Sharjah:With 1,100 hours of pure entertainment in 17 days spread across 600 performances covering theatre, music, puppetry, magic, dance and interactive street shows, the first-ever Fringe festival in the Middle East – Sharjah Fringe – is set to transform the UAE’s cultural heartland into a creative, theatrical playground. 

The emirate will host a selection of acts that were born on Fringe stages around the world and, today, represent the very best of the global Fringe repertoire.    

Promising the best of family entertainment and children’s theatre, Sharjah Fringe will unfold with 35 ticketed productions and 30 outdoor street performances that are free and open to all members of the public. The shows, performed by more than 50 artists hailing from across the world, will take centre stage at three Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) destinations, Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Qasba and Al Noor Island.  

The best of Fringe comes to Sharjah 
Among the top international Fringe favourites that will be presented at Sharjah Fringe is Maxwell the Bubbleologist’s breathtaking exploration of the dynamics of bubbles. In The Bubble Show, UK-based performer Maxwell Graham combines comedy and artistry with audience participation and bubble tricks that will keep everyone mesmerised. 

Australia’s Tom Thum and Jamie MacDowell, winners of Best Music Event at the Brighton Fringe 2014 and the Adelaide Fringe 2016, come armed with just a guitar and a distinctive singing voice to woo crowds with their versatile talents, while in South Africa’s popular In Sticks Stones Broken Bones, household junk and bits of rubbish will be transformed into wordless shadow puppet stories about flying chickens, sneaky ninjas and brain transplants! 

All the way from Spain, Grumpy Pants is a hilarious show for the whole family featuring perfectly crafted juggling routines, physical comedy and fork throwing, while young children will be invited on stage to star in the award-winning magic show called The I Hate Children Children’s Show. 

Organised by Shurooq in strategic partnership with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the Sharjah Fringe festival is produced by South Africa’s National Arts Festival and UAE-based Dolphin Creative.

A rich slate of programmes encourages the exchange of new ideas 
Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, COO, Shurooq says, “Designed primarily as an interactive event, families and the general public can also experience the sheer thrill of being called on stage alongside international artists at the Sharjah Fringe. The emirate enjoys a global cultural status and touristic appeal, which we wanted to reinforce by presenting an event full of choice for each of the 200-plus nationalities residing in the UAE. The 17-day art and entertainment festival will showcase the diverse talents of internationally popular acts alongside up-and-coming artists from worldwide.  

“Our rich slate of programmes, including Fringe classics, will introduce new entertainment concepts and encourage the exchange of new and thought-provoking ideas with other cultures in a festive atmosphere at Shurooq’s specially chosen destinations. We are excited to unveil the full line-up of shows to the public in the days to come, and visitors can access all details and information through our website and social media platforms.”

Tickets will be available to buy online at www.sharjahfringe.com from 31 December 2019, with prices ranging from AED 35 – 50. Discounts (concessions) are available for children, students and over 60s.

Queries and telephonic bookings can also be made by calling: +971 6 556 0777.