By Ron Cerabona
The Canberra Multicultural Fringe Festival. February 13 to 15. Outside the Phoenix Pub and other locations. Website:multiculturalfestival.com.au/fringe-festival.
Chenoeh Miller, directing her first Multicultural Fringe Festival, is clear about her aims. She says the Fringe should be both culturally diverse and contain things that won't be seen in the National Multicultural Festival itself this weekend.
Musician Thelma Plum.Credit:
With the notable exception of a ticketed burlesque show, she's aimed for a family-friendly event spanning a range of venues and entertainment styles including dance, music, comedy and spoken word.
Friday night will emphasise local artists, Miller says, including The Fuelers and The Crossbones. Miller's own company, Little Dove Theatre Art, has collaborated with choreographer-performer Alison Plevey, the dance curator of the Fringe, to present refugee, the official opening sequence at 7.30pm, that features dozens of performers.
L-Fresh the Lion.Credit:
One of the headliners on Saturday night is 19-year-old Indigenous singer-songwriter Thelma Plum.
Miller says, "She's just come back from a sold-out national tour."
Also on Saturday at 9.40pm is Sikh Indian hip-hop performer L-Fresh the Lion with his band,
"He puts on quite an exquisite show."
And Malaysian-Australian rapper poet Omar Musa from Queanbeyan will be performing before and after Plum, starting at 8pm.
Sunday. she says, is "a celebration of all things Phoenix" with a range of performers and activities.
Most events are free (exceptions include the adults-only Burlesque show and the Courtyard Studio dance performances) but there will be fundraising for the Refugee Council of Australia and other causes.
Miller says, "I'm hoping people will emerge from the Fringe and see the value of cultural diversity in the arts."
Fringe program
Friday, February 13
Fringe Central – Outside the Phoenix Pub
With Emcee Adam Hadley
5pm Ruth O'Brien
5.45pm Hit the floor for Refugees kicks off with …
Salsabor Dance Company
6pm The Other Foot
6.45pm Liam Mackahey and the Bodies
7.30pm Festival official opening with refugee y Little Dove Theatre Art With Alison Plevey.
8pm nozl
8.45pm CJ Bowerbird
9pm Eadie and the Doodles
9.40pm No lights! No Lycra!
10pmThe Crossbones
10.45pm HEART for Greyhound Rescue by Little Dove Theatre Art
11pm The Fuelers
Canberra Theatre Courtyard Studio
7pm Meta Systems by James Batchelor
8.30pm Post Phase – by Chloe Chignell
NewActon – Nishi Gallery
11am-3pm Liz Thompson, A Song For Country
Saturday, February 14
Fringe Central – Outside the Phoenix Pub
9am Goodmorning CMF Saturday!
10.30am Lingua Franca
10.45am Kulture Break
11am iVagabondi
11.50am Konrad Lenz
12.45am Jumptown Swing
1pm The Borderers
1.45pm Matt Dent
2.15pm The Other Foot
3pm Raio de Sol Samba
3.20pm Project Beats
3.35pm QUAKE Bellydance
3.50pm Olabisi African Dance
4pm No Hausfrau
5.45pm Buasavanh bellydance
6pm Festival parade through Fringe Central
7pm Sanjiva de silva band
8pm Omar Musa
8.20pm Thelma Plum
9.20pm Omar Musa
9.40pm L Fresh The Lion
10.45pm Mojo Juju
NewActon – Nishi Gallery
11am-4pm Liz Thompson, A Song For Country
Canberra Museum and Gallery
12.30pm Sharing Stories
1.30pm Sharing Stories
Canberra Theatre Courtyard Studio
2 and 7pm Meta Systems by James Batchelor
3.30 and 8.30pm Post Phase by Chloe Chignell
Smiths Alternative
8pm Fringelicious Burlesque – Ticketed
Sunday February 15
Phoenix Bar
BAD! SLAM! NO! BISCUIT! PRESENTS THE PHOENIX
8am Good morning CMF Sunday!
9am Writers Breakfast with Laurie Macdonald - readers: Farz Edraki, Zoya Patel, Ash Thomson
10.40amL Bootlegs Round 1. Pocket Fox
11.20am Trivia featuring Shakespeares Odes to the Phoenix Pub, hosted by Andrew Galan and Joel Barcham
1pm Bootlegs 2. The Blade Winner
1:30pm Gaming with Julian Fleetwood
2.20pm Bootlegs 3. Moochers Inc
3pm: Comedy with Chris Ryan and Nick Smith, Hamish Hudson, Shahed Sharify
4pm: BAD! SLAM! NO! BISCUIT! Featuring HADLEY! and House Band Bo Loserr
6.20pm Konrad Lenz
7pm Bye bye CMF 2015! Hello Phoenix Pub!
Canberra Theatre Centre Courtyard Studio
6pm Meta Systems by James Batchelor
7.30pm Post Phase by Chloe Chignell NewActon
Nishi Gallery
11am-4pm Liz Thompson, A Song For Country
Monster Bar and Kitchen
3-5pm Mojo Juju