The time has finally come for Dunedin Fringe 2025, and what an exciting time it is! Last Wednesday marked the opening night when lovers of the arts, old and new, gathered to celebrate the festival’s 25th birthday – and it came with the to-be-expected bells and whistles that would make your high school art teacher swoon. There was low lighting, sparkly decor, beer, cake, comedic flair – and an excitable Critic Te Ārohi in the front row.
Fringe Festival spans eleven days (until March 23rd) with over 500 artists and crew staging around 80 events. The festival is uncurated, meaning anyone eager to showcase their creativity needs only to register. Each year, this opportunity draws artists (from many disciplines) to Ōtepoti, where they connect with local audiences through performance art, comedy, burlesque, dance, workshops, theatre, and pretty much anything in between. Dunedin Fringe is the perfect occasion for established artists to test their new projects, and for unknown artists to enter the scene!
Fringe’s birthday night was kicked off by a duo of MCs who assured us that we would all be laughing together for the rest of the evening (don’t threaten Critic with a good time). Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich made an unexpected appearance, giving a short address concerning the awesomeness of Fringe, and then turned over the stage to a game of pass the parcel. In between each layer, the lucky recipient discovered a chocolate and two free tickets to an upcoming Fringe event. Critic managed to score six tickets to three different shows, gained by the music being stopped on us and a parcel being chucked at our head.
The atmosphere of the evening could only be described as lovely by the guests at Te Whare o Rukutia. Everyone appeared jolly, and a feeling of support imbued the room. To quote one attendee, “It felt like everyone there already knew each other – a cliquey group of weirdos that I want to be a part of.” As advertised by Fringe, and now backed by Critic’s first-hand experience, this feeling of community extends through the entire festival. It is, among many other things, what makes Dunedin Fringe so special.
Across the next eleven days, Dunedinites can look forward to heaps of different events. The range of content this year is so broad that there’s truly something for everyone. Ticket pricing ranges from koha (pay what you can) to around $35. It doesn’t matter whether your interest lies in ASMR, science, Harry Potter, cultural arts or socially-acceptable stripping – there is something for everyone. For more info, check out their website www.dunedinfringe.nz.