With so many Fringe events, you may be forced to miss out on some. Don’t make them these.
The Amazeballz race is an 18+ clue-filled scavenger hunt starting in Newtown that promises to expose some of Sydney’s best-kept secrets. Organiser Emma-Louise Hayman is a seasoned Fringe artist who has been running events in the inner west with her creative community friends over the last four years.
‘I feel like the Fringe is a great way to get the rest of Sydney involved in what we do, and it’s also an awesome opportunity to introduce more people to our favourite spots and regular haunts,’ said Hayman.
Details of the race must remain a secret, but a few things can be revealed.
‘Without giving too much away, we have a few “physical challenges”, which may include dress-ups, water balloons, (and) dancing. We’ve teamed up with a couple of local bars, so there’ll definitely be some drinks involved too,’ said Hayman.
To prepare for the race she recommends a pre-visit to Newtown, Enmore and Erskineville, to get acquainted with the area. And for the main event, ‘Put on your comfy shoes, get excited and expect the unexpected!’
For those wanting to take a piece of the inner west home with them, look no further than the Artcore guerilla artfair. Paintings, screen printed goods, photography, sculptures and more will be on show from local artists … and if you like what you see you can buy it, with prices starting as low as five dollars.
Organiser Chris Lego outlines a long list of pros that should encourage a wide attendance. ‘You get to buy direct from the artist. Over 30 stalls of art you have not seen before in a unique location (The Dendy carpark on Lennox St Newtown!) for one night only from five to ten pm. Free entry. All your friends will be there drinking the free beers. Cute people to meet. Art hampers to win in our MegaArtHaul Raffle.’
There will also be surprise performances, guest DJs, and the intriguing launch of the Department of Nothing and the Surrealism Defense Force. ‘It’s like a slice of the old Newtown comes back for five hours only,’ said Lego.
Camp super happy sunshine fun is another unique event guaranteed to bring out the silliness in even the most buttoned-up individual. Combining games, arts and crafts, potato Olympics, and a friendship circle, camp counselors Doug and Sally have reimagined kids’ games for an adult audience in their lively and interactive production.
Platform Shorts – Extended, at the Annandale Creative Art Centre, will feature local and interstate choreographers, as well as filmmakers, in a series of ten-minute productions. Winner of the Sydney Fringe Best Dance Performance Award 2012 and featuring Israeli dance performer Yaniz Mintzer, this one night only program will explore real-time composition and choreography with new site-specific work by guest choreographer Jay Bailey.
For a fifth and final pick it’s hard to go past the ambitious production of Equus. Themes of crime, religion, media, coming of age and identity are brought to life at the Forum for a 40th anniversary production of the work. Penned by Sir Peter Shaffer and first produced at the London National Theatre, the play’s focus on youth in society is still a confronting topic.
The Sydney Fringe Festival runs from 6-29 September. Most tickets are under $30 and are on sale now through the official Sydney Fringe Festival website or by calling (02) 9020 69 80.
A comprehensive guide to programmed events is also available on the website. Events can be searched for through genre, location, venue or date.
(Pictured: ‘The Amazeballz race’)
