Krisgar is one of Bedford’s best best-known and best-loved children’s entertainers and there’s a reason – he’s really good. There’s a big crowd in this afternoon and for all the noise and barely stifled chaos, a loud buzz of excited expectation. Within moments of taking the stage, our attention is rapt like a gift going through Rowan Atkinson’s bit in ‘Love Actually’ when Alan Rickman’s in a hurry. Krisgar’s commanding onstage presence a product of his comic rapport with the irreplaceable Tricky Teddy. The duo’s caustic stage partnership has notes of Martin and Lewis at their most dysfunctional.
At 7 years, Daughter 2.0 is not at all too auld for this level of properly funny silliness. In her notebook, the one with Wizbit on the cover what I paid crazy money for on eBay, she wrote: “Tricky teedys mischief and magic show was really funny. when I walked in I saw a chair on the stage and I heard loud music. I saw a table for mdgice tricks and comedy. And during the show I saw a puppet which was a teedy and I saw a magic magishon. My favroute bit was when they tried to make cake but didn’t have the ingediants. The part which made me laugh the loudest was when the puppet said we are here for the cash! I hope I remember the part when they did tricks forever.”
Here is quality family entertainment worth getting excited about. Here are some properly memorable silly bits, one properly jaw-dropping-OK-seriously-HOW-did-he-do-that? bit, multiple moments of spontaneous joy. Get your magic coats on and go see this!
“Bedford punters are the best…. they know good theatre when they see it.”
WHO: Bob Paisley
WHAT:“This intimate play follows a conversation between a shopkeeper and a man searching for a gift for his dying mistress.
Secrets are shared in intimate exchanges through which the Man questions how well we ever really know the ones we love. The two strangers share a small miracle which, if only for a brief moment, allows them a closeness always hoped for but seldom fulfilled.
Starring Bob Paisley and Patty Whitlock
“Kansas City audiences enjoy a rich, diverse local theater scene. Paisley’s (Central Standard Theatre’s)efforts have been a huge part of that…” ROBERT TRUSSELL”
Nope… I’ve been coming to Bedford since 2010. We’ve brought productions of THE EVENT, DRIVING MISS DAISY, THE ZOO STORY and BILL CLINTON HERCULES.
Recent shows at Bedfringe include
2004 – I SEE YOU WATCHING (Just Like Hollywood) and ONE AND THE OTHER (Canada).
2003 – SUZI OF THE DRES and PAUL ROBESON (Winner Pick of the Fringe)
It’s wonderful for us to contribute to this incredible festival. I’m constantly amazed at the work James Pharoah has done here. The variety, the quality, not to mention the proximity to the Edinburgh Fringe. And the Bedford punters are the best…. they know good theatre when they see it. This year, more variety for us… something old – something new.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Mostly making plans for 2025…
Central Standard Theatre brings 2 productions to Bedfringe this year:
Summer 2025
Arthur Miller’s ELEGY FOR A LADY – Bedfringe, Fundy Fringe (CAN)
BLOODY, BLOODY KANSAS – Bedfringe, Camden Fringe (Hen & Chickens Theatre, London)
Sept-Oct 2025
FARGONE – Roots Mbili Theatre (Sheffield) – 2 week residence in Kansas City
5 Nov, 2025
Singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid in Concert in KC.
Lord help me, I’ve become a producer…
Tell us about your show.
Arthur Miller’s Elegy for a Lady is, I believe, is a nod to Miller’s brief marriage and obsession with Marily Monroe. This short play (45 minitues tops) delves deep in the psyche to examine some of humanity’s most base emotions… Love.
This intimate play by one of theatre’s master playwrights follows a conversation between a shopkeeper and a man searching for a gift for his dying mistress. Secrets are shared in intimate exchanges through which the Man questions how well we ever really know the ones we love. The two strangers share a small miracle which, if only for a brief moment, allows them a closeness always hoped for but seldom fulfilled.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Our Sister Show, BLOODY, BLOODY KANSAS… Murder most foul! A story ripped from the headlines of 1873 Kansas. More than you probably want to know about the American Wild West.
Based on the true story of the West’s first known serial killing family, the Bloody Benders, this bold new play shatters time and space to reveal the chilling legacy they left behind. At the center is Mary York, a grieving widow turned relentless detective, piecing together a puzzle of violence, justice, and memory.
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“We wondered how our pirates would react to our world. This was the begginings of the story.”
WHO: Ian Britten-Hull
WHAT:“Based on the first novel in The Buccaneers Legend trilogy, telling the story of four revived pirates. On a stormy night, an eighteenth-century ship emerges from the mist. Its ghastly crew disintegrates after a lightning strike, giving rise to four new buccaneers with no memories of their past. This is a story of four people on a tempestuous voyage of emotion as they come to terms with who they once were, their own self-discovery and the realization of their own empathy as they navigate the modern world, fighting injustice and ultimately seeking the greatest treasure of all, Life!
The musical features thrilling sword fights, a reimagined folk music score, and a plot rich with twists and mystery. It also addresses contemporary social issues like mental health, John Rackham’s “brain fever,” Mary Read’s gender identity confusion, and Anne Bonny’s history of abuse within a sensitive and fantastical context.
“The show had energy, colour, and spectacle with an array of familiar and rousing musical numbers. We commend you for your enthusiasm and commitment to staging such a complex production” ★★★★★ BALDOCK ARTS & HERITAGE CENTRE”
This is our first time at Bedfringe and we are really looking forward to it. One of the most important aspects of Bedfringe is that it gives local theatre companies such as ours the chance to prove what we can actually do without having to pay exorbitant theatre hirer charges. Production costs today are sky high and if small theatre companies don’t get funding, then unfortunately they cannot survive for long. This is such a shame as there is so much talent and wonderful ideas out there. Bedfringe gives all those talented people with wonderful ideas a chance to bring their shows to local people. For those who enjoy live entertainment, please come and support Bedfringe and those performers taking part. Theatre companies and performers shows are not any lesser because they are at fringe festivals rather than the West End, in fact many great shows that are now extremely popular started life with humble begginings at fringe festivals. A good example of this is the West End show “Six,” which started out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. By comeing to see a fringe show, you are actiually taking part in the beggining of the history of a production! Come and see how it all started.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Since 2024 we have strived to widen our reach and to expand our projects. AMA Theatre Co. is also a platform for anyone wanting to get involved in theatre. In fact we have just had two students working with us on work experience and we have now offered them some creative work going forward. We are very concious that with ever tighening of the purse strings, visists to theatre and live entertainment can be restrictive. Although we don’t recieve any funding and we are non-profit making, we keep going by producing a certain amount of corporate work such as team building days, event and festival shows through the summer and pantos during the winter. These projects help to subsidise other shows like Resurrection and help us keep ticket prices as low as possible. Our aim is always to produce shows that entertain and educate for reasonable prices as well as to constantly be open to learn new ways of working and listening to our audiences.
Tell us about your show.
Everyone will remember 2020 when we were all in lockdown and they said “work from home!” Well, we did! We turned our lounge into a studio theatre, complete witha broadcasting suite and we learned how to broadcast live shows over the internet. We also produced a variety of pre recorded shows and plays too. One of which was called “The Buccaneers.” We wanted to produce a show with the tag, “It’s time to live again,” so we could all start looking forward to restrictions being lifted. Then in 2021 we researched the real pirates and we discovered a poigniant and totally different story than most people are familiar with. Yes, there were murderous cutthroat pirates hellbent on theiving riches, but there were also those who resorted to piracy just to survive after the war with Spain. A lot of these people led awful lives with abuse and dire poverty. Piracy gave them a family and a means to survive. We then thought about our world today, and the negativity of populism, threats of war, rasism and prejudice. We wondered how our pirates would react to our world. This was the begginings of the story. I wrote the first novel in 2023 and in 2024, after several try out performances, Resurrection, the stage musical was born. It sees four historical pirates, John Rackham, Anne Bonny, Mary Read and a ficticious pirate, based on several real ones, Jock McTavish, reborn in our modern world. At first they have no memories, but as their memories return, they not only remeber their days as pirates, but more importantly the people they used to be before their souls got lost beneath the rough exteria of the pirates they became. The scenes of their past are represented through reimagined Irish and Celtic folk songs, (Anne Bonny was Irish) Ultimately, they decide to become a force for good in our modern world and fight against oppression and chapion empathy and understanding. We always try to make our shows as visual and exciting as possible and we are really proud of our pirate ship set! The show is faced paced and also pays reference to some modern issues such as John Rackham’s Bipolar and Mary Read’s gender identity. Of coures, no pirate based story would be complete without the odd sword fight!
What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?
One of the wonderful things about Bedfringe is that there is so much varied entertainment from theatre to comedy, children’s shows to music! If you love drama then BRAVE Youth Theatre are presnting their adaptation of Mcbeth on 26th at 3pm at the palace theatre. If you need a good laugh, then straight after us on Satday 26th Max Fulham: Full of Ham is on in the Quarry theatre. We are looking forward to seeing Kaye Leidoskope and her two shows for children. These are also interactive and take place in the Garden.
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“We’ve combined our talents to weave music seamlessly into the world of illusion.”
WHO: Emily Yarrow
WHAT:“Step into a world of mystery and wonder with The Telepath and The Conjurer.
This extraordinary show blends mind-reading, magic, music and breathtaking illusions in a spellbinding performance that will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality. Watch as The Telepath delves into the minds of the audience, revealing thoughts and secrets with uncanny precision, while The Conjurer astounds with impossible feats of magic and sleight of hand. Punctuated at pivotal moments by Emily’s soaring vocals, together, they create an unforgettable experience full of amazement, intrigue, and edge-of-your-seat excitement.
(Prepare to be astonished as the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary right before your eyes.)
Yes! Our wonderful friend and director, the marvellous Rhys Morgan of Morgan & West highly recommended us applying to be part of the Bedfringe as it is well-run, well-attended, well-marketed and a truly wonderful experience.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
In 2024, we had the amazing opportunity to work and develop our show on cruise ships and in various venues on land across the country.
We met in 2023 and wanted to stay together so we had the idea of combining Marc’s music and my singing to be an act by itself. We managed to swing eight cruises together in 2024, with Marc performing his magic shows, and myself performing my singing songs, and us offering our act as an extra show on board. These contracts, along with our dates on land, gave us so much in the way of practice and feedback, learning what worked best, which props to use, lighting, technical details, what to add, what to take away – and we are still tweaking and honing to this day and probably will never stop!
Tell us about your show.
Our show is a unique fusion of magic, mind-reading and live music – designed to bring you an experience you won’t see anywhere else. We’ve combined our talents to weave music seamlessly into the world of illusion. You can expect world-class magic, jaw-dropping sleight of hand and mind-reading that will have you questioning reality, all set to the power of live opera and smooth jazz. With plenty of audience interaction and surprises along the way, this show is where music meets mystery and you’re part of the magic.
What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?
If it’s more magic you’re after, then we recommend Matt Daniel-Baker – just atonishing, and The Most Perfect Magic Show EVER – just brilliant!
And comedy, Esther is hilarious in her show Slagbomb, and the wonderful Patrick Monahan who is fabulous.
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“I’m from Peterborough, and Bedford always feels like an version of my hometown from a slightly nicer parallel universe.”
WHO: Mark Hibbett
WHAT:“Indie legend MJ Hibbett – the world’s leading (and only) academic expert on Doctor Doom uses songs, jokes, slides and a unified catalogue of transmedia character components to explain how all fictional characters can be understood with stats and why on earth you’d want to do that.”
This is my first time at Bedfringe but not my first time in Bedford, nor my first time at a Fringe, so it feels like the grand resolution of a cosmic Venn diagram. I’m particularly excited to be heading towards Bedford for two reasons – firstly because I’m from Peterborough, and Bedford always feels like an version of my hometown from a slightly nicer parallel universe, and secondly because I’ve heard of the mythical all-night trains back to London, so I’m keen to have a go on one.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
The book that the show is based on came out in 2024 (and is still available – in fact, it’s very very available indeed, there is no shortage of copies) so since then I’ve been trying to convert a rigorously researched thesis on transmedia characters into a 55 minute musical extravaganza. The main lesson I’ve absorbed from that is that converting a rigorously researched thesis on transmedia characters into a 55 minute musical extravaganza is a lot harder than I thought, and probably explains why other people tend not to try it.
Tell us about your show.
It’s a musical adaptation of my book and PhD thesis which seeks to explain how all fictional characters work, using the Marvel comics supervillain Doctor Doom as a case study. I spent years working on the original research and wanted to talk about it to more people, so thought I’d have a go at turning it into a musical (I think this is how Jesus Christ Superstar got started). I’ve done various Fringe musicals in the past, but never one with a bibliography before!
What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?
I’m really keen to see Mitch Benn’s show “The Lehrer Effect”, partly because that sort of super clever loads-of-words-in-a-line type of songwriting is something I’m aiming for in my show, but mostly because I did a gig with him at the Brixton Windmill in 2005 and he lent me a guitar stand – in the rough and tumble world of rock and roll that stood out as a moment of general helpfulness which, two decades later, I still don’t think I’ve properly repaid!
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There are few greater pleasures in this world than sitting back in your seat and sensing that your child is getting properly immersed in something special at the theatre. All that past handholding. All the previous coaxing. All those not-too-subtle BIG, LOUD, JOLLY shows that helped get us to this place, they’ve paid off. Feeding children’s minds is like feeding their wee bodies. There comes a (much-needed) point where subtlety, craft, and nuance creep in and take a seat at the table. Tomato ketchup gets substituted with olive oil. Tea and cake take the place of lemonade and Harribo. If you are wise, which I am not, this will have been an organic maturation with the pace set by the growing human entrusted to your care.
ME: “I don’t like sitting front row centre.” HER: “Well I do.” We take our seats. All this learning to share things, places, and experiences involves compromise. I tell myself that giving in every time is helping to show her how to compromise. I’m not sure that’s the take-home she’s learning. And yet, it was a good choice by Daughter 1.0 (9yrs). What’s about to envelop us is 45mins of immersive storytelling by a company that excels in small, subtly unmissable detail.
The heir to the throne is sick. Very sick. The King must take him on a journey of recovery through the ice and the snow. From the low to the high. From sunlit heights of majesty to icy depths of helplessness. It’s a powerful story powerfully told by a company with a growing reputation as master distillers of ultra-fine blends of devised and scripted.
Unsettled Theatre is a company which places mindfulness and sensitivity at the heart of its process. And yet, the group successfully summit a story about a king, about a man, who is anything but. They plant their flag on this perilous peak without, and this is the genius bit, without oversimplifying the toxicity or trauma. This truly is a healing space. The pre-Newtonian gravity of Philip Pullman’s original concept, on which the story is based, grounds proceedings in an ultra-linear, ultra-fluid calm until at the pivotal moments, just for an instant, the safety curtain between modern secular theatre and the ecstatic sensations of drama as known to the ancients falls. We glimpse the almighty power humans share to transport ourselves beyond a particular moment and location.
In her notebook, the one with a painting of the Brontitallian statue of Arthur Dent on the cover, Daughter 1.0 wrote:
“At the Bedford festival fringe I saw the untold fable of Fritz. I really enjoyed it and would definefly want to see it again. There are some happy bits in it and a few sad bits. There was a very cool bit were all the lights go off but there is one light behind a sheet and you could see the shadow of a small cart which I thought was very cool. I also thought thoght the wooden doll that played Fritz was also cool. Fritz is very mischevious but is very good at games! I really recomend it!”
Come for a show that pushes creative boundaries while pressing all the right buttons. Stay for the stagecraft. Leave knowing that productions of this quality are out there waiting to be discovered. Get your warmest coats on (seriously, your very warmest coats) and go see this!
Children don’t learn by osmosis, it’s the worst thing about them. Put a child in a room full of fine art, leave them to their own distracted devices and they will emerge no more educated or insightful than before they went in. How annoying is that? Turns out the path to understanding is not like those moving walkways at airports, you can’t just stand still and reasonably expect to arrive somewhere. BUT a good guide through the wilderness, a smart trainer, or an expert storyteller can make all the difference in terms of maximising the distance covered by the same effort. Interactivity and active listening are mission-critical to cognitive development.
‘Mini Mozart’ is a franchised method and educational mindset as much as it is any individual show. It was created by Clare-Louise Shaw in 2005. It is the ongoing culmination of 20+ years of experience combining musicianship, presenting & parenting. A product of Uppingham School and Berklee College of Music in the USA, the holder of a music degree from Newcastle University, Clare went on to join BBC Music. You might recognise her from her onscreen work in ‘BBC Young Musician’ of the Year and ‘The Proms’ or from her time as a singer at Disneyland Paris. It was during her first maternity leave, in 2005, that Clare was “hit by the clarity stick.” Knowing how much her infant son loved it when she played the violin, clarinet, or piano and remembering the same look of enchantment on the children’s faces at Disney, Clare got her NCT group and instruments together with a piano accompanist and ‘Mini Mozart’ was born.
We enter to discover that our presenters today are Andrew on piano and Lottie on everything else. If that piper chap in Hamyln had a twin sister, Bedford’s own Lottie Bagnall might be her. She seamlessly gathers the children always shepherding, never leading. At no point do the children or their adults, seem bossed. With my school governor’s hat on, I see a smart, sensitive, sensory curriculum being mindfully delivered with a confidently light touch. This knowledge-rich content is not only substantial, it is massively entertaining for young and auld alike. Lottie’s not especially secret superpower is to make newcomers (including my girls) feel as welcome and included as the families she sees at her weekly sessions.
As immersive as a lavender bubble bath after an afternoon spent coal mining, as absorbing as a Sahara sea sponge, as gentle as the mistral is by comparison with the supersonic methane winds of Neptune – ‘Mini Mozart’ does exactly what it says on the tin, delivering a dose of golden sunsound as pleasing as any since Orpheus rhymed Calliope with ‘my way’.
In her Bedfringe notebook – the one with a cartoon of Richard Nixon carrying Louis Armstrong’s luggage through customs drawn on the inside cover – Daughter 1.0 (9yrs) wrote:
“I went to Bedford Festival Fringe this summer and went to Mini Mozart with my sisters [6yrs and 2yrs]. It was mostly aimed at babies or toddlers beetween 0 and 4 but even so I realy enjoyed it. It was all about the story of the three little pigs with violins, violas and clarenets and a piano! I realy enjoyed playing with rattles, giants scrunchies, parachutes and singing lots of song My littlest sister said she realy enjoyed it and so did I!”
Come for the touchy-feely encounters with strings and clarinet buttons. Stay despite the scary Peter and the Wolf puppet – Clare says he’s fine, but they all say that about their wolf puppets don’t they!? – leave having heard the finest versions of ‘Wheels on the Bus’, ‘I’m a Little Teapot’, and ‘Sleeping Bunnies’ you’re ever likely to hear. Get your evening tailcoats on and go see this!
“I’ve learnt that a frog can jump seventeen times their height, even if they’re short and unfit.”
WHO: Stuart Laws
WHAT:“Last year Stuart started telling the truth on stage and was diagnosed autistic: he got the best reviews he’s ever got and his show was a must-see. He’s back baby! And has to lean into it further. It’s funny, it’s real, it’s immaculately structured and it’s a chance to see a comedian at the top of his game. As heard on Off Menu and seen on BBC, Prime and 800 Pound Gorilla. **** ½ (Chortle.co.uk). **** (List). ‘You’ll struggle to find a comedian with a better jokes-per-minute rate’ **** (Fest).”
NO WAY! I been doing it for years, have seen so many FringexOlympics years hit hard – the class of 2012 battling to get an audience when the judo is on, the struggles when you knew you were up against dressage or the men’s 20km walking race. I tell you what makes a great festival? Sports not happening. Can we, for just four long, long weeks – not have any sports so that the general public can focus on their real passion: fringe theatre and comedy
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
I learnt this: I am autistic. That’s a genuine learning since the start of last year’s fringe. However, if you want a more whimsical answer: I’ve learnt that a frog can jump seventeen times their height, even if they’re short and unfit. So would absolutely dominate any sort of high jump or long jump event if they were scaled up to human height. I’ve also learnt you can say any fact about a frog and most people will just believe it: the stakes aren’t high enough to check.
Tell us about your show.
I wrote my show, ain’t no one else got any piece of this pie. I’m a genius and unaffected by the work of others. So tough being a tortured genius like myself. Especially when extremely talented people offer me their thoughts or jokes or directing advice and it would actively enhance my show. Because I have to look them in the eyes and tell them they’re wrong and toxic to contribute and I’ll never take their advice.
Also: a beautiful team of people in production and PR and helping to write a stand up comedy show about relationships by someone who has just found out that he is autistic and everything he thought he knew about himself isn’t really true – so what does that mean for relationships with himself, friends, romance and ultimately the audience?
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
I love stand up comedy and I love finding out about a new comedian who I didn’t know anything about before the fringe. Going to dungeons and backrooms and theatres across Edinburgh and spending an hour in someone else’s world is such a treat – especially when it’s brilliant comedians like Chloe Radcliffe, Alex Kealy, Pierre Novellie, Harriet Kemsley, Ruby Carr or Jin Hao Li. Those last two are doing their debut shows this year and I’ve been lucky enough to see early versions and loved both, even more luckily I’m directing Ruby’s and it keeps getting better.
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“We are really happy to be performing in the main space this year, we have a great show lined up for those the folks who show their continued support by following us on our journey each year – and always checking in with us at the brilliant Bedfringe!”
WHO: Hannah Elizabeth
WHAT:“Hannah Elizabeth and Griff Jameson have joined forces to create a stunning acoustic folk-roots duo, with original songs rich in emotive storytelling and a harmony-driven sound featuring guitar, violin and exquisite vocals.
Their debut studio album, Northern Shores & Stories was officially released in 2020, receiving critical acclaim across the acoustic folk-roots community. Recent festival highlights include Cambridge Folk Festival, The Great British Folk Festival and The British Country Music Festival, and the duo were proud to open four shows for Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra as part of their 2019 Autumn/Winter tour.
Elizabeth & Jameson are currently in the throes of writing and recording for their second studio album, with The Old Town EP released in March 2024 alongside an album fundraising campaign. Plans for the rest of this year include the recording of new material and a busy schedule of live dates to showcase their new music far and wide.”
We are fortunate to have appeared at Bedfringe for several years now, regularly performing in the garden and foyer space at the wonderful Quarry Theatre. We were actually living in Bedford very close by to the Quarry Theatre until 2020, and this was such a brilliant local show for us. We loved our time living in this brilliant town and we still miss it a lot! Since moving just a little south to St. Albans, we have continued to perform at Bedfringe each year, this being the first that we will be appearing in the main auditorium of the Quarry Theatre. We are really happy to be performing in the main space this year, we have a great show lined up for those the folks who show their continued support by following us on our journey each year – and always checking in with us at the brilliant Bedfringe!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
In the last year or so we have been writing and recording new material for album no. 2! We enjoyed a short tour in spring 2024 for our newest release, ‘The Old Town EP’ which also included our debut performances in Wales and Scotland. The material on this new EP and for our second studio album is inspired by the South Wales Valleys, with songs and stories themed around the history, the people and the place including our own personal links to the area of course, with Griff’s hometown of Ebbw Vale featuring on the EP cover artwork.
‘The Old Town EP’ features four new original songs which are all destined for album number two, presented here as first drafts and a taster of what the full-length studio album will hold. We are fortunate to have two fantastic guest musicians joining us on this EP with Lachlan Golder on 12-string guitar, mandolin, bass guitar and organ, and Gafyn Jameson on bass guitar and piano. We spent a few sessions arranging the new songs with these talented folks, and then recorded them all at home over a six-week period at the start of this year.
Our 2024 summer festival season is looking great with shows including Camp Bestival Dorset and Camp Bestival Shropshire, Harrold Summer Fest and St. Albans Folk Festival – as well as the excellent Bedfringe of course.
We are really excited and vert grateful to still be creating, writing, recording… and performing locally and nationally. Long may it last!
Tell us about your show.
Expect new material and warm harmonies to welcome you in the heart of this great festival! We will be sharing our newest songs and stories based around inspiration taken from the South Wales Valleys, plus a visit to some of our older material inspired by North Yorkshire, alongside the nostalgia of our childhoods and the strange times of 2020 and beyond…
Our favourite thing to do is to share stories with our audiences. We find that many people can resonate with these stories and the ideas behind them, which makes for a really special connection between the audience and ourselves. We share our songs and stories best in an intimate setting such as this – acoustic instruments, close harmonies and time to share the ideas behind the songs.
What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?
There is SO much to choose from!
We recommend stopping by to catch anyone playing in the Quarry Theatre Garden and Foyer Bar…these folks are brilliant and deserve a listening and appreciative audience! SO stop by, grab and drink and listen to them.
Music in the theatre garden and foyer bar includes Lana Soy, Evie Atkins, Caroline Greene, The Bedfordians, David Jackson, Julie Simpson, The Moggies Band, Lois Powell, Jon Lane, Joe Bygraves and Heidi Browne…amongst others!
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“I love to plant seeds and remind folks of the alternatives.”
WHO: Abbi Jinks
WHAT:“Say YES to life!
Have you always had an inkling that there’s more to life than this? Do you wish you could believe in yourself and feel a bit more bliss?
Then come and meet Abbi Jinks Poet.
Through her transformational, uplifting and empowering poetry, Abbi will leave you feeling motivated and inspired. She will question old patterns, offer new ways of thinking and she might dare you to do something different in your life!”
Now I know what to expect, I’ve been really excited to write and share this year’s show.
Performing in and around such a diverse range of shows keeps the energy levels high too!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
I’ve been writing loads and performing more. And I’ve been experimenting! It’s so important for me to keep a sense of fun in my creative work so earlier this year I started experimenting with adding my words to music. I rapped one of my poems and also wrote a song!
I’ve definitely been using the year to consider my values and reasons for performing. I truly believe people need to feel good about themselves and realise there are many alternatives to a hum drum way of life.
I love to plant seeds and remind folks of the alternatives.
Trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone has become my compass which always keeps things interesting!
Tell us about your show.
‘Say YES to Life’ is like a creative self help book on stage. Alongside stories of following your intuition, taking opportunities and making things happen , there are poems and questions and invitations to ponder.
You will leave feeling inspired, energised and ready to say YES to the life you really want.
What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?
Make sure you see the 3 poets live show with Cameron and pals. He’s a brilliant local creative and works with ingenuity and style both on and off the stage. I can’t wait to see the magic their show brings to Bedfringe. If you’ve ever been to Bedford’s Eagle Bookshop or the regular poetry night the ‘Ouse Muse’ you’ll have met some of the literary trio.
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