 Married At Fringe Sight
August 6-10, 12-24 - The Space @ Surgeons' Hall When the team behind Queer Comedy wanted to draw larger audiences to their shows, they wondered how to attract the attention of heterosexual couples who might not typically attend their events. Recognising the widespread appeal of "basic dating shows," they hit upon a brilliant idea. This heterosexual couple was sitting on a bench when handed a flyer for "Married at Fringe Sight," a clever play on the hit Channel 4 series "Married at First Sight." For those unfamiliar, the show pairs up strangers and has them marry upon first meeting, with the audience following their journey to see if love blossoms. As we lose months of the year to watching the UK and Australian version of the show, we quickly booked our tickets for a few days later. Clearly, Queer Comedy knew what they were doing! "Married at Fringe Sight" is a fully interactive experience where the audience gets to decide within an hour which strangers in the room will "get married" by the end of the night. It’s a fun twist on the passive experience of watching the show at home, where you love to play the expert in your stained sweatpants. The show is brilliantly led by the comedic duo David Ian and Jeremy Topp. Their quick wit and engaging banter kept the audience in stitches as they delved into the potential marriage pairings, exploring the participants' love lives and romantic histories with hilarious results. On the night in question, the audience was largely made up of two competing a cappella groups, making it feel like a live version of "Pitch Perfect." This unique crowd dynamic proved to be dream material for the comedians! The interactive element is brought to life through an app that the audience uses to participate in the matchmaking process. The app asks questions like what you’re looking for in a partner and details about your worst date, giving everyone a chance to share their own stories and preferences. One of the standout features of "Married at Fringe Sight" is its inclusivity. The show proudly embraces all forms of love, making it clear that any match is possible. Regardless of your relationship status or orientation, you might find yourself paired with someone entirely unexpected by the end of the night! 4/5 Lee Hutchison |
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