Small but mighty: Margate Fringe returns

Margate Fringe Festival returns for its third year and biggest programme of shows yet this week. Running from Thursday to Sunday in venues around Margate, performers this year include Nick Helm, Rosie Holt, and Janine Harouni.

The festival was launched in 2023 by Faye Bowker, who has a background in events management, and Sam Moulton, who has previously worked in live comedy in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Taking over the Tom Thumb Theatre for its first edition, it expanded into other venues in 2024 and will put on performances at the Tom Thumb, Olby’s and Justine’s this year.

We speak to Faye who tells us about how the event has developed since it began, what’s in store this year, and plans for the future. 

How did Margate Fringe Festival start?
We started Margate Fringe Festival in 2023. I was working at the Tom Thumb Theatre at the time and after talking to them about bringing more comedy to the Tom Thumb suggested a small comedy festival. Sam was thinking of moving to Margate and constantly asking me questions about living there so with his background in comedy I asked if he’d run the festival with me - a great excuse for him to spend more time in Margate!

How did the first one go?
The first one went really well, we were surprised with how popular our little festival was. We had a lot of support from Sara and Alex from the Tom Thumb who basically let us take over their venue for the whole weekend. It's been quite a lot of work for the two of us as well as programming, we're also the ones designing the artwork, doing the promotion, doing the door and the tech so it's a pretty exhausting weekend, but it's worth it.

How has the event developed since then?
In our second year we added a few more venues, Olby’s and Margate Arts Club, which meant we had bigger rooms (which sold out, thankfully). This year we have another new venue in Justine’s and are promoting the most shows we’ve ever put on. 

What have been some highlights of past festivals? 
Sam’s highlight was Jordan Brookes (his favourite comedian) asking from the stage if he had any requests and doing an old bit from a few years ago. That was on the first night of the first festival and it felt like something special had been created. Jordan is back this year on Sunday 25th at the Tom Thumb. My highlight was seeing Christopher Hall pack out Margate Arts Club in 2024, it was such a perfect setting and I'd never seen him before, now I'm a lifelong fan. He's back this year with a new show at Justine’s. 

Is there an overall ethos to the festival? 
We both just love Margate and comedy really.

How do you decide who to book?
I think the main thing is we only book acts that we know we like, we wouldn't book anyone who we don't find funny. We like to have a mix of established acts and those that are more up and coming. For example, last year at the Tom Thumb we had Rob Copland with his work in progress show Gimme One With Everything. The show was in its early stages and by the time he took it to Edinburgh he won the The Victoria Wood Award 2024. Fatiha El-Ghorri also performed a work in progress there and is right now starring on Taskmaster on Channel 4. So yeah, if you come to Margate Fringe you might even see an award winner or TV star in the making. 

Is there anyone you’re particularly excited to see on the bill this year?
We're excited to see everyone! But we're particularly excited to see Nick Helm at Olby’s on Thursday, May 22. He’s obviously a comedy and TV superstar (starring in Uncle, Loaded, Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment and Eat Your Heart Out) and totally unique and exhilarating live. 

Is your audience primarily locals, or do you see this as an event to attract people from further afield?
I think it's a real mix of familiar faces and those that have come from further afield. We get people from Margate and the rest of Thanet, of course, but also people travel from Canterbury, Brighton, Dover, London and once even Bristol. 

How would you like to see MFF develop in the future, are you keen to include other types of performance outside comedy? 
We'd like for it to take over Margate for a whole month and be as big as Edinburgh Fringe! Not really, but we'd love to include some more venues, and maybe even get a spiegeltent - and include some other types of acts such as circus and cabaret.

Although we're primarily comedy we have over the years had other types of performance, such as poetry from Harry Baker in 2023 and the play Dead End in 2024, this year we've got another play, Rosie Holt's Churchill's Urinal - although I guess all of those shows are comedy adjacent. But yes, we're open to other types of performance!

Margate Fringe Festival kicks off this Thursday, May 22, with a work in progress show from Nick Helm. There’s then a bulging programme of performances at the Tom Thumb Theatre and Justine’s.

Check out the full line up and book tickets here:

Thursday
Nick Helm at Olby’s. Tickets.

Saturday
1pm: Rosie Holt at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets. 
4pm: Bella Hull at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.
5.30pm: Janine Harouni at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets. 
8.30pm: Joseph Morpurgo at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.
9.45pm: Jessica Aszkenasy at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets. 

Sunday
1pm: Josh Weller at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.
2.30pm: Bilal Zafar - New Show at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.
4pm: Daniel Foxx at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets. 
5pm: Ed Night - Your Old Mucker at Justine’s. Tickets.
5.30pm: Ria Lina at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.
6.30pm: Christopher Hall at Justine’s. Tickets.
7pm: Jordan Brookes at Tom Thumb Theatre. Tickets.