OUR FIRST ANNUAL RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE IS JUDGED A RAGING SUCCESS BY PERFORMERS AND AUDIENCES ALIKE!

It was risky, sometimes ridiculous and really, really ambitious! 25 nights of alternative performance pitched to a broad London audience all based at London’s world-famous Royal Vauxhall Tavern – a gay venue with open arms to all open-minded people.

There were some truly nail biting moments. In these tough economic times, would Londoners be willing to take a risk their pounds on edgy cabaret, way-out bands and startling solo performance? Would performers from as far away as San Francisco, LA,Tokyo, Europe and even Bradford, show up for this inaugural festival?

Would the RVT, home to London’s legendary queer dance night DUCKIE and the camptastic Sunday post-clubbing gay knees-up, S.L.A.G.S. Chill Out, attract an ‘open-minded’ crowd of queers, straights and everything in-between for a major new festival featuring up to four different shows a night?

The answer to all these questions is an unqualified yes!

The RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE was, by every measure, a success! Audience numbers exceeded expectations, performances went off smoothly and audiences of every stripe jostled up against one another and enjoyed the shows. Best of all, the shows themselves were a huge success.

Highlights include:

Jonny Woo and Scottee’s hilariously creepy, Texas Chainsaw Mascara had the audience howling at blood-splattered hi-jinx.

Marga Gomez’s pre-Edinburgh stand-up was charming and polished, making audiences wonder why this San Francisco institution doesn’t cross the pond more regularly.

‘The Picture of Dusty Limits’ saw the dark prince of London cabaret at his most controlled and precise giving a performance of subtlety, wit and his customary cynical sneer.

Bunty Looping's unique and brilliant beat-boxing had the crowd whooping for more.

From Tokyo, Nacctu, delivered serious guitar-drenched indie rock fronted by a real-live ‘Power-Puff’ girl!

Demon ‘A’ Tricks brought old-school magic to the RVT with modern panache and attitude.

And these acts represent just the tip of the iceberg. One definite measure of how successful the festival was – lots of the acts who had never performed full shows at the RVT are now scheduled to perform in the coming months including:

Dance music duo Heads.Hearts.

The trans-fabulous acts of Bar Wotever.

David Mills’ sensational, House Party!

Edgy music acts and way-out bands scheduled for the upcoming RVT Music Night.

We’re already planning the RVT: Hot August Fringe 2010. Applications will go online in January and we’ll be reaching even further a field for the best alternative cabaret, comedy, music, and random acts from around the world. If you didn’t get down to the RVT: HOT AUGUST FRINGE this year – don't miss it next year! Make sure to mark off August 2010 for the next instalment of London’s wildest performance festival.