00:00Many of the country's most famous actors, musicians and comedians got their start at Fringe festivals
00:05and this summer Medway is putting the lights up on their own celebration of local performances called Med Fringe.
00:12I've done a lot of Fringe festivals in my time and looked around and thought Medway needs a Fringe.
00:18Mentioned it to a few friends and before we knew it we had a room full of 32 organisations all
00:22saying they wanted the same.
00:23Since then it's all snowballed. We've had expressions of interest from people overseas as far as Australia.
00:31We've got people coming to perform at the festival from further up the country as far as Scotland.
00:36So it's not just about celebrating what's here and what is grown here but also celebrating art in general.
00:43Now Med Fringe, just like its Edinburgh counterpart, aims to bring a range of acts to its local area.
00:48Whether that's comedy or drama or maybe a historical tour with a little bit of theatre worked in.
00:55Ignore whatever's happening back there.
00:58Anyways, it's also priced particularly low as the founders wanted to make sure that it was accessible to everyone
01:03and that there was no barriers so that people couldn't come and see their local art.
01:07There'll be eight venues taking part from across the Medway towns with some older buildings like Fort Luton,
01:12smaller restaurants like Poco Loco and classic performance spaces like the Spotlight Theatre.
01:17In total bringing 50 unique acts to the stage.
01:21It also means aspiring performers and those in stagecraft can flex their creative muscles.
01:26Being involved in it on so many levels, so being in the shows and then also having to go downstairs
01:33and then sort out the wardrobe for the show saying oh, we need to get this out, we need to
01:38get this out,
01:38get out several different things, try them on, see what works, see what doesn't.
01:42It's like playing dress up in a really fun way.
01:47Yeah, it's just a really fun opportunity and I'm really, really enjoying it.
01:53And it isn't just limited to the stage but has performances on the streets of Rochester as well.
01:58So the gentlemen rise first and then the ladies, so shall we ready?
02:03One, two, three, everybody reverence, bow or curtsy, stay descended ladies, stay descended.
02:07We have two very special tours starting at 11.30 where you'll be able to see not only walk around
02:13Rochester
02:13but it's told by a number of characters.
02:15This is a tour in a very theatrical fashion, illuminating Rochester High Street characters
02:20appearing out of windows, out of alleyways and unexpected ways.
02:24Different time periods, different stories, all about the history of Rochester.
02:28Well, with the first act starting this weekend, all that's left is to make sure the stage is set
02:32for opening night under the lights.
02:35Finn McDermid for KMTV in Medway.
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