Our already vibrant city is about to up the ante and things are about to get weird and wild, but fun in Perth with the return of the annual Fringe World festival this month.
For those unfamiliar with the month-long event, Fringe World is a celebration of diverse arts, culture, and creative experiences with performances from comedy, music and musicals to circus and heaps more for audiences of all ages.
Perth’s Fringe World festival is the third largest globally, and Western Australia’s largest annual arts event in terms of total box office. And this Fringe season, there’s a huge 430 events to enjoy in the playground that will be Perth.
Held from Friday 20 January through to Sunday 19 February, Fringe World Perth is set to present everything from feel good vibes, big spectacular events to intimate joyous shows.
Sharon Burgess, CEO of ARTRAGE, the non-for-profit that organise Fringe World Perth says, “With artists from all around Australia and the globe returning to Fringe World, audiences will be spoilt for choice when it comes to planning their festival visits.”
“The 2023 festival program includes an impressive selection of local acts as well as 18 per cent international and 30 per cent interstate acts. Showcasing both new artists and old festival favourites,” Sharon shares.
The 2023 program is chock-a-block full of the spiciest cabaret, variety, and circus shows to delight the eyes with magic, acrobats, and risqué performances. Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo are bringing their world-class, high calibre show A Night at The Musicals 3: Summer Loving Tour. While the Briefs boys return after touring Edinburgh and Sweden with a new show Briefs: Dirty Laundry. And if you’re looking to party, Club Freak Out! is getting freaky every Friday and Saturday night throughout Fringe World Perth.
If you’re looking for something hot and magical at Fringe World then our top shows include: GODZ by team behind Railed and Elixir, Yummy Iconic, Charlie Caper-Magical, Ben Hart: Live, The Man With The Golden Hands, and the spandex, 80s circus bonanza, Werk It.
On the other hand, if laughs are up your alley then these shows are for you. Stand-up Ross Noble – On The Go, MUSH with their tomfoolery, Anita Wigl’it – Funny Girl featuring star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Scottish Comedian of the Year winner in Larry Dean – FUDNUT, He Huang: Crazy Broken Chinese, The Australian O-Pun, Table For Two?, and Presentation Is Everything.
Theatre is not strange to Fringe World Perth either, and you can see Melbourne Fringe Award Winner in Grief Lightning: A Satire in 78 Slides. Marvel at a dystopian mix of theatre and dance about a woman battling an answering machine in The Sensemaker. And another Edinburgh Fringe award-winning piece, Colossal.
Family-friendly picks include Whilbur The Optical Whale and Family Rave Day – Under The Sea, The Greatest Magic Show, Brass Monkey, and Kaboom!
But heck, if you’re undecided on what to see or what you like, head to Fringe World in Northbridge on Sunday 22 January for a taster of what this year’s festival has to offer with the Lotterywest Fringe Sunday Funday.
The 2022 Fringe World festival enjoyed an attendance of 415,899 people for both free and ticketed events, across 455 events, 122 venues, and presented by 2,120 artists. So if last year’s festival is anything to go by, the 2023 season is bound to be a spectacle.
View the full Fringe World Perth 2023 program here.