Lancashire Fringe Festival: what is it & why is someone sabotaging its posters in Preston?

What video is this?

Garry Cook, creator of the Lancashire Fringe Festival which starts tomorrow, shared a video on Facebook of a person sabotaging posters for the event over the weekend.

Captioned “Does anyone know who did this?”, the video shows someone dressed in high vis, carrying a traffic barrier down Fishergate in Preston City Centre.

The person approaches the wall in front of the site where Tokyo Jo’s used to be, where a poster for Lancashire Fringe Festival is on display, and they switch the poster around so that it is displaying the white side up.

They then stick lettered tape onto the white canvas before walking away.

Wht is the story behind the video?

In the replies to Gary’s post, one user explains that it’s art and a teaser for a show whilst another person shares details of the show in question.

Indeed, if you watch the video slowly, the text can cleary be seen to read: “Fringe of the Fringe

“Suppress

“Suppress

“26th Sept 6-9pm

“27th-29th Sept 1-4pm

“Shop Preston.”

Gary told the Post: “I was shocked when I saw the video. It looked like someone from the council. Then I found out the person was an artist [Hannah Browne] and I kind of respect her for her creativity to promote her art show.”

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What is the Lancashire Fringe Festival?

Lancashire Fringe Festival is Preston’s biggest performance festival with an exciting program that includes comedy, dance, spoken word and theatre plus several new commissions showcasing the work of Lancashire-based performers.

Over 20 shows and performances will take place on 15 consecutive nights from Wednesday, September 25, across various venues, including The Ferret, Vinyl tap, The Continental, UCLan’s Media Factory, Preston Central Methodist Church and Preston Bus Station.

There is also a unique Poet’s Pub Tour which will take in several independent pubs and bars across the city, including Lost Bar, Winedown and Winckley Street Real Ale House.

Funded by Arts Council England, all shows in Lancashire Fringe Festival are free - with an optional Pay What You Decide donation bucket available at the end of each show.

What has been said about the festival?

Garry, who has put on shows independently at various venues across the city for the last decade, said: “It is not a secret in Preston that engaging audiences with arts and culture is a massive problem. Not enough people are coming out to see live entertainment, theatre, shows, comedy or whatever.

“It’s a long-term problem exacerbated by the closure of The Guild Hall and the Harris Museum, by not having an Arts Centre and having only one working theatre space.

“It is widely acknowledged that arts and culture drives economic growth, so addressing this problem is crucial for Preston, particularly as the Animate leisure complex in Preston moves forward.

“This festival’s primary aim is to address that problem by making the shows free. I’ve just been to Edinburgh Fringe where I was paying £17 minimum to see shows. Most people in Preston won’t come out for a £12 show, never mind one which costs £30 or £35.

“These free shows are crucial for Preston’s arts future - to re-engage audiences and encourage people to come out and experience live performance. They will get to see something unforgettable. It’s the experience of being there and being entertained by something thought-provoking and unusual which makes this festival so special.

“Following on from the festival, there will also be one show a month put on with subsidised ticket prices. This is to ensure Preston audiences have an accessible and affordable opportunity to continue to see lve performance and theatre in this city.”

Full shows list

Weds Sept 25

Naomi Wood: Gobbess (performance, acrobatics, spoken word) at the Media Factory, UCLan (7.30pm)

Cheekykita: An Octopus, the Universe ’n’ Stuff  (comedy) at The Ferret (9pm)

Thurs Sept 26

Lancashire People’s Theatre: Lancashire Briefs ’24 (theatre) at the Penwortham Arts Centre (7.30pm)

Fri Sept 27

Lancashire People’s Theatre: Lancashire Briefs ’24 (theatre) at the Plungington Community Centre (7.30pm). FREE show - no tickets needed

Sat Sept 28

Phoebe Foxtrot: Capacity To Hold (1-2-1 performance) at Preston Bus Station (from 12pm noon until 6pm)

Shak (spoken word + open mic) at Preston Bus Station (6pm)

Sole Rebel (music and tap dance) at Preston Bus Station (7pm)

Joshua Holden: Rise of the Fire Wolf (fire show) at Preston Bus Station (7.45pm)

Sun Sept 29

Lancashire People’s Theatre: Lancashire Briefs ’24 (theatre) at The Continental 29 (7.30pm)

Mon Sept 30 - work-in-progress double bill

Nathan Birkinshaw: Get a Proper Job (performance) at The Continental (7.30pm)

Martha Pailing: Chat Sh*t, Get Hit (performance) at The Continental (8.30pm)

Tues Oct 1

Aimee Williamson: Ballad of the Selkie (dance) at The Continental (7.30pm)

Aline Costa: In Bloom (dance) at The Continental (8pm)

Weds Oct 2

Close Enough to Touch (theatre) at The Ferret (7.30pm)

Thurs Oct 3

Anthony Briscoe: Talentless Millennial Poet (spoken word + open mic) at Vinyl Tap (7.30pm)

Fri Oct 4

Short Story Slam - hosted by John GillmorePreston Central Methodist Church (7.30pm)

Sat Oct 5

Louise Fazackerley’s Poet’s Pub Tour at Various locations (from 3pm)

The Girl Organist: Her Hair (organ performance and dance) at Preston Central Methodist Church (5.30pm)

Sun Oct 6

Nana Funk: Tough Old Bird (performance, comedy) at The Continental (7.30pm)

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Mon Oct 7

Unnamed play by Lydia Baines (theatre) at The Ferret (7.30pm)

Jo & Dave Have Moved (theatre) at The Ferret (8.30pm)

Tues Oct 8

The S WERD (spoken word + open mic) at The Ferret (7pm)

Weds Oct 9

Louise Orwin: Famehungry (performance) at Media Factory, UCLan (7.30pm)

Full details of the shows can be found at www.enjoyshow.co.uk