The wacky and whimsical Saskatoon Fringe Festival has officially returned. “This is Broadway Days. So we’re expanded on to Broadway. We’ve got indoor theatre performances from around the world, outdoor performances from around the world. We’ve got local vendors, lots of stuff to come check out,” Katie Blackburn-Dust, the operations manager at 25th Street Theatre said. The week-long festival has programming scheduled in W.E. Graham Park, and throughout various venues in the surrounding area. Blackburn-Dust shared that so far, the festival has been running smoothly and it’s been nice to see the community interest. “We’ve had beautiful weather. It’s so lovely just to be down on the grounds. There’s always great performances and music to take in, and it’s just really lovely to see folks enjoying the vibe. There’s so many different things to check out at the festival,” Blackburn-Dust said. While some construction in the area can create delays, Blackburn-Dust said the festival has some alternative options for folks trying to navigate the roadwork. “There’s a bunch of different ways to get to us. So there is no parking for a two-block radius around the festival, however, there’s lots of other ways to find us as well. We’ve got a free bike valet in the park, so you can come check that out and you can reach us by bus,” Blackburn-Dust said. Fringe Festival has been an annual event for more than three decades in Saskatoon. It is part of a larger network of more than 250 Fringe Festivals hosted across the globe. “I think this is Festival 36. So it’s a it’s got a long, rich history in the city. We’re actually part of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. So we’re part of a network of festivals across the country. And we’ve got some American festivals as well,” Blackburn-Dust said. The mind behind one of this year’s shows titled ‘Lady Penelope in Quarantine’, Penny Peyser shared that the festival has been a fun opportunity to showcase a project that is very dear to her heart. “It was so long ago that I got the idea of dressing up as an Elizabethan character. But all my sonnets are about modern day themes and kind of funny...ultimately, I turned my writing into a show and created this Lady Penelope,” Peyser said. Peyser added that her character, Lady Penelope, has been a fun one to play. The show follows Lady Penelope as she revels in an extended quarantine. “Lady Penelope is a shut-in. She’s been in quarantine for six and a half years, and I know quarantine broke ages ago, but not [hers], because [she] knows a good thing when [she] sees it...she dresses in an Elizabethan costume...And she also has an interesting way of speaking,” Peyser said. She added that the play has some fun musical elements as well. “There’s a ukulele involved too, I have five original songs in the show, even a rap song,” Peyser said. Saskatoon Fringe Festival features various plays, musicians, vendors and other talents throughout the week. Peyser shared that this festival, and others like it, create the perfect atmosphere to share her show. “It’s just a gas doing it. I mean, all the shows are so different, and, it’s just a wonderful experience. It’s kind of a whole subculture, Fringe people,” Peyser said. The Saskatoon Fringe Festival will be running until Aug. 8, with tickets available on the 25th Street Theatre website. “Fringe is such a weird, wacky time. Which is a great chance to check out some of the amazing talent that’s in our city and from our, our surrounding community,” Blackburn-Dust said.
