Take risks, experience ‘Fringe Manila’

If you are not into the arts-and-culture scene but have an appetite for risk and a desire for adventure, the “Fringe Manila” organizers have some advice for you: Go watch their 300 performances and 90 events during the festival’s 18-day run in 20 venues anchored in performances spaces between Vito Cruz St. all the way to the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

         
“Fringe” has been described as the “world’s largest and internationally acclaimed multi-arts festival” which can trace its roots in Australia sometime in the 1940s.

           
Fringe has also shades of the Edinburgh theater festival revered as the “world’s largest and oldest theater festival.”

           
On Feb. 11, Fringe Manila will hold its opening night at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Design and Arts (DLS-CSB-SDA) building. Running until Mar. 1, Fringe Manila coincides with the Philippine National Arts Month celebrated every February.

           
In an interview, Prof. Abigail Mapua-Cabanilla, associate dean of New Media Studies at the DLS-CSB-SDA, said her academic institution is “deeply honored to be chosen as one of the major partners of Fringe Manila, especially in its maiden run.”

           
“We love our CSB students. Fringe Manila productions will involve many CSB students, which will surely benefit them and enhance their skills. This is the reason why we are embracing Fringe Manila,” Mapua-Cabanilla said.

           
Andre Nikolai Pamintuan, Fringe Manila festival director, said the Manila version of the festival “is an open-access, artist-driven, uncensored arts, and community festival” that will showcase “fresh, daring, and ground-breaking works.”

           
Joining the roster of more than 200 Fringe festivals globally, Pamintuan said Fringe Manila highlights the emerging and established local artists in the world of theater, literature, music, dance, visual arts, film, cabaret, performance art, circus, and “everything in between.”

           
In a separate interview, Brett McCallum, Fringe Manila executive producer, said they had “no expectations” when they were initially discussing the possibility of Fringe Manila. “We were just hoping that the Filipino artists would notice us, and use the festival as a creative opportunity to show and market their productions.”

           
“Now, days before the opening of Fringe Manila, we are absolutely surprised by the huge number of Filipino artists and artistic groups participating on our very first year,” McCallum said. “There is so much creativity around the Philippines.”

           
Fringe Manila took two years to plan, prepare, and execute. Being the pilot year, Fringe Manila 2015 will showcase an extremely diversified program of productions targeting the demographic of ages 18-30.

           
“We hope those who don’t really attend art shows will take the risk to go and check out the Fringe Manila offerings. Basically, my advice is jump, get wet, and enjoy the shows,” McCallum said.

           
McCallum made a strong appeal to the risk-taking audience of Fringe Manila: “After watching the shows, please talk why you like or you do not like particular performances.”

           
Participating artists in the unprecedented multi-arts festival in the country represent the voices and artistic genres reflecting and challenging traditional, contemporary, and emerging art forms.

           
Included in the dizzying lineup of shows are stage plays with varied themes such as love, sex, and sexuality; musical theater to be performed by professional and university-based and college-based groups; traditional, modern, and ballet dance productions; point-of-view stand-up comedy shows; visual arts exhibitions; cultural performances at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple; and shows by artists from Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Romania, Brazil, and Greece.

           
There are also choral performances and showings of documentaries.

           
For the audience not to be overwhelmed and to be able to maximize their time, McCallum recommended that they plan well.

           
“They can watch a matinee show, an evening performance, and then cap the night with a late-night comedy show. With average ticket prices ranging from P200 to P300, one can have a cultural excess for less than P1,000,” McCallum said.

           
Explore the offerings, make connections with the other audience and artists and producers, and realize that there are “100 unique journeys through the Fringe Manila programs,” McCallum said. — VC, GMA News

           

For details, please follow Fringe Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @FringeMNL, or log on to the website. Tickets also available at TicketWorld.