Packed programme of events for this year’s big Bedfringe

Magician and comedian Pete Firman is among the acts comin to Bedfringe

Bedford will host its ninth international fringe festival from Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, August 1, bringing more than 90 shows under one roof.

Bedfringe is moving in for 10 days to the Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s, staging acts ranging from dance groups from China and drumming acts from South Africa to home-grown talent.

The Quarry Theatre and Bedfringe are also teaming up to present Les Enfant Terribles with their free outdoor show, The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie, in Russell Park on July 23.

In the evening the action moves to the Quarry Theatre to officially open the festival with Bedfringe 9 – Live!

This is a cabaret style event which will be broadcast live through the Bedfringe YouTube channel. The line-up includes Soweto Encha, BeatFox, Gary Delaney, Ivo Graham, Worbey & Farrell and will be hosted by Patrick Monahan.

Organisers are welcoming back Bedfringe favourites The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Company, Patrick Monahan, Kinetic Vibes, Theatre of Widdershins and Simply Soweto Encha.

New to the programme this year are a number of events from South Africa including The Drum Tribe, The Way We Heal and the Soweto Spiritual Singers. The festival welcomes back from the USA Tasty Monster Productions with their new Edinburgh children’s show, Ferdinand.

For those who enjoy their stand-up look out for the many acts scheduled into the studio theatre. And anyone who saw John Robertson and his Dark Room previously will be delighted to know he will return this year with The Dark Room 2, with cash prizes up to £1,000 to those who manage to escape.

There is also a series of workshops such as Beano Illustrator Kev Sutherland who will bring his Comic Book Masterclass to Bedford on July 25 at 2pm.

Tickets are available from www.bedfringe.com