Here we are, already hurtling into our second weekend of Brighton Fringe. From dark comedies, to sci-fi authors, to an uncooked lump of dough, Brighton Fringe certainly offers surprises for everyone. Read on for our top picks as we begin the second weekend.
The team behind the brilliant Blue Sky Thinking are back with the world premiere of their new show Anti-Depressed? (The Warren: The Nest, 11 May, 21:10, 20-22 May, 19:40). This dark comedy promises an unfiltered look at human nature. You’ll be immersed into a clinical drugs trial and side effects may include raving, brutally honest confessions, audience participation and hallucinations.
Continuing the mental health theme is A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) (The Warren: The Hat, 10-11 May, 20:00, 12 May, 16:15). This musical about depression written by Olivier winner Jon Brittain will be cheerful, joyful and gleeful... except for the bits when it’s not.
You’ll have to rush out of work and skip post-work drinks to catch this one, but it’s worth it. Janet (The Tipsy Bear, 10 May, 17:30) is a deliciously naughty and surreal show which is certain to make you laugh out loud. Follow the story of Janet (1.5kg of uncooked bread dough) as she refuses to conform and go into the bread oven. With incredible puppeteering bringing Janet to life, this inventive and quirky show is not to be missed.
Fans of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein should head to see Quintessence (Sweet Werks 2, 10-12 May, 21:30), a sci-fi storytelling show inspired by literature’s most famous monster. Discover what happens after the extinction of the human race, when only AI (guided by the complete works of Shakespeare) has a chance to rebuild humanity. Starring fan favourite Emily Carding and originally created in collaboration with the London Science Museum, Quintessence is deeply thought provoking.
Speaking of sci-fi, James Tiptree Jr. is renowned for being one of the most famous sci-fi writers of all time, but he had a secret. ‘James’ was actually a woman named Alice. Tiptree: No One Else’s Damn Secret But My Own (Sweet Werks 2, 10-11 May, 18:30) is a one woman show that explores the controversial and extraordinary life of author Alice Sheldon.
With the weather forecast looking distinctly average at best this weekend, there’s no better time to head inside and recharge your spirit with some of the very best that Brighton Fringe has to offer.
