Mount Isa is about to celebrate its first ever Fringe Festival next month.
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The Outback Fringe Festival comes to Buchanan Park, Friday and Saturday, September 15-16 with great acts to entertain the family.
Organiser Bec Dent, MIETV operations manager, said the Festival would to bring an eclectic program of cabaret, comedy, circus, dance, film, theatre, music, visual art and design to Mount Isa and showcase local acts over two fun filled days.
She said the idea of a fringe festival came out of the state government funded art tour in the region last year which led to a discussion of artistic opportunities and potential for grants. “I’m a big fan of fringe festivals and if you’ve ever been to the Adelaide Fringe Festival it is the pinnacle and this is a smaller version of that – we want to bring that whole atmosphere and vibe,” she said. “It’s the first time in Mount Isa.”
Ms Dent said it was also a chance for local artistic groups to get involved.
“Aerialist Sybella Fuss (Six Foot Circus) is going to be a part of it and will meet other acrobats performing,” she said. “So it is much about showcasing and developing local talent as it is exposing the region to new and different art forms.”
The main stage will be set up in the green space in front of the entertainment centre at Buchanan Park and people bring can bring a chair and a picnic.
“We have amazing acts coming like the comedians the Crack Up Sisters, and David Splatt, a Vaudevillian performer who does full mime and puppetry with a flea circus,” she said.
“We’ve also got Madame Tulalah and her Magnificent Box, she’s a beautiful drag queen and she does a live fortune one on one using a set of headphones.”
There’s also a gross-out game show for the kids who can get slimed and there will be a huge cardboard maze which local schoolkids will help construct.
The highlight of the Saturday night will be a performance by Opera Queensland.
A Night with Opera Queensland has been lovingly designed to celebrate our cultural heritage, while transporting audiences to a grand opera house and Mount Isa locals will lend their voices to the chorus.
Featuring soprano Emily Burke, tenor Bradley Daley and baritone Shaun Brown, the tour will include popular, lighter pieces, snappy Broadway favourites and traditional grand opera.
There is also an hour long program of Australia’s funniest shorts featuring short comedy films. Tickets are on the gate with one day adult pass costing $30 and a two day pass $40.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
