Comedy stars sign up for Ludlow Fringe
Comedy stars Jo Brand and Lucy Porter have been announced as two of the headline acts for this summer's first-ever Ludlow Fringe Festival, delighted organisers said today.
The nine-day extravaganza will see more than 100 events and performances take place, from art and music to poetry and comedy with a selection of children's events thrown in for good measure.
It will run at various venues in and around the town alongside the new-look Ludlow Arts Festival within the walls of Ludlow Castle
Brand, whose mother Joyce lives in Ludlow, has also written a number of best-selling books. She will be departing from her staple stand-up and instead deliver a talk on her writing style and experiences at the town's library on June 27 at 2pm.
Mock the Week star Porter will be headlining a night of comedy on June 26 at the British Legion club in Mill Street.
It will be the third successive night of stand-up at the venue as part of the Fringe, with Never Mind The Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats panellist Joe Lycett headlining on June 24 and Alfie Moore, from ITV's Show me the Funny, top of the bill on June 25.
Also appearing at the festival is rocker Steve Gibbons, who will be performing his own interpretation of Bob Dylan hits at the Assembly Rooms on June 27.
Bestselling author Salley Vickers, whose debut novel Miss Garnet's Angel has sold more than a million copies, will be giving a talk about her writing and her latest book at St Laurence's Church on June 24.
Broadcaster and former foreign correspondent Andy Kershaw is also set to appear.
Anita Bigsby, the co-ordinator of the new fringe festival, said: "The big idea has been to create many free and family-friendly experiences around the town centre.
"Ticket prices will be kept low, with the most expensive tickets held to £12, and most events will either be free or under a fiver.
"This energetic young festival has attracted dozens of artists, musicians, poets, writers, comedians, dancers, singers and performers of all ages on a real wave of enthusiasm.
"This truly is a fringe festival that's coming straight out of the heart of the community – this is what people want to do for the town, and everyone can be a part of it.
"Running alongside the new Ludlow Arts Festival within the Castle walls, we hope Ludlow Fringe's bumper mix of events will have the old streets and market places of Ludlow buzzing through the last week of June.
"There are some big names. But the Fringe also offers both residents and visitors the chance to discover the pleasures of Ludlow en fête.
"People can join in with a friendly local party as Lower Corve Street Does Fringe or enjoy getting hands on with Auntie Mabel's vintage craft stall right in the middle of historic Castle Square.
"The Emergency Poet will be on hand to dispense essential poetic first aid from her vintage 1950s ambulance. There will be competitions, a flash mob, a mummer's play, street artists and free workshops for children.
"There has already been a lot of interest in the Fringe and we would urge people to snap up tickets quickly to whichever events take their fancy to avoid disappointment."
The former Ludlow Arts Festival was disbanded after a 50-plus-year run because it ran into financial difficulties.
Its former bosses said the event had become larger than ever imagined and a sequence of poor weather led to substantial losses.
The line-up for this year's new look event, which will take place within the grounds of Ludlow Castle, includes comedians Paul Merton and Reginald D Hunter.
Stars of music including Jools Holland, 10cc, The Hollies and The Searchers will also perform while classical music fans can also look forward to a recreation of The Last Night of the Proms spectacular, presented by Gyles Brandreth.
