Throughout early to mid-January, The King’s Arms in Salford will be showcasing some of the most well-received shows that were staged at the Greater Manchester Fringe 2019. There’s a wide variety to choose from, including comedies, dramas, spoken word pieces and more experimental works. You can check the venue’s website for the full listings, but below are just five of the best…
The anonymity of the internet can function as a breeding ground for negativity and hate – and this play aims to take you through the looking glass, to where the everyday interactions we have online are brought to life and laid bare. It’s inspired by Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty, in which artists assault the senses of the audience. This immersive show is around 45-minutes long and contains strong language, nudity, flashing light sequences and contact between the audience and cast.
Edith Rigby (1872 – 1950) was a mild-mannered doctor’s wife from Preston with a secret identity – that of a militant suffragette. Considered by the establishment to be one of the most dangerous women of her time, her actions included planting bombs and arson. Was she a ruthless terrorist or an impassioned freedom fighter? Overshadowed by the more famous Pankhurst family, the story of Rigby – which is in turns funny, sad, tense, and outrageous – remains largely unknown.
This coming of age comedy with a difference is centred on a self-help group which aims to keep older people active. Marjorie Pardoe, a self-appointed town matriarch, runs the local chapter – but the advice she gives is highly questionable. She believes dancing, sex, and general fun should be replaced with reading, needlework, and setting out your funeral plan. Her comments are blunt, her tongue is razor sharp, and she takes no prisoners in this awkward but humorous look at ageism.
This self-proclaimed ‘Anti Diva’ is tearing down the pretentiousness of the music world and bringing opera to the masses. In a camp fusion of comedy and cabaret, she guides you through her favourite opera plots – with jokes, dramatic death scenes, and even a ‘Nessun Dorma’ sing-along. Whether you’re a seasoned culture vulture or a complete newbie to the art form, this show has something for you. It was nominated for Best Comedy Show and Best Newcomer at the Fringe.
www.kingsarmssalford.com
- Words:
- A. James Simpkin
- Published on:
- Sat 4 Jan 2020
Kicking off the event is a comedy about Annabelle and Mary-Lou, two Southern Belles. Subtitled A Mighty Fine Adventure, it follows these two ladies as they get swept up in a world of swindling, stealing, romance, and… post office administration? They end up as fugitives, running for their lives with the law at their heels – but frankly, my dear, they don’t give a damn. A production by The Dead Secrets, the play got rave reviews from both The List and EdFringe.