I arrived in Barnstaple yesterday lunchtime. I’d spent the train journey listening to an audio recording of my show and going over the finer details in my mind, so the journey didn’t seem so long. Went immediately to one of the cafes on the riverside, ostensibly just for a cup of tea, but because I’d taken up one of their outside tables (for four), I felt obliged to order a sandwich. When it arrived, I didn’t know whether to ask for a knife and fork or a stepladder. I don’t know how people were meant to get their jaws around it. Perhaps that’s the motto of Barnstaple, that it always gives you more than you asked for. In previous year’s I’ve spoken about the wonderful community ethos which comes with being a part of the Theatrefest. I went from the cafe to a bar / nightclub called Junction 27, where the taster session was scheduled, and I had a part in it. Within seconds of coming in through the door, I met two people I’ve known for quite some time, and quite a few people who chatted and showed an interest in my show, and whose shows looked genuinely interesting to me. I performed the ‘Who Wants Fame?’, song from my show, and it seemed to go down well. I was glad about this, because it was only the second time that I’d performed it at an actual gig. It was the dance that goes with the song that they seemed to like the best. I saw lots of other snippets from shows which I made a mental note to try and get to see. The chap dressed as a tiger who did some mime / clown work, which immediately spoke to the clown part of me. The comedian with a show called ‘A Wank In Progress’. (‘Difficult to flyer for that one’, he said. ‘You’ve got to choose who you give a leaflet to very carefully. Also, be careful when you’re doing a Google search’). And a show based around Moby Dick, the odd thing about this being that Moby Dick was one of the subjects I’d thought of doing a show about. I’m quite glad that I didn’t, now! During the afternoon the thought occurred that a part of the show in which I have a conversation with someone would work much better if I had a puppet. I went out around Barnstaple with the intention of looking for a puppet, only to discover that, in a bizarre freak of circumstances, I’d already packed one. I’d hoped to incorporate it into my act the week before in Brighton, but I’d scratched it due to time, and just left it in my luggage. I did my first performance of the show at 5pm at St. Anne’s arts centre. I was worried that there wouldn’t be anyone coming along. It was a baking hot day, and I thought, well, who’s going to want to watch a show at 5pm on a Thursday afternoon? As it was, I had quite a respectable figure. Indeed, if this had been Edinburgh, then I’d have been over the moon with the ten people who turned up! And the show went well. They all laughed at the bits that I’d hoped they’d laugh at. And I only stumbled over my words once. And that was during the Who Wants Fame?, song, the very same song I’d sung that afternoon at the taster session! I was particularly glad with how the other fast-paced banger, Fabaranza, went. Indeed, this got one of the biggest audience responses of the show. And the bit with the puppet? It went down very well indeed. I went back to my hotel for a bit and got changed, as I was drenched in sweat. Three costume changes is probably a bit too much for an hour fringe show, and wearing a sequin jacket, feather boa and top hat on a very hot day, and dancing around a stage, is probably not a good idea! In the evening I went out to the Queen’s Theatre and I watched a wonderful performance of the David Mamet play ‘Duck Variations’. The last time I’d seen a David Mamet play had been on Broadway with Nathan Lane starring. But Nathan Lane wasn’t at the Barnstaple Fringe. It was a wonderful show in any case, and on the way home I bumped into five people that I know. A photographer, a comedian, a magician, and two actors. That’s the kind of great community there is here. There was due to be a social event at 10pm but I was too tired. I go to bed most nights around 9, and I knew I’d be dead to the world if I’d gone along. As it was, I was probably asleep by half nine. And now here we are, Day Two. I’m going to have fun, see as much as I can, and try to get people to come along to the second showing of Bouncer at 7pm tonight!
It’s been a couple of years since the last Barnstaple Theatrefest Fringe, due to obvious reasons. It must have been so worrying for the organisers, with the world changing so rapidly over the last few months and the uncertainty which has clouded almost everything in the artistic community. It’s a brave decision these days to try and plan anything much too far ahead, whether it be a wedding or a party or, in the case of Barnstaple Theatrefest, one of the leading fringe events in the country.
So it was a huge joy that this year’s event went ahead, and the organisers must be applauded for making it happen. Yet even on the weekend itself, there were more challenges: an increase in Covid numbers, the train strike, the hot weather. It seemed that circumstance was conspiring to remind everyone involved that it’s really not too wise at the moment to get one’s hopes up.
But it went ahead, and it was a remarkable event. The one thing that has always struck me about Barnstaple Theatrefest has been the wonderful sense of camaraderie. Barnstaple is not the biggest town in the world, and there aren’t hundreds of events which make up the schedule, so anyone who participates in the fringe soon becomes acquainted with all of the other performers and technicians. On top of this there are several events where people can meet up and talk about their shows, whether these be the taster sessions, or the cabaret, or more social events in bars, pubs and cafes.
This is why I love being a part of it. There’s a genuine enthusiasm from everyone involved for theatre and performance, and I have several friends who I know only from the Theatrefest. This year there was the added bonus of the Soundwave Radio van parked in the square outside the museum, where one could just turn up and be interviewed live on the air about their show. I went along with my friend Melanie Branton, and we ended up chatting for over an hour about our shows and our art, and it was great to be there and have someone take what we do so seriously.
Naturally, any fringe event is hard work. My own strategy for getting in audiences involved flyering, exit flyering, taster sessions and chatting to other performers and fringe-goers. I’m not a religious man, but I also considered a damn good pray, too. As it happens I had a lovely audience every day for my show and made a few people smile and be happy, which is what my show was all about.
The world needs events such as this, and I can’t praise the organisers of Barnstaple Theatrefest highly enough. They are professional, enthusiastic, and I could sense the worry whenever I spoke to them, particularly on the first day with the train strike and the performers calling in unable to attend due to positive Covid tests and the such. And it’s true that perhaps audiences aren’t yet fully behind the idea of going out and seeing a show, particularly at the moment, but several performers had massive audiences nonetheless.
It’s always sad leaving Barnstaple. As the train left the station I felt just a slight pang of regret that life cannot always be like this. Maybe more towns should have fringe events, I told myself, or perhaps, maybe not, because this is what makes Barnstaple Theatrefest so unique.
I’m hoping that next year will be more stress free for the organisers, and that the world will be finally starting to look a bit normal. But for now, there’s a big smile on my face, because, wow, it was an excellent weekend!
My stage shortly before the first performance of ‘Yay’
The last few days I have been in Barnstaple for the Theatrefest Fringe. And like any fringe there have been the usual highs and lows, intense hard work, leafleting, pounding the streets with heavy luggage and enduring incredibly long train rides. This year there were two other factors: the football and he intense heat. Yet ultimately it has been a positive experience. I’ve seen a lot of great shows and met some amazing people.
I decided to commute, the first day, from Paignton. What a mistake that was! I spent six hours on a train that day and didn’t get home till eleven, then had to come back again the next morning at six AM to get to Barnstaple in time for my tech rehearsal.
I’ve been involved in two shows this year, The Two Robbies and In the Glare of the Neon Yak. The Two Robbies has had amazing audiences, enthusiastic and responsive, and people have been quoting my own poems to me at odd moments, or shouting, Jellyfish! As ever it was a huge honour to be performing with someone like Rob Barratt, whose poetry relies on humour and wordplay, and we have been making plans to perform again together in other places. There have been some very good reviews placed on the Theatrefest website of our show.
The scariest show has been my new solo effort, In the Glare of the Neon Yak. It’s a brand new show, with a new theme and the whole show is a complete change for me, as it relies on dramatic techniques and a certain undercurrent of seriousness which is not usually a feature of my oeuvre. Audience numbers have been somewhat muted, but I have enjoyed the two shows that I’ve done so far.
As ever, the staff, volunteers and technical staff of this fringe are incredibly hard working, professional and supportive, and without them the whole event would be different.
Yesterday morning I had the honour of performing in a yurt at the Diversity Festival after the LGBT march, which I also live streamed on Facebook. I met some lovely people there.
So I have one more show this afternoon and then a three hour train ride home. It always feels weird to be going back to normality after the Barnstaple Fringe. The long train ride from Barnstaple to Exeter feels like a cleansing action, slowly returning the normal world, until the whole weekend feels more like a weird dream.
Its been the most amazing week or so and the last few day’s have been weird yet strangely life affirming.
I’ve been in Barnstaple now for three days participating in both Spectacular Vernacular and Poetry Ping Pong. The weather has been amazing which has helped make me feel good, but most of all it’s the camaraderie of the performers and those who run the event.
Day one
Spectacular Vernacular overran a tad. I amused every one by repeatedly saying Macbeth in the theatre. Not everyone laughed. Previous to this I’d had to mend my cardboard zebra with gaffer tape. On the way home the sump guard fell off Tim s car. We had to use the gaffer tape yo fix it.
Day Two
Spectacular Vernacular and Poetry Ping Pong.
The first Poetry Ping Pong was at Barnstaple Library. It went ok. The audience were appreciative. The second show was less well attended. In fact it was only Tim and Saskia. So Dan and I did all new material.
Spectacular Vernacular went better and didn’t overrun though there was a mini outcry when I dropped Camp Cat from my set.
Day Three
Poetry Ping Pong and Spectacular Vernacular.
Had two brilliant shows at the theatre. The audience was amazing and responsive. Previous to this Dan and I did an impromptu interview on local radio, and a marketing seminar.
For me the abiding feeling is of the attitude and support of the organisers and those in other shows. Everyone supports and promotes each other and sees as many shows as possible. For example I just watched Purgatory Passengers and it was the funniest thing I’ve seen in years!
One day to go and three more shows to do. No sign yet if fatigue. Though I do have work on Monday morning!
Robert Garnham 