Totnes Fringe Festival – Big Theatre Energy in a Small South Devon Town
Totnes Fringe Festival returns from 9–12 July, transforming the South Devon market town into a vibrant, pop-up stage for bold, independent theatre. In a town with no permanent theatre, this fast-growing, volunteer-run festival is creating one anyway — bringing performance into pubs, halls, gardens, a Norman castle and even unexpected community spaces including a laundrette and a telephone box.
The Festival was born out of a grassroots effort to reignite live performance in the region following the loss of Dartington’s internationally recognised arts programme. Now in its second year, Totnes Fringe is building real momentum. Its inaugural 2025 programme attracted over 3,000 visitors, sold 2,146 tickets and achieved an impressive 85% average seat occupancy, with 13 sell-out performances — a strong signal of demand for high-quality theatre in the area.
At its heart, the Festival is committed to supporting artists and audiences alike, with 80% of ticket income going directly to performers — a deliberate intervention in a sector where financial risk is often carried by the artists themselves.
What to Expect
75 performances across four days, featuring a diverse mix of local, national and international artists
A wide-ranging programme including theatre, comedy, spoken word, contemporary dance and children’s storytelling
Performances in distinctive venues across Totnes, from historic and outdoor settings to imaginative pop-up spaces
Highlights include:
Rania Kurdi’s Mumtaztic — a darkly comic, confessional one-woman show exploring fame, identity, motherhood and ADHD
Stiltskin Creative Arts — returning with an imaginative, high-energy adventure for younger audiences
Davis Freeman’s Karaoke — an interactive performance where contemporary art comes alive through audience participation
Fringe Futures 2026 winner Kat Skidmore’s We’re Working On It — a bold, immersive exploration of power, control and instability
Villainarium’s Paperweights — a sharp, satirical debut examining modern work culture and bureaucratic absurdity
The Festival’s Patron, actor, comedian and presenter Josh Widdicombe, is a strong advocate for the vital role fringe festivals play in nurturing new talent and creating opportunities for emerging artists.
Good To Know
A mix of free and ticketed events, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of audiences
80% of ticket income goes directly to artists, supporting independent performance
Entirely volunteer-run, with local people at the heart of the Festival
Made possible through the support of sponsors, partners and community donations
Set in one of Devon’s most distinctive and creative towns, offering a unique cultural experience alongside its independent shops, cafés and historic surroundings
