2026
NEWCASTLE FRINGE FESTIVAL
Saturday 14th to Sunday 29th March
Last year there was 32 performances here, this year there is 47.
I AND YOU
Wed 8th April to Sat 11th April
Knock and Run Theatre presents
Online tickets available HERE
One afternoon, Anthony appears unannounced at classmate Caroline’s door, clutching a battered copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and an urgent English assignment they must complete together. Caroline hasn’t been to school in months, confined at home by illness, but her sharp wit and sardonic edge are more than a match for Anthony’s earnest charm and easy popularity.
What begins as a simple poetry project soon becomes something far more unexpected. As the two teenagers drop their defenses, trade stories, and reveal long-held truths, the afternoon opens into a deeper mystery… and a connection neither of them saw coming.
I and You is a funny, heartfelt ode to youth, love, and the strange, breathtaking beauty of being human.
“By the close, Gunderson has guided us toward a sublime transfiguration that encompasses Leaves of Grass, John Coltrane, Jerry Lee Lewis, space and time, bodies and spirits, death and rebirth.”
The New Yorker.
“…a validation of the human experience, and of the triumph of life over death. Gunderson’s gift is the best thing a play can offer: we might be better people after seeing it.”
DC Theatre Scene.
“…sharp and funny. Gunderson taps into a buoyant spirit…the touching ‘barbaric yawp’ of these two deeply engaging kids.” Washington Post.
Directed by James Chapman
Starring Nyah Le & Sam Lane
MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE
Friday 17th, Sat 18th & Sun 19th April
$28
Middle-aged Angela is on a quest for happiness after husband Max leaves her for a younger woman. This brilliantly observed one-woman comedy drama is bright and breezy with ripples of wonderful, tiny moments. Originally performed by Dawn French in London's West End, this show is as irresistible as a chocolate truffle!!
THOMPSONS + BOX of CHOCHOLATES + CLARK GORMLEY
Thursday 23rd April 6 pm $15
Three Acts. One Iconic Room.
We’ve got three local acts who know how to tell a story: the honest, acoustic warmth of The Thomsons, the melodic layers of Box of Chocolates, and the sharp, observational wit of Clark Gormley — all coming together for one unforgettable night where every lyric lands, every harmony lingers, and every moment feels like it was written just for this room.
Settle in. Lean closer. Let the stories unfold.
CONFESSIONARY
Thursday 14th, Friday 15th & Saturday 16th May 7.30pm
Share something you’ve never told anyone before.
CONFESSIONARY is like an AA meeting that’s almost a show … but never turns into one.
Hosted by Steve Abbott (founding member of The Castanet Club and later The Sandman on JJJ and Good News Week – if you don't remember, ask your mum) and Ginger Briggs (writer, worm farmer, chronic confessor), CONFESSIONARY is safe place to admit uncomfortable things.
You'll hear people confess to the mistakes they've made or the flaws they have. And you're free to chime in. Empathise. Confess to something yourself.
What happens in CONFESSIONARY stays in CONFESSIONARY – no phones, no record. It’s honest, vulnerable, heartbreaking, uncomfortable, humorous. People laugh, cry and engage. And it feels good.
Come to listen. Come to confess. Doesn’t matter. We already forgive you.
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Oh, and there’s a potential late night show – Steve’s Unhappy Hour – an evening of miserable original songs. Stay tuned.
PAGLIACHI
Friday 29th Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st May
Ross Brown, John Campbell and crew perform a version of last years House Of Horrors hit show
NEWCASTLE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Friday 20th & Saturday 21st November
Ninth year