Fringe benefits: insider tips from Morecambe Bay Fringe Festival

With so much to see, here’s some insider tips from the festival organisers for getting the best out of the fringe experience.

Take a risk

Discover raw talent and experimental work and step out of your comfort zone. With plenty of free or pay-what-you-can shows, it’s the perfect time to take a chance on new, unknown performers, and discover the stars of tomorrow.

Do not miss

Trio of Cult Classics at Morecambe Winter Gardens: The Young Ones: A Retrospective with Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, Lise Mayer & Paul Jackson on July 21, a screening of Kubrick's The Shining, with a special Q&A with Kubrick's long time Executive Producer and brother-in-law Jan Harlan on July 26, and a festival closer from the space rock pioneers Hawkwind on August 8-9.

Preview Edinburgh Fringe shows

Because this festival serves as an essential, intimate preview stop for artists polishing their acts before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, attendees can catch top-tier talent and unique experimental performances at incredibly accessible prices (£6–£25), such as Lubna Kerr's new theatre show, A Better Memory playing in Morecambe and Carnforth.

Comedy crawl, July 25-26

It is one of the highlights of the festival's three-week run, packing 12 free-entry comedy shows into six promenade pubs. Alongside established national touring comedians practicing their routines, the crawl frequently highlights local grassroots comics too. It kicks off on July 25 at 2pm, with shows timed so it’s possible to catch every single act, walking from pub to pub along the seafront following the comedians and the crowds.

Discover local talent

Make Your Own Fringe Show is a core development strand of the festival, featuring 10 brand-new shows created by homegrown local artists. Spearheaded by the West End Players and festival artistic director Matt Panesh, the project takes raw local ideas and polishes them into full, stage-ready festival performances.

Presenting ‘The Make Your Own Fringe Shows’

You Have To Laugh - July 26 Carnforth, July 30 Morecambe

Morecambe's newest comedian? Madcap tales of holidays, the gym, admiration for the monarchy and his unique relationship with a childhood idol.

Creator Phil Pritchard said: “I’m a member of the West End Players and I’ve learned so much in the time I’ve been there from the sessions but also from all the other performers. If you like laughing, you’ll love it!”

Todd, God, and Me: Scenes from a Three-Way Marriage - July 23 Morecambe, August 1 Carnforth

Alternating between farce and tragedy, this show illustrates the impact of right-wing fundamentalist Christian teaching on a young couple navigating courtship, a wedding, pregnancy, childbirth, ministry, and devastating betrayal. Creator Leah Michal said: “I have laughed as hard as I once cried putting the show together. Highly therapeutic and hopefully entertaining.”

The Weight of the Light - August 2 Morecambe, August 7 Carnforth

Painting, poetry, monologue - live and unguarded. This show confronts masculinity, addiction and recovery in a raw, immersive performance rooted in personal truth. Creator Joe Kiney Whitmore said: “A meditation on my life so far. The workshops gave me the headspace to dedicate my thinking to developing the show.”

Messy Human Thing - July 26 Morecambe, August 8 Carnforth

A spoken word show created by Emily Cooke that is equal parts love letter to friends and rant against a world on fire. This show uses the maps of friendship to navigate the relentless storms of subscriptions, notifications and broken systems.

It will make you laugh, make you angry and ultimately leave you feeling vindicated in your sense that everything feels harder than it should do.

Tourist Bingo - July 23 Morecambe, July 25 Carnforth

Play alternative bingo. Interact with Val and Al to share or gain knowledge about the local area. With characters developed through the fringe workshops, it promises to be half an hour of glittering fun and remember everyone is a winner!

Sister Christian: Live, Laugh, Liturgy - July 23 Morecambe, July 25 Carnforth

Forget solemn sermons and stuffy scripture – Sister Christian is here to prove that when it comes to the history of religion, there’s plenty of room for laughter, along with the liturgy. Sister Christian said: “Every year of the workshops has helped me hone my big ideas into a workable performance.”

Families: We all have an Uncle Ted - July 26 Carnforth, July 30 Morecambe

A one man show that takes the audience on a journey from unplanned conception to an eccentric uncle. Expect humour, pathos, reflection, and the bizarre. Is this a family like no other, or does it contain elements of life that cross over with your own experiences? This is the question posed to the audience.

Creator Peter Kay said: “The workshops helped me to finalise a script, form a show, and gain the confidence to perform it, all with the help and support of Matt Panesh and fellow 'fringers'.”

If I Had A Magic Wand - July 25 Carnforth, August 6 Morecambe

Cancer. Chemo. Bad Boob vibes. When cancer hit, Jo Jinty discovered resilience, absurdity and dark humour. If I Had a Magic Wand is a brutally honest, funny and deeply human solo Show. This show is fundraising in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Cruella DeChill - July 26 Morecambe, July 31 Carnforth

Cruella DeChill is a riotous, one-of-a-kind comedy that flips villainy on its head. Audiences will delight in a night of musical mischief, petty curses, and interactive mayhem, all led by the laziest villain ever to grace the stage. Expect a gleeful sendup of classic horror tropes, spontaneous audience participation, and a fresh, subversive take on what it means to be “evil.”

This is the fringe show for anyone who loves their comedy with a wickedly clever twist! Creator Helen Logan said: “What truly inspired me, at the workshops, was witnessing fellow performers nurture their ideas and transform them into vibrant shows. The process reminded me that growth is as much about supporting others’ creativity as it is about honing your own, and that true mischief thrives in good company.”

Awkward Grace - July 23 Morecambe

Clothes feel wrong, work feels wrong, existence feels...complicated.

Lydia writes poems as resistance to overwhelm she feels flooded by and a world gone mad.

Explore the Carnforth Fringe

Don't limit yourself to the Morecambe seafront. Take advantage of the Carnforth Fringe leg of the festival, which hosts shows over three weekends. For the third year, Carnforth has a mix of established fringe performers playing parallel shows in Morecambe alongside the town’s own local acts. Arriving at Carnforth Station drops you right into the heart of the action. You can step off the platform and walk straight into the fringe shows at the Brief Encounter cafe or the neighbouring Royal Station Hotel.

Opening night, July 24

Carnforth Fringe opens with a short comedy by Chris Smith, the ex Mayor of Carnforth. This is followed by taster sessions with vocalist Stacey Griffiths, saxophonist Kara Woods and a brother and sister musical hall show - the Sibs. The evening ends with a one person theatrical show - A Bitter Memory by Lubna Kerr, one of the performers heading up to Edinburgh Fringe.

Fringe Benefit

Comedy, music, theatre and poetry will be available all free of charge, with voluntary donations going to the artists. After spending nights in, watching the World Cup, indulge yourself with some live entertainment. Join the party!

Book via Skiddle

The official ticketing outlet for the entire festival is the Morecambe Fringe Skiddle Page. Keep the link bookmarked on your phone for easy on-the-go bookings, or pick up the free programme and scan the QR code.

Tickets from https://www.skiddle.com/g/morecambe-fringe-festival/

Follow @MBFringe on Instagram or Morecambe Bay Fringe Festival on Facebook.