We’re hoping for any/all of the following: new writing, musicals, stand-up, sketch comedy, cabaret, poetry, mentalism, and improvisation (not an exhaustive list, so if your particular thing isn’t on it, don’t let that put you off applying). Please bear in mind that most of the venues are small – maximum audience of 20-40 – and while they have sound and lighting, it’s fairly basic. There is no stage, backstage area, wings, curtains etc. Also, no piano. (See below for more info on venues.)
To be in with a chance of getting into this year’s festival, please apply ASAP and definitely before midnight on June 30th.
Please read this entire page, including the Terms and Conditions before you fill out the entry form. By filling out the entry form, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.
Dates
Faversham Fringe takes place from Friday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 26th.
These are the days the festival is running:
- Friday October 3rd (evening)
- Saturday October 4th (afternoon)
- Saturday October 4th (evening)
- Sunday October 5th (afternoon)
- Sunday October 5th (evening)
- Friday October 10th (evening)
- Saturday October 11th (afternoon)
- Saturday October 11th (evening)
- Sunday October 12th (afternoon)
- Sunday October 12th (evening)
- Friday October 17th (evening)
- Saturday October 18th (afternoon)
- Saturday October 18th (evening)
- Sunday October 19th (afternoon)
- Sunday October 19th (evening)
- Friday October 24th (evening)
- Saturday October 25th (afternoon)
- Saturday October 25th (evening)
- Sunday October 26th (afternoon)
- Sunday October 26th (evening)
Venues
We have 3 venues on board: The Alex (3 function rooms), The Guildhall (yes, that building on stilts), and the Arden Theatre (98-seat theatre). We programme shows into the most appropriate space, but you can state a preference on the application form. We try to reserve the Arden Theatre for plays that really need an actual theatre to work.
Show Costs
Faversham Fringe is not run for profit – we charge a registration fee to cover the costs of hiring the venue, front-of-house staff and publicity. The registration fee for each show is a very reasonable £40. Registration fees are payable upon confirmation of entry into the Faversham Fringe programme.
The registration fee covers a single performance. Given that Faversham is a small town, we don’t recommend doing more than one performance. Better to have one full show, than two sparsely attended ones.
The registration fee covers entry to the printed programme, online listings, social media coverage, performance space with PA, a front-of-house volunteer to assist with audience seating (and tech if your needs are basic), and space in our flyer display stand (you will have to supply the flyers).
Remuneration
We have decided to go for a fully ticketed model again this year. Ticket revenue will be split 80:20 in your favour. Tickets will be priced at £6 each by default, but you can opt to charge more.
Flyers & Posters
In the past, we have strongly recommended that you print some flyers (around 5 x number of seats is a good rule of thumb) and posters to advertise your show.
We will have a stall on Faversham Market and/or outside The Alexander Centre in the run-up to and during the festival to promote the festival and provide information about the individual shows. You are welcome to join us on any of those days and/or send us your flyers for the table. The venue will have a flyer display, along with programmes.
Please print your flyers A5 portrait so that they fit in our flyer display stand (note that this is a change from previous years). Many shops within the town will happily display posters, but you will need to approach them individually. Scheduling some time to do some flyering of your own is very highly recommended (zero flyering = minuscule audience). Please do not send us boxes and boxes of flyers.
Terms and Conditions
- Faversham Fringe is open to shows of all genres of between 45 and 60 minutes duration. Shows absolutely cannot run over time. Get in/get out is an absolute maximum of 15 minutes either side of advertised show times.
- All shows submitted are subject to acceptance by the Faversham Fringe Committee. While the festival is open access, shows may be refused on ethical or moral grounds.
- If accepted into the Festival, all companies (a person or group of persons who have submitted a show) are obliged to pay a non-refundable entry fee of £40. This fee is forfeited in the event of the company withdrawing from the Festival of its own volition, or being disqualified for contravening the Festival rules.
- If you cancel your show and have already sold tickets online, you will be invoiced by Faversham Fringe for any customer booking fees that are refunded.
- Once the programme is full, shows can be held on a reserve list and admitted in the event of withdrawals. Being on the reserve list does not guarantee performance in the Festival.
- You are responsible for any Royalties due on all material (including writing or music) that is not original.
- Each show will have a maximum of 15 minutes to set up and 15 minutes to clear the stage. Minimal sets are thus an advantage.
- Shows will not be able to hold dress/technical rehearsals in the performance spaces beforehand. Access to view the venue may be possible upon negotiation with Faversham Fringe and/or the venue management.
- Faversham Fringe will provide Festival Managers who are there to oversee the entire Festival, but not to stage manage individual shows.
- Faversham Fringe will provide technical support to guide your own technician on the use of the venue’s tech. In cases of simple technical needs, volunteers may be able to run your tech under your guidance.
- General lighting states will be provided. This will be notified to the shows in advance.
- No costumes or props can be stored at the venues. Companies may be able to drive to a location near to the stage door prior to their shows to drop props off, but any vehicles must then be parked in accordance with the local parking regulations. Props must be removed once you have cleared the stage. Faversham Fringe cannot accept responsibility for any items of property brought onto or left at the premises.
- Rehearsal space is the responsibility of the company. Faversham Fringe is not responsible for organising or booking rehearsal space.
- Tickets will be sold for all shows online and during the festival from the box office.
- Anyone deemed to be breaking any of Faversham Fringe’s rules and regulations will be disqualified from the Festival and asked to leave the premises immediately.
- Faversham Fringe takes no responsibility for any errors in the details submitted by companies for publication in the brochure. We do our best to proofread and double-check everything that is sent to us, but ultimately it is your responsibility to give us the correct information in the first instance.
- Faversham Fringe is not responsible for the quality of images submitted by participants and has the right to refuse an image that is of poor quality, not to the required specifications or deemed to be offensive. Failure to submit a quality image by the deadline will result in a default image of the Faversham Fringe logo being used for listings and in the printed brochure.
Apply
To enter your show into Faversham Fringe, please fill out our online form.