Our 2024 Festival came with a new venue with a particular focus on dance performances, the historic Fonteyn Ballroom within Dunelm House. As part of this focus, Unearthed Dance Company brought us this “dynamic and thought-provoking performance that showcased [their] talent and creativity” (Fringe Review), with the performers on a journey to navigate the fight for equality, for acceptance and for peace.

Seasoned Durham Fringe Festival performer Eden Ballantyne brought his energetic space-themed pirate show for the under 5’s to one of our new venues for 2024, Vane Tempest @ Dunelm House. The show was a real hit with its audience of all ages, described by Fringe Review as “a perfect blend of entertainment and education”.

Heather-Rose Andrews filled the City Theatre’s stage in a bold and physical adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, reimagined as a solo production. Fringe Review has described the production as “The most viscerally convulsive realisation of Jekyll or Hyde imaginable.”

And Tomorrow Theatre Company delivered an intimately detailed and chilling look at the life and motives of Dr Harold Shipman, written by a former patient and relative of one of his victims. The show was expertly crafted and went on to a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe after Durham.

Also heading to Edinburgh after Durham, Potty the Plant provided some light relief with a gloriously silly musical, set in a hospital and focussed around a sentient, singing plant! The whole cast had infectious enthusiasm, leaving audience members in stitches at the preposterous proposition.

Local magician Tom Bolton broke into the stage magic scene at Durham Fringe Festival 2022. Coming from a background in close-up magic, he has honed his show each year into one which now regularly attracts sellout audiences.

It all started in 2021 with four venues, one of which was the beautiful garden at St Chad’s College. Here we see The Muses, an all-female dance company who brought energy and vibrancy to the stage with their Lady Gaga inspired routine, The Glory Set.