April 2, 2010

Festival artists receive awards, gain national and international attention

The 2010 Dunedin Fringe Festival wound up yesterday after 11 days with over 250 performances, by more than 300 artists from Dunedin, New Zealand and around the world.

The Festival delivered a diverse programme that attracted strong attendances from Dunedin, the Otago region and from throughout New Zealand. The largest audience was at the Regent Theatre for Burlesque As You Like it – Not A Family Show which attracted 1800 people over two nights. This was the first time the Fringe Festival had utilised the Regent Theatre and is one of many success stories of this year’s Festival.

Festival Director, Paul Smith said this year’s Fringe Festival was embraced by the Dunedin community with a number of sell out shows and many positive reviews in local, national and international media. Particularly popular with the community and the media was Fringe Inventions at the Otago Settlers Museum which attracted TV3 and American based Fox News coverage

“The Festival really brought Dunedin to life in a unique way and attracted national and international attention to our arts community,” said Smith. “The artists stepped up to the mark creating some extraordinary work that surprised, provoked and entertained.”

“Each year the Festival takes a step forward and this year there has been a very positive response from artists and audiences which means we are on the right track and this gives us the confidence to say that we will be back with an even better Festival next year!”

The best of the Festival was celebrated Sunday evening at the Fringe Awards Night at the XII Below lounge bar, also the venue for the Polson Higgs Comedy Club and the Festival Club throughout the Festival. Thirteen awards were announced to a packed audience of artists and supporters with entertainment featuring local electronica band Conray and crowd favourites Bob Scott and the Moreporks.

“These awards represent outstanding achievement by Festival artists and are an important acknowledgement of their ability to develop and present new innovative work and to really engage with the Dunedin public,” said Smith.

The ultimate award, the Best of the Fringe, went to Te Ngaru Hou 2010 presented by the Artist Development Agency and Kati Huirapa at Puketeraki Marae just north of Dunedin.

“This was a high quality dance event in a remarkable location that was socially and politically astute and truly captivating,” said Smith. “But I salute all our performers as they have all put in a fantastic effort and I believe Dunedin is all the richer for that.”

This year’s Dunedin Fringe Festival winners were

ART FORM AWARD CATEGORIES

Best Comedy:  Jeremy Elwood Thinks Too Much by Jeremy Elwood (Akld)
Best Dance: Te Ngaru Hou by Kati Huirapa (Dunedin)
Best Outdoor : Leith Crossing by Joe Worley (Dunedin)
Best Music: Pacific Curls by New Edinburgh Folk Club (Dunedin)
Best Theatre:  The Intricate Art of Actually Caring by The Playground Collective (Wgtn)
Best Visual Arts: Blue Oyster Performance Series (Dunedin)

GENERAL AWARD CATEGORIES

Best Production Design: Core, directed by Katrina Thomson as part of the Blue Oyster Performance Series (Dunedin)
Best Fringe Invention: A Grate Act by Jane Venis (Ukelele Grater)
Best Publicity Campaign: Burlesque As You Like It – Not a Family Show, by The Dust Palace (Akld)
Most Original Concept:  Leith Crossing by Joe Worley (Dunedin)
Most Promising Work: Read Out Loud: The Rothwell Incident by Stage South (Dunedin)
Stand Out Performer: Louise Potiki Bryant (Akld) from Te Ngaru Hou.
Best of Fringe:  Te Ngaru Hou (Dunedin)

For reviews and more information please see www.dunedinfringe.org.nz. The 2011 Dunedin Fringe Festival will be staged in late March next year.

The Dunedin Fringe Festival is produced by the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust, supported by core funders the Dunedin City Council, Creative New Zealand and the Otago Community Trust.

For more information please contact:
Claire Jackson
Dunedin Fringe Festival
03 477 3350
027 424 9711
publicist@dunedinfringe.org.nz
http://www.dunedinfringe.org.nz