The Totnes Fringe Festival this year takes place on July 11, 12 and 13.

There will be over 50 acts including on the Friday the Hugh Malyon Workshop and theatre, Welcome To Gaza in the evening along with Be Gay for God’s Sake, Chris and Ed’s Poetic Hunts, and Melting Pot Comedy Improv.

On Saturday there’s Dino Saw Puppets for children, Tristan and Isolde, After the Service: Takes of Love and Loss, Stick or Wizard comedy, Is there anybody there? Creating a ghost, Cat the Play If Ye Love Me, Womeny Women Girls and Bonkers! Barrel House comedy, Que pasa? And Death by PowerPoint.

Sunday means Hansel and Gretel, Dangerous Dave, Grumpy Old Woman in the Attic, Tears of Joy, Explaining Being Pan to Nan and finally Altered States- Jazzient After Party.

Founder of Totnes Fringe Danielle McIlvoy grew up in the town and told me a bit about herself:

“I guess I discovered drama at KEVICC and from a teenager onwards wanted to work in the theatre.

I realised I wanted to be a theatre director and then I went away to university, UCL in London and I studied history.

“Immediately after university, I went to Bosnia for three years and taught theatre to 16 to 19-year-olds.

“I travelled throughout the Balkans doing projects for young people in theatre then came back to London and decided I wanted to work professionally in theatre.

Danielle then studied for a Master in Theatre Acting at Birkbeck before working in Scotland and Manchester before having two children and returning to Totnes as she explained:

“The thing that blows my mind is how many of my school friends have all moved

back.”

Danielle wanted to do theatre in Totnes and there were many theatrical people in the town but not the ecology or venue so she arranged a meeting at the Seven Stars on a drizzly evening and around 20 people showed up as she says: "It was just such a like a positive response and people asked: how do we make this happen?

“There were lots of like-minded people with plenty of energy and they wanted to collaborate.

"Then places like the Seven Stars, Bogan House and the Barrel House offered to let the group use their space for free."

So how did Danelle spread the word?: "A lot of social media and then through people's contacts because there is this wealth of talent and experience in Totnes.

"Everyone was sending out call-outs to anyone they knew in the arts.

“So it meant we did reach people as far as Scotland and Liverpool and London and Southampton and I think what was interesting is a lot of the Dartington College of Arts alumni heard about it.

"They may have left when they graduated 20 years ago, but they also like to come back here."

Then came the programming and finding as diverse a line up as possible, booking the artists, finding venues and organising the programme and publicity.

To find out more visit: https://totnesfringe.uk/