Fringe Benefits
On Friday I had to go out in the boiling heat to get my breast mashed by a huge screening machine on Steamer Quay. It was without a doubt the coolest place in town. I asked the charming nurse, Mercy, if I could stay there for the afternoon. I said if the news got out there would be a queue of both men and women! Once again thank you NHS for providing this service even though it feels like your breast is going to be flattened like a pancake!
After my procedure I asked Mercy what she thought of the Totnes Fringe. She said “It was a really good idea. Great for the community and the locals”.
The radiographer said: “She saw a sign advertising the Fringe on the way out of Berry Pomeroy and hadn’t heard of it before this but maybe even more signs would be good”.
On Saturday I went into the Rotherfold and The Bull Inn where I met with lots of enthusiastic people in the bright uplifting sunshine. It showed Totnes to be a spectacular and unusual town.
I spoke to a charming young couple who’d come from London on a friend’s recommendation. They said: “It was a lovely, friendly atmosphere. Different to other fringes because it felt like the whole town was involved, that the volunteers, participants and locals were excited about it. It didn’t feel competitive and they were amazed by The Fringe organisation.” They want to move to Totnes!
Then I spoke to volunteer Brigid who said she was “blown away by the talent. It was raw, inventive, extraordinary and unexpected”. She mentioned in particular ‘Twelfth Night and Let’s Raw Culture.”
Felix, a musician, composer and volunteer said: “The live music shows lifted the spirits. He said that watching how people responded to live music shows was different to their reactions to recorded music. He felt that our brains respond positively to live music and theatre and that we change as an audience”.
raw, inventive, extraordinary and unexpected
Roberta, another volunteer mentioned “The band ‘The Last Password’ at Totnes cinema was amazing and the atmosphere and theatre that they created for the SpeakEasy night was brilliant. You had to have a password to get in and there was a gunfight!”
An audience member talked about “Totnes attracting ‘croney’ wisdom and it was wonderful to see live street theatre and it warmed the heart.”
My neighbour who is in the television industry said “It was a brilliant event and she loved the idea of the Fringe. The events were all around the town in different locations and venues which made it very accessible and it was so well organised”.
So there you have it. I’ve found no naysayers! It seems that Totnes Fringe is a remarkable benefit to the town. Auntie Google gave me this quote “The term ‘fringe benefits’ originated during World War II. It was coined by the U.S. National War Labor Board in 1943 to describe the various indirect perks—such as paid vacations and pensions—that companies began offering to attract and retain workers”.
Well done Totnes Fringe for organising and booking all this extraordinary talent into our special town.
Photos by Christine Sweetman