Fringe of Colour review: "Stunning, vivid, inspirational"

For frustrated Fringe-goers who want to spend an hour or two on the cutting edge of modern British performing culture, a season ticket to the Fringe of Colour is a must, writes Joyce McMillan
Mara Menzies performs a vivid, straight-to-camera tale called ConsequenceMara Menzies performs a vivid, straight-to-camera tale called Consequence
Mara Menzies performs a vivid, straight-to-camera tale called Consequence

Fringe of Colour ****

In the age of the Black Lives Matter campaign, no recent Fringe initiative matters more than the Fringe Of Colour project, launched in 2018 by Edinburgh-based writer Jess Brough to challenge the Edinburgh Fringe’s well-earned reputation as a creative playground overwhelmingly dominated by the work and preferences of wealthy white people. People of colour, Brough reasoned, were all but invisible on the Fringe as performers, creators, producers and audience members; and only by banding together could they begin to change that situation.

The Fringe of Colour project is therefore still in its infancy, two years in; but it’s a sign of its huge vitality that it has been one of the first Fringe organisations to leap into the online arena this August, with a virtual festival set to run throughout the month. Its first weekly series of films, already available, includes eight short submitted films, two poetry clips curated by Hannah Lavery, and two slightly longer films commissioned by Fringe Of Colour; and there’s no doubt that these two films are jewels in the festival crown, with performer, activist, poet and mistress of ceremonies Esme Allman delivering a superb visual and musical tribute to the experience of black queer clubbing culture even in lockdown, while Scottish storyteller Mara Menzies offers a hugely vivid straight-to-camera tale called Consequence, about a man who achieves his greatest ambition, but pays too high a price.

Hide Ad

The quality of these films, though, is fully matched by the power of some of the shorter contributions, notably Nadeem Din-Gabisi’s beautiful semi-abstract film Mass, about the experience of being black in Britain today, Haneefah Muhammad’s hard-hitting but somehow joyful End Austerity, about her mother’s experience as a member of the Windrush generation, and Shem Pennant’s Legal Regal, a gorgeous animation about a black Disney-style Princess who decides to break the bonds of social expectation by becoming a lawyer. In terms of poetry, the writing is often stunning, with the young Edinburgh voice of poet Courtney Stoddart flaying our complacency about the racist roots of western wealth in her short film Denial; and at just £10 for a four-week season ticket, the Fringe Of Colour must be one of the best and most inspirational buys around, for frustrated Fringe-goers who want to spend an hour or two on the vivid cutting edge of modern British performing culture, without ever leaving the living-room sofa. Joyce McMillan

The Fringe of Colour Festival runs until 31 August, with a new programme each week. A pass to watch all festival events online costs £10 (£5 concessions), www.fringeofcolour.co.uk

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director