Totnes launches its first-ever Fringe Festival this month

What makes the first Totnes Fringe Festival truly remarkable is the deep sense of community and collaboration at its core.

Run entirely by a dedicated team of local volunteers, the festival brings together artists, organisers, families, and audiences in a shared celebration of creativity.

From the Respect Festival in Leechwell Gardens—a joyful, free weekend of family-focused events shaped by local performers and community support—to the exciting partnership with Villages in Action, nurturing new talent through From Devon With Love: Summer Scratch, every part of the programme reflects the town’s collective spirit. This is a festival not just for the community, but created by the community—and it shows in every detail.

Respect Festival at Leechwell Gardens – Free, Family-Focused Fun

Leechwell Gardens will host the Respect Festival, a weekend-long, free programme of performances for children and families. With storytelling, puppetry, playful theatre and interactive shows, it offers joyful, creative experiences for all ages in a relaxed outdoor setting.

It is created by two of Totnes’ most cherished and widely respected creatives:

Tony Gee’s remarkable 50-year career has been rooted in three core elements: the imagination, the child, and story. His journey began with an extraordinary and serendipitous event that led him to become a puppeteer—a path that unfolded into a life of vibrant creativity and international experiences.

He has performed street shows and appeared in major London theatres, worked with First Nations communities in Canada, created performances with children in care, led workshops at the Royal College of Art, and even set world records for the largest puppet show on Earth.

A passionate educator, Tony has taught in universities, developed training programmes for artists, and written numerous plays for and with children. Central to his work has been the staging of creation myths from cultures around the world with large groups of primary school children—sometimes involving as many as 650 participants in a single production.

His collaborative projects have reached audiences from Taiwan to Ireland, and Switzerland to Palestine, made possible through the dedication of his talented and generous artistic colleagues. He is also the published author of Making Worlds: The Creation Myth Puppets Handbook, an illustrated compendium of global tales and a practical guide to creating the puppets that bring them to life, drawn from over thirty years of staging large-scale puppet theatre with children.

Joining him is Matt Harvey, the celebrated poet, humourist and broadcaster, returning to perform in his hometown. Best known for his appearances on BBC Radio 4 (Saturday Live, Poetry Please, Wondermentalist) and for his role as a former Official Wimbledon Poet, Matt has built a national reputation for his clever, warm, and deeply human verse.

With his trademark mix of insight, wit and warmth, his live performances are always a highlight—by turns hilarious, poignant, and profoundly uplifting.

These two artists are central to the creative soul of Totnes, and their presence at the Fringe is a celebration of the town’s extraordinary cultural life.

From Devon With Love: Summer Scratch – New Theatre at The Barrel House

On Friday night, the Fringe partners with Villages in Action to present From Devon With Love: Summer Scratch at The Barrel House - a lively evening of bold new theatre and comedy from some of Devon’s most exciting emerging performers.

Villages in Action is one of Devon’s leading rural arts organisations, with a long-standing commitment to bringing professional performance to rural communities and nurturing home-grown talent. For over 25 years, they’ve championed creative access and innovation across the county - supporting artists at every stage of their careers and helping performances reach audiences in unexpected places.

This scratch night is part of their acclaimed From Devon With Love artist development programme. It offers early-career artists the chance to test new material in front of a live audience - and invites that audience to play a part in the creative process through feedback and response.

Expect a night of short, sharp, and surprising performances - ranging from laugh-out-loud comedy to intimate monologues - all created right here in the South West.

With pay-what-you-feel shows, free family events, and affordable ticketed performances, the Totnes Fringe Festival is designed to be open, accessible, and inclusive. It’s a weekend for everyone - whether you’re a lifelong theatre-goer or simply curious to explore something new.

To view the full programme: totnesfringe.uk/whats-on 
To book tickets: totnespulse.co.uk/totnesfringe 

For more information visit the website at totnespulse.co.uk/totnesfringe