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  • Home
  • WHATS ON
    • WHATS ON
    • FRIDAY
    • SATURDAY
    • SUNDAY
    • TRANSPORT & FAQ
  • FOR PERFORMERS
  • VOLUNTEER
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT US
    • FUNDING
    • CORE TEAM
    • ART FOR ARTS

WELCOME TO TOTNES FRINGE FESTIVAL

  

We’re so excited to have you join us. Whether you’re bringing theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word, or something genre-defying, you’re now part of the very first Totnes Fringe — a grassroots celebration of bold voices and brilliant performance.
This page is your performer guide to everything that makes Totnes — and this festival — special.


Our First Fringe — Thanks for Taking the Leap
This is the inaugural Totnes Fringe Festival — and by joining us, you’re not just performing at a festival; you’re helping to shape it.
We know that taking part in a first-time event is a leap of faith. It means trusting the process, the place, and the people. We deeply respect the risk you’ve taken to be here — and we’re genuinely grateful.
This festival has been built with love, care, and a big belief in what artists like you can do when given space and community. Thank you for saying yes.


We’re also working hard behind the scenes to bring audiences through the doors — spreading the word, partnering locally, and making sure your work reaches as many eyes and ears as possible. We are trying to plaster the town with posters and programmes. Please feel free to bring flyers over the weekend- we can get volunteers out on the street with your flyers Edinburgh style and get involved with our social media; collaborate, share a reel and our posts. 


Powered by Passion: Our Incredible Volunteers
Totnes Fringe exists thanks to an amazing team of volunteers who give their time, energy, and heart to make it happen. Every performance and every audience member is supported by people who believe in the power of creativity and community.

By joining us, you’re part of a truly grassroots festival—built by artists, locals, and dreamers.

Thank you for bringing your work to Totnes. You're helping shape what this festival is, and what it could become.

This is just the beginning.
See you at the Fringe Hub!

About Totnes: A town like no other

a long memory and a big heart.

Totnes is a small Devon town with a long memory and a big heart. People have grown up here, raised families here, and shaped the town across generations. It’s a place of deep roots — and deep pride.
At the same time, Totnes has become known far and wide for its independent spirit, creative energy, and alternative outlook. Artists, musicians, campaigners, and entrepreneurs have been drawn here over the years, adding new ideas and perspectives. That meeting of old and new hasn’t always been seamless — but it’s part of what makes Totnes alive: a place constantly in conversation with itself, holding both heritage and imagination.


We are sure you’ll feel the warmth of a town that’s full of stories — and ready for yours.

Performer Perks

To make you feel as welcome as possible, we’ve arranged a few treats:

Grants you free access (subject to availability) to other Fringe shows — because we want you to be inspired by your fellow artists as much as they’ll be inspired by you. So come to the box office when you arrive and we will give you a wrist band.


Local Discounts
Use your pass at selected Totnes bars

  • 20% off drinks at the Bull Inn
  • 10% off drinks at the Barrel House


 Fringe Festival Hub & Box Office
Located in the centre of town—on the ground floor of the Barrel House, the Hub is your go-to place for info, rest, and connection. It’s where audiences buy tickets and ask questions — and where you can always find a friendly face.

Your Venue Host
Each venue has its own dedicated host — one of the core festival team who’s been liaising with you and is there to help with the practicalities of your performance. From access to tech to helping you find a ladder or a last-minute prop, they’re your first port of call.

DINO-SAW COLLECTING THEIR WRISTBAND

How we select performances

  

 Choosing shows and curate the programme?

We were thrilled to receive over 100 applications from artists eager to take part in our first Totnes Fringe Festival. Selecting from so many talented performers was a joyful challenge!
 

Our programming team worked hard to create a diverse lineup that reflects a wide range of forms and content — from theatre and dance to comedy, spoken word, and boundary-pushing experimental work. We carefully matched shows to venues of different shapes and sizes, ensuring each performance would shine in its space.

Above all, we aimed to craft a festival programme that appeals to as much of the Totnes community (and beyond) as possible — offering something for every taste and curiosity.


Accessible Tickets for All
We believe live performance should be for everyone. That’s why our ticket prices are set at just £6, £8, or £10 — affordable and fair, to welcome audiences from all walks of life.


We asked these questions when we read applications

Is there an audience for this work in Totnes? For a small town we’re known to be alternative. It is of course conceited to think we as a small group are thinking on behalf of the wider community, so we will be pretty open about content and form! 

Is there a venue that can accommodate this? You will see from our venue descriptions that there are a range on offer. But there is not really a conventional touring theatre space- so probably a version of your show that isn’t very technically sophisticated could be good to address in the application!

Is there a show?? This might sound odd. We want to be safe in the knowledge that if you are given a slot for a particular show it will happen. This doesn’t mean it already needs to have been produced- we would be excited to debut your piece!- but we want to be confident that it will happen. The questions that ask for details about your show will help us with this.

We are very much hoping to accommodate as much theatre as possible. But if we have to limit the applications the final question we will ask is whether the show seems exciting. What does this mean? We think that means you talk about it with passion and a sense of why it needs to be made and should be seen.

Dartington Hall: A Radical Legacy

A radical legacy

Just beyond Totnes lies Dartington Hall — not just a beautiful estate, but a place of cultural revolution. Founded in the 1930s as a centre for progressive education, social change, and the arts, Dartington became a beacon for experimental thinking and performance.
From 1961 to 2010, it was home to Dartington College of Arts, internationally recognised for its radical, interdisciplinary approach to training performers, musicians, choreographers, and makers. Students were encouraged to blur genres, challenge convention, and create work that was rooted in place, politics, and community.
Dartington’s influence reaches far beyond the South Devon hills. In its heyday, it welcomed some of the most important figures in modern performance and movement, including:


  • Michel Chekhov, actor and teacher, who founded his Theatre Studio here in the 1930s. His approach to imagination and inner gesture revolutionised actor training.
  • Rudolf Laban, pioneer of modern dance and movement analysis, who lived and worked on the Dartington estate after fleeing Nazi Germany.
  • Mary Fulkerson, influential choreographer and teacher of Release Technique, who taught at Dartington in the 1970s and 80s.
  • Seán O’Casey, the great Irish playwright, who lived at Dartington Lodge from 1938 to 1954, writing and reflecting in the heart of the Devon countryside.


Though Dartington College was controversially closed and absorbed into Falmouth University in 2010, its legacy continues — in the community, in its archives, and in festivals like this one. The Totnes Fringe carries that torch: a belief in the power of experimental work, local roots, and fearless creativity.

Local Walks to Clear Your Head (or Fill With Ideas)

EXPLORE TOTNES AND BEYOND

The River Dart Walk: A peaceful, flat stroll along the river to Dartington (around 30 mins each way). Watch kingfishers dart and herons stalk as you go.

Dartington Hall Estate: This historic estate is also a walk away. Wander through ancient woodlands, past hidden sculptures, and into the Great Hall courtyard.

Sharpham Loop: For something longer (2–3 hours), head downriver through vineyards and fields with glorious views across the Dart Valley.

Bridgetown Nature Trail: Cross the bridge for a tucked-away circular trail through quiet lanes, meadows, and wildflower patches.

VISIT TOTNES INFORMATION

Come for a festival stay for a while. You can read lots more about TOTNES and the surrounding area at the website of one of our sponsors, Visit Totnes. 

VISIT TOTNES

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