18-28. For more information and complete schedule visit www.londonfringe.ca

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