Sharjah to host prestigious Fringe festival next year

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

In a bid to offer the UAE’s multicultural community more choices to enjoy theatre and performances, Sharjah has officially joined the global Fringe family — the world’s largest art and entertainment event. Sharjah will be hosting the first Fringe Festival in the Middle East — Sharjah Fringe Festival — from Jan.16– Feb.1, 2020.

The streets and stages of Sharjah will be the backdrop for 600 shows featuring a pandemonium of performers, colours and creativity at key destinations in the emirate — Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Qasba and Al Noor Island. These Shurooq destinations will host over 50 artistes from the UAE, the region and the world, who will present street and circus acts, theatre, dance, music and other forms of interactive entertainment, to delight UAE audiences from all nationalities and age groups.

Sharjah Fringe Festival 2020 is presented by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in strategic partnership with Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). It will be organised by the National Arts Festival, South Africa, who also produce a thriving South African Fringe, in collaboration with Dubai-based events company Dolphin Creative.

COO of Shurooq Ahmed Al Qaseer said, “By bringing Fringe to Sharjah, we want to send a message that ours is ‘a city of choice’. Through Fringe, we want the 200-plus nationalities residing in the UAE to connect with the global language of arts. At the same time, we build bridges with other cultures.” He added, “As Fringe gears up to set stage in Sharjah, owing to the emirate’s global cultural status and touristic appeal, it brings our residents and visitors the first-of-its-kind opportunity to meet the international Fringe community who have toured Adelaide, Brighton New York, and the rest of the world. We look forward to being on hundreds of entertaining journeys with these artists at our top public destinations. Sharjah Fringe truly embodies Shurooq’s vision to lead the social, cultural, environmental and economic development of Sharjah.”

SCTDA Manager of Overseas Promotion Department Majid Hamad Al Suwaidi said, “The Fringe Festival is a big driver of the tourism economy, and by bringing this amazing event presented by Shurooq to Sharjah, SCTDA seeks to boost the emirate’s tourism offerings by allowing visitors and tourists hundreds of entertainment choices. Sharjah Fringe Festival 2020 will once again turn the spotlight on the emirate’s infrastructural capabilities to host the highest-calibre international events, as well as Sharjah’s continued efforts to bring communities together and promote social cohesion by exposing them to the cultures of cities across the world.”

The festival has a broader appeal beyond theatre-going audiences, and Sharjah has designed its 17-day agenda with a special focus on children. The 2020 Sharjah Fringe will host 600 shows covering art, theatre and street performances.

Executive Producer of Sharjah Fringe Nobesuthu Rayi said the festival will feature 35 productions, including top international Fringe favourites like ‘The Amazing Bubble Man’ from the US, ‘Stick Stones Broken Bones’ from South Africa, the ‘Tom Thum’ beat box act from Australia, ‘I Hate Children’s Show’ which was named ‘Best Children’s Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’, and several others, as well as 30 street productions happening outdoor.

“This will be happening over a period of 17 days, and will be 1,100 hours of pure entertainment,” she said, adding, “You will be treated to high level artistry coming in from around the world.”

Rayi also noted that to enable maximum engagement for school goers across the UAE, the festival has curated special schools packages, which will be on offer in the mornings. Regular programmes will begin late afternoon and continue in the evening for families. She added that as a guide to parents, all shows have been categorised according to their best fit by age group, starting at 4–6 years, followed by the 6–10 and 10–14 years categories, and finally, 14+ years.

Fringe Festival was born in the 1940s in Edinburgh, soon caught up with the rest of the world. Today, over 200 Fringe events are held worldwide. The Edinburgh edition remains the largest, featuring an average 3,000 shows. They sold over 3 million tickets for their 2019 edition. Only the Olympic Games World Cup boast bigger numbers.