Adelaide Fringe

[Louise Clarke]

Hello,
So the Adelaide Fringe Festival, 2006 is in the process of being organized. Nigel & myself are in the middle of sorting out all of the pitches.

The Mall will be a draw as usual, meeting at 11 am in the usual place on Friday 24th February running to Sunday 19th March, 2006.

One thing that will change is the running of the Spiegel tent pitch. In previous years it has been run as a draw system, which has not always been that successful. Because of this we have decided to 'program' this particular pitch with the backing of 'The Garden of Unearthly Delights and Karen; the artistic director of The Fringe.

If you are interested in performing on the Spiegel pitch then please write to us. However, there is a limited amount of numbers, we will try and be as fair as possible but people will miss out on this pitch.

There is an additional pitch being organized at The Lion Art Centre along with a bar. This pitch will be in the normal 11 am draw along with the Mall pitches.

Cheers,
Louise & Mr Spin

[Rex Boyd]

Unfortunately I won't be able to come to Adelaide this year. I would really love to. I have been in the past though so I know from experience that a work permit can be arranged on the back of visiting the Fringe but when I did it back in '94 the immigration officials didn't really know what the Fringe was and were very confused when they asked on my application about how much I would be earning and I had to tell them that no I was actually paying the festival an entry fee to take part and not only that but there are hundreds of performers from around the world who are doing the same. ( I'm talking about indoor as well as outdoor. )

Anyway the situation seemed to confuse the immigration man enough that he gave me my permit and all went well, but I'm just curious if the formalities have become any more formalised over the years.

Rex

[Louise Clarke]

Adelaide Fringe

Hi Rex,
No I don't think so. The Fringe is very much more established now and I think the immigration officers will know about it.
I'm English so I know the complication with getting into Oz sometimes.
Going for permanent residence though which is good!
Maybe see you around.
Have a good season.
Louise

[martin ewen]

immigration

Early nineties some time, the fringe was informal enough that they would employ overseas acts (or if not employ, schedule although as I remember there were contracts signed and fees to be paid)
Sorry ..so anyway a local balloon twister rang first the fringe for a whine and attempt at inclusion and then when that didn't work rang the immigration and spilled the beans regarding the undocumented nature of the street acts working status (lack of) and then rang the fringe pretending to be immigration.
Hilarity ensued, (oh how we laughed)
Performers who had invested heavily in getting there had their contracts cancelled in an understandable defensive move by the fringe.
I wasn't effected because of my NZ passport but it sure dealt to the majority of the street program that year.
There's always a significant percentage of northern hemisphere performers winging it over the Southern summer months, nature of the beast.
It's a good festival. Just take care and be prepared to cut and run as a built in consequence of your high stakes risk taking lifestyles.
What with the flames and the juggling knives and the tall metal objects and the substance abuse problems an-all.
(that last bit might have been just me)