MOVE over Edinburgh, there is a new kid on the alternative theatre scene: Swindon.

When Matt Fox, Jessie Thompson and Becci Smith launched the Madam Renards Mini Fringe to rival the likes of the internationally-acclaimed Edinburgh festival, the concept, although admirable, seemed downright barmy.

Undaunted and with just seven shows on the bill, including four of Matt’s own plays, the trio went ahead.

From an underground event, three years on the fringe has grown exponentially and spread to venues across town: The Vic, Wyvern Theatre, Town Hall, STEAM and Phoenix Theatre at New College.

This Spring it will feature 20 plays, musicals and stand-up shows between April 7 and 14, including a couple of international premieres direct from Serbia and Sardinia.

“The plan is to turn Swindon into a fringe town,” said the playwright and co-director of Madam Renards. “We wanted it to be one of the places to go for fringe shows.

“The first year was very small. We were worried no-one would come but we just took a chance on it and it worked very well. There was clearly an audience for it. I was quite ambitious but I didn’t expect it to grow so quickly.

“We have had to up the pace this year to fit everything in. We have a company from Serbia performing and it will be the first time they have performed in the UK. When we opened for application in October we only expected UK companies, it was a bit of a shock. We’ve become an international fringe festival and I’m thrilled.”

Matt began exploring the idea of a performing arts festival after he moved to Swindon in 2006.

Spoilt for choice, venues and outlets in Plymouth, where he grew up, he had never quite grasped how limited opportunities to showcase new writing were in other parts of the country.

“Plymouth is a place with a vast amount of opportunities for young people,” said Matt, who created local hit-musical Swindon the Opera in 2012. “It has endless pieces of theatre trundle through. I assumed everyone had that. But when I moved to Swindon, I realised there were limited opportunities for new writing. There was no platform in Swindon for a fringy, less mainstream and commercial theatre. People got used to it and they travelled to Bath, Bristol or London to see new things. We wanted to say ‘No, there are people here in Swindon who are creative and doing a lot of interesting things too. “ Among the performances this year will be the premiere of multi-genre show Once you fulfil the dreams, you cannot live in them by Serbian company Ludum Ludum Troupe and Teatro Nonviolento Theandric’s Antigone on Antigone fresh from Sardinia.

Local troupes will also get top billing including Whole Hog, Swindon Community Opera and Matt’s own work One Act Play, Bridal Ballad – a musical inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s murky world - and To Sleep, which has enjoyed a international and West end run. Cabaret, rapping stand-up and music will also be added to the mix.

The 20 shows will be paired. So every theatregoer buying tickets will automatically receive free admission to a second performance, on the same day.

This buy-one-get-one-free strategy was the best way to broaden audiences’ horizons and introduce them to alternative theatre they may not otherwise have experienced.

“The whole spirit of the fringe is for people to try things they would not necessarily go and see. So we’ve paired the shows and they will see the show they bought tickets for and something completely new to them at the same time. It’s like going to a stand-up show with a warm-up act you don’t know. Fringe shows don’t tend to last as long so it will still last about two hours.”

Tickets to any of the shows coast £12 and £5 for students.

To book go to swindontheatres.co.uk or call 01793 524481.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday, April 7– Phoenix Theatre 7pm

Antigone on Antigone, Teatro Nonviolento Theandric

The Virtuous Burglar, Friendly Productions

Wednesday, April 8 – Steam 7pm

How to Reappear, Foulisfair Theatre

Private Widdle's Rep, Whole Hog

Thursday, April 9 – The Vic 7pm

Robin Hood Shaw

Shaun Buswell's Choose Your Own Adventure

Friday, April 10– The Place: The Wyvern 7pm

Strip, Dollypop Theatre Company

The Deadly Sins, CJ Cabaret

Saturday, April 11– The Place: The Wyvern 2pm

Once you fulfil the dreams, you cannot live in them, Ludum Ludum Troupe

Nursery Rhymes with a Twist, Swindon Community Opera

The Town Hall Theatre 7pm

Two, Trick of Light

The Bridal Ballad, by Matt Fox and Jessie Thompson

Sunday, April 12– The Town Hall Theatre 2pm

Quills and Crosses, Peter Mawson

The Bridal Ballad, by Matt Fox and Jessie Thompson

The Town Hall Theatre 7pm

One Act Play, by Matt Fox

The Beauty Queen of Leenane, TS Theatre

Monday, April 13 – The Vic 7pm

In|decorum

Jokeback Mountain, featuring comedians Rhodders , Lydia Rickards, Cal Doughty And Charley Harrison

Tuesday , April 14 – The Place: The Wyvern 7pm

A Mystery Show

To Sleep, TS Theatre & Madam Renards