I s there anything more enchanting than the picturesque landscapes of Sicily, drenched in the golden hues of October sunshine? For fringe veterans more used to the rains of Edinburgh or the rains of Brighton, or the rains of Dundee, or the rains ofโฆ you get the point , this is a delightful opportunity to savour the magic of fringe theatre while basking in the warm rays of the sun.
Nestled on the west coast of this stunning island, the Catania Fringe Festival is blossoming into its third year, attracting an eager crowd for its vibrant celebration of the arts.
Sheltering from another deluge and the crowded streets in a fringe press office during the Edinburgh Fringe, a small Broadway Baby contingent concocted a plan to travel to the Catania Fringe, watch some performances, and enjoy the sunshine.
The only real issue was that only one of us spoke any Italian. So, how do you enjoy a fringe festival if it is mainly in a language you only have a limited understanding of? On flying into Catania, the group of reviewers a parliament of reviewers? A jeroboam of reviewers? Several non-verbal performances, from dance to physical theatre, were accessible to all. Finally, whilst some theatre shows had limited speaking parts, with either a script emailed to us or a translator offered by the fringe to join us, the performances were generally understandable to non-native speakers.
After jotting down a few notes, we settled in the picturesque Bellini Plaza, sipping on cappuccinos as we mapped out our adventures for the coming days. Like many fringe festivals, evening performances are the norm, allowing festival-goers ample time during daylight hours to explore some breathtaking sightsโlike climbing the landscape-dominating Mount Etna, wandering through the charming Greek port of Syracuse, or soaking in the rich history of Roman ruins in Taormina.
