After its inaugural smash success in 2009, the award winning RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE is back with a bolder and brassier programme of alternative performance and cabaret, making it the wildest fringe festival in town! With everything from comedy to magic, live bands to cabaret - even site-specific work - from some of the best talents on the alternative scene in London and from around the world. Don't miss one of London's most exciting events this summer!
Duckie's 'Performance and Cocktails'
Wednesday, 25 August - Friday, 27 August
For three nights in the Hot August Fringe, this infamous venue is transformed into a sleek, chic speakeasy cabaret lounge with cocktail waiters and table service. Amy lamé introduces a programme of short delicate pieces - about 8 pieces, about 8 minutes long each - a taster for live art virgins.
Saturday, 7 August
Ding ding! All aboard Nanna & Rosie's wonky music hall Routemaster ride round London town with trannytastic tiberlina hosting sightseeing bingo. An all inclusive participatory experience with live music, singalongs, comedy and retro blitz granny rocking. Touch in your cocklecard for a time travelling whistlestop beano on a bus!
Friday 6 and Saturday, 7 August
Cognitive, a site specific production sees Scottee presenting an honest look at ourselves, our emotions, our thoughts and our interaction with others in a forgotten corner of the RVT.
Underclass Hero: La John Joseph
Tuesday, 3 August and Tuesday, 10 August
A frank, and almost charming tour of La JohnJoseph's formative years on Liverpool's most glamorous council estates. Indiscrete storytelling interspersed with reworked classics from Suede, Hole and PJ Harvey, delivered in her wild and witty signature style.
The Blue Lady Sings by Tricity Vogue
Monday, 26 July & Wednesday, 28 July
Acclaimed cabaret songstress Tricity Vogue brings a kitsch portrait to life and transforms herself into the blue lady in a dazzling, witty and strangely haunting cabaret spectacle.
Monday, 26 July
Following her sell-out hit 'cabaret whore" at last year's HAF, Edinburgh, Brighton, Adelaide fringes and the Soho Theatre, Sarah-Louise Young returns with brand new characters and original songs. Music by Michael Roulston.
Various dates
The all new male burlesque show where all will be revealed... More or Lesque! - it's steamy, hot, super-sexy and witty. More or Lesque promises a whirlwind of comedy, song, sexy dance, acrobatics, a hint of beauty and a bit of seductive flesh.
Tuesday, 17 August
Three magicians take you on a journey through the past, present and future of magic, showing the broad styles of magic that have developed over the past 100 years and beyond.
Friday, 30 July
Star of Sky1's hit Brainiac: Science Abuse, performs a frank and funny show about the nature of worrying and how it shapes our lives. Joe's got plenty to worry about, from STDs in Africa to a dramatic end to a stag do in Barcelona... he's even written the eulogy for his best friends funeral- just in case!
Wednesday, 11 & Monday, 23 August
The 'lovely and a little bit filthy' Vikki Stone and her band brings you an hilariuos evening of music and comedy. Described as a cross between Jack Black and Victoria Wood, catch this 'rising star' of the comedy scene now.
Friday, 6 August
Ballsy, surreal, alternative live comedy sketch show that will have you shaking with laughter! Once you have tasted this twisted fudge, there is no way of cleansing yourself!
Tuesday, 27 July
Star of Channel 4's TNT show, BBC New Comedy Award & So You Think You're Funny winner - has another extremely funny show. Imagine that! Sometimes nice people have to toughen up to survive this world. But what if their shoulders simply aren't big enough for fighting?
Wednesday, 28 July
Perrier Nominee, actor and writer of the Sunday Times column Dad Rules in a show about learning the rules of love. What makes us fall in love? What makes us break up? How can we stay in love? An uplifting, hilarious hour of stand-up, stories, and, finally, the Seven Secrets of Love.
Tuesday, 27 July and Wednesday 28 July
Most people have a crush at 15, a kiss by 20 and sex by at least 30. Not me and Susan Boyle. This is a story of what happens when you don't follow the normal path...
Thursday, July 29
Heads.Hearts make electronic soul. The live show is high-energy, packed with driving drum machines, shaking bass and dominated by amber's powerful soul sound.
Monday, 2 August
Gill ventures back to the torch song divas that have thrilled the gay communities for years. Songs from their respective movies and loads of sing-along. Gill is fast becoming the darling of the jazz community and is Ronnie Scotts favourite diva.
Friday, August 20
Toy Toy's barbed electro, steered by front-woman Demelza is a mix of Grace Jone's scariness with the ebullient vocals of The Noisettes' Shingai. Toy Toy are a part of a new wave of independent artists currently tearing through the music scene.
Various dates
A new one-woman comedy show, detailing the exploits of booze-soaked Suzi as she attempts to re-embrace the dating scene the only way she knows how - with seven disastrous dates and copious amounts of Pinot Grigio - all in shambilic and hilarious evening!
Monday, 23 August
Low-fi lip-sync remix of Blondie's greatest hits. "Picture This" 1979, "Maria" is "Dreaming" of becoming a "Platinum Blonde" and escaping her "Union City Blues" for the bright lights of Manhattan, she goes into "Rapture" on meeting "Denis" Dubois photographer to the stars - but does he have a heart of glass?
Thursday, 19 August & Tuesday, 24 August
Dickie Beau shape-shifts through a one-man show of many faces, reframing the myth of Narcissus, giving body to the lost voice of Echo, and sharing the stories of some other splintered souls.
"Phenomenal talent" - Time Out
