Behind the Scenes
she laughs, ‘but you really are most proud
of the work that isn’t yours. Getting to watch
young artists grow and develop, that’s the most
rewarding thing.’ Fiona gushes that helping
artists get noticed, perhaps wrangling them a
spread in The Age, is ‘why she gets out of bed
in the morning.’ As well as providing a platform
for artists’ work, Fringe is heavily involved in
artist support, through forums and mentorships
as well as advocacy. In the ‘off season’, Jayne
spends countless hours negotiating with funding
bodies to get artists the money they deserve, a
task that can only be truly appreciated if you’ve
ever tried to get paid for doing something
creative. (Who, me?)
I want to know what’s different about the
comedy at Fringe, and again am coaxed to
remember it’s the comedians who decide that.
‘All we do is provide support when it’s needed.
We try not to give a guiding hand at all in the
stuff that’s entered into the festival,’ says Jayne.
Still, there must be something that keeps the big
names coming back, with the likes of Sammy
J, Arj Barker, Tessa Waters, Sophie Kneebone,
and the legend himself Rod Quantock blessing
the stage with a regular presence. Fiona knows
what’s up, saying that comedians revel in the
opportunity to do material that’s ‘experimental,
new, exciting.’ Fringe is ‘a place for them to
explore.’ It’s where they can come and have
fun, try out new stuff, and develop their shows,
free in the knowledge that the more authentic
experience is exactly what the audience has
come for.
Jayne and Fiona’s veritable awe for the
work of Fringe’s boundary-pushing artists is
inspirational stuff. With hyper-curated festivals
a stalwart of the Melbourne art scene, their
absolute faith in the unadulterated voices of the
artists is truly refreshing.