Fringe World 2016 PREVIEW: 8 Must-See Events

With more than enough events and varieties of entertainment to convert even the most stubborn people of the "Perth is boring" or "This cafe is SO Melbourne" mantra, this year's Fringe World is set to be the best yet. The program has over 700 events listed, and this can be incredibly overwhelming. But no fear! Here are some of our picks. Without trying to sound too much like suspicious clickbait here is

8 Must See Events at Fringe 2016

Blooms and Bubbles
Venue: Sunset Veranda – Big Top
When: 24/01, 30/01, 07/02
FREE

Included with entry to the Summerset Arts Festival in Scarborough, the lovely people from Beans and Bunches are holding a flower crown making workshop where participants get to keep, enjoy, and impress their favourite people with their floral creation. So head on over, grab one of the free glasses of sparkling wine, and learn how to expertly craft a crown worthy of any Coachella-esque summer beach music festival.

Stranger Danger Feast
Venue: Budburst Small Bar
When: 28/01, 10/02, 17/02
$70+

If you haven’t heard of Stranger Danger Dinners already, then you’re probably living under a rock. What better way to emerge from underneath said rock than to attend one of their supercool dinners and meet some supercool strangers. Initially starting out as a string of secret dinners with (obvs) strangers, this event is a slight variation to cater for larger groups. Guests will be presented with a drink on arrival, and will then be forced away from the arms of loving friends and partners to be seated at a table of strangers where they will share a four-course meal and will be gifted with a few surprises. I’ve been trying to get on the list for ages but it’s just so long! This may be my, and your, opportunity to jump right out of our comfort zones and into the deep end.

Streetside
Venue: William St, Northbridge
When: 06/02
FREE

Street stalls, workshops, exhibitions, pop up stores and more will fill William Street, its laneways and local stores for one day only! Every time I go to a street festival, I become more impressed with what Perth locals have to offer. This is one of the few opportunities a year the streets of Perth open up to celebrate local artisans and craftspeople. It may also encourage you to explore laneways and find bar and cafes that were previously hidden to you.

100% Chicken Free – Matt Hale Comedy Hypnotist
Venue: Soba Stadium @ Noodle Palace
When: Various Dates
$20+

“Real hypnosis, real fun…and no chickens!” Widely acclaimed comedian and hypnotist Matt Hale is returning to Perth with his brand new show. His modern brand of hilarious hypnotism is not to be missed.

The Urban Roller Club
Venue: The Urban Roller Club at Fringe World Fairground
When: All of Fringe!
$10+

Perth’s first outdoor roller rink has rolled into town, bringing you “skates, bass, beats and eats” at Fringe World’s newest venue at the soon-to-be-opened Elizabeth Quay. Get your perm and hot pants on and meet me at the roller rink!

Dark Matter
Venue: The West Australian Spiegeltent
When: 27/01 – 01/02
$25+

A Four-Eyed Guide to the Galaxy
Venue: The Stables
When: 28/01 – 02/02
$15+

Winner of Outstanding Comedy at Melbourne Fringe, Rowena Hutson presents a comedy about space, from behind spectacles. Drawing on a life-long love of tacky DIY sci-fi sets and an obsessive desire to grow up to be Han Solo, Rowena Hutson explores the absurdity of the human instinct to dream of the stars – when every good space geek knows the place will probably kill you. Featuring DIY props with a lot of gaffa tape and cardboard, this is an ode to the Universe and our very own spaceship, Earth. Come for the spaceship, stay for the stars.

Dark Matter is a groundbreaking contemporary circus show inspired by theoretical physics and the nature of the universe. The powerful blend of innovative aerial dance and circus with stunning visual effects and live music, set to an evocative electro-ambient soundtrack, creates an unmissable interactive and immersive audience experience. The expanding universe, string theory, mysterious gravitational effects and notions of space and time are explored through a series of spectacular and gravity-defying performances - maybe dark matter can explain it all? And yet, its identity remains one of the great mysteries of science.

7 Needs
Venue: The Stables
When: Selected Dates 15/02 – 21/02
$22+

Presented by the Turquoise Theatre, who brought to you the award-winning 10,000 Beers at FringeWorld 2014, 7 Seeds is a series of short plays based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs: Hunger, Shelter, Sex, Safety, Belonging, Respect, and Spirit. 7 Perth directors. 7 short plays. 7 human needs.

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