Durham Free Fringe

*Waves*

One month ago, @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social was underway.

It already feels like a lifetime ago.

Do us proud.

One week ago, @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social began.

This feels like a lifetime ago now.

A few more personal reflections of @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social on my own website, going public for the first time on just HOW stressed I've been.

chrisnevillesmith.info/wp/2025/07/2...

Well, that was fun! The very first Durham Free Fringe is complete. Thank you so much to everybody who got involved in this first year, from performers to venues to audiences. It’s been a wild ride for us this week, but we’ll be back. For the time being, we’re keeping the listings below for information. We will be expanding this website in time for programming in 2026. Right now, however, we are taking a long rest.

One final edit on the website.

The End! See you next year.

And that's a wrap. Four days and six shows later, Durham Free Fringe 2025 is done.

Thank you to everyone who took part, came to shows, offered venues or supported us in any other way. We're going to have a big rest now, before planning Durham Free Fringe 2026.

So that's the end of @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social day 3 and our last day in our main space of Holy GrAle upstairs.

We're not quite finished, a couple of days in smaller spaces still to go but after months of stress I can't believe how well this has worked.

Good to have you.

Best of luck for Dundee Fringe.

View down the river Wear from the pedestrian bridge in the centre of Durham with trees overhanging on both sides clouds reflecting on the still water and Durham Castle overlooking it

Good evening from the Wear

Thanks to @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social for letting me test out my revised Philosophy Storytime & giving me my first go at improvised murder mystery—my melons were thankfully innocent
Thanks to the Holy GrAle for gifting the space
Also friends and known associates for coming
No show photo so a river

Wow. Another full house tonight, this time for the mixed bill comedy.

Hope to post some photos soon, but they're on my camera and that'll take some time to transfer.

This means I’m on my way to Durham!

View from the train crossing the rail bridge at the south end towards Newport under a moody sky

Good morning from the Tay
(Dundee Rail Bridge Edition)

7.30: It's Not Cluedo!

Chris Neville-Smith

There's been a murder! And we have one hour to solve it! Choose your own six suspects, six weapons and nine locations. The comedy game show with a panel of Fringe performers comes to Durham. Comedy nominee, 2024 Scarborough Fringe.

Info in text.

Our very first day of Durham Free Fringe:

6.00 p.m.: Philosophy Storytime: Erotic Tales of & for Lovers of Wisdom

Kathrine Cuccuru

A genre bending performance uniquely blends theatrical storytelling and philosophical conversation to make you gasp, laugh, think … and maybe even a little horny.

Cropped poster of Philosophy Storytime: Erotic Tales of and For Lovers of Wisdom with a hand drawn Eros

TODAY! @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social

Who is joining us for #Philosophy Storytime?

6-7pm, The Holy GrAle, #Durham

Only one more sleep until you put me to the test…

2 days to go!

Two days. And a look at what we have day by day.

Full schedule on our website.

durhamfreefringe.org.uk/wp/

Aaaand ...

Our website is live. All listings available in one place.

durhamfreefringe.org.uk/wp

4 days to go.

6 shows, 10 performances, 5 days, 2 venues ...

And it starts in 4 days.

NEWLY ADDED!

Ben Bradley in association with ShellShock Improv brings us THE DURHAM IMPROV JAM.

Added to our programme at 4.30 p.m. on Friday 25th July at the Holy GrAle.

Our opener for Durham Free Fringe.

Thank you to Fringe Review for their coverage.

Durham Free Fringe. 5 Days to go!

The countdown has started!

Don't go away, we are almost ready to announce something new.

Many thanks to Tracey Sinclair for including us in her weekly newsletter.

Durham Free Fringe begins one week today.

IT'S NOT CLUEDO - Chris Neville-Smith As a major fan of Cluedo, I was really looking forward to this one and Chris definitely didn't disappoint. At the same time, as noted in the title though, this is Not Cluedo. Instead, it's a creative twist on the cherished board game that so many of us have loved over the years. The show began with the announcement that there had been a murder (!) and we had one hour to solve the mystery before the murderer got away. At this point, the game had to be set up. With Chris improvising and including audience participation, together we created six new suspects, six new weapons and nine potential murder locations for our poor, unsuspecting victim. With our local dive bar as the setting, was it Reverend Fire in the DJ booth with the golf balls? Or was it Madam Ice in the gents loo with the trombone? Accusations were thrown, innocence was proven, and as time ticked on, we worked as a team, determined to find the killer! A light-hearted, fun-filled show full of laughs and creativity, It's Not Cluedo has taken a well-known basis for a game and turned it upside down, resulting in a great show where, with only a few minutes left, we actually caught our killer! Job well done. Mark Buxton

And here's the @buxtonfringe.bsky.social review of It's Not Cluedo.

Just a one-off at Buxton, but on again for @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social on the 23rd July.

Well, are you wondering…?
Come see #Philosophy Storytime at the #Durham Free Fringe (@durhamfreefringe.bsky.social)

🎭 Durham Free Fringe hits the city 23–27 July with FREE shows in pubs & bars! Comedy, storytelling, philosophy, and more—no tickets, just turn up & donate if you can.
Full preview 👇
🔗 www.northeasttheatreguide.co.uk/2025/07/prev...

@cns-theatre.bsky.social

Looking forward to seeing you.