Popular Isle of Wight event Ventnor Fringe Festival 2024 begins

The ten-day long event started on Friday, with big tops packed out with audiences raring to go - and smaller venues bursting at the seams too.

Ticketed events, free Fringe and children's activities - there really is something for everyone. 

From chilling in Ventnor Park with a curry to finding yourself on stage with a comedian, why not head on down to the festival - you've got until Sunday, July 29.

Rob Thompson in Piano Smashers (Image: Isle of Wight County Press) In the Pier Street Playhouse, we saw Piano Smashers, a one-man play (with audience participation for some roles).

It was a thought-provoking examination of unwanted inheritance - in this case a piano with a painful past.

Piano Smashers was fun, poignant and clever. Hats off to Rob Thompson who kept our gaze throughout with his monologue and mime. 

The play is off to Edinburgh Fringe next and feedback was asked for, which is something the Ventnor Fringe audience is often useful for. Aren't we lucky to get these sneak peeks of great works in progress? 

Reine Beau Anderson Dudley in Back to Black For two nights in the Big Top at Flowersbrook was Back to Black: The Music of Amy Winehouse.

From the moment Reine Beau Anderson Dudley arrived on stage and belted out the jazzy numbers, the audience knew they were in for a treat.

This wasn't an impersonation of Amy, it was a tribute to her songwriting, her personality, her journey, and her passion for making music.

It brilliantly delved into her back catalogue and big hits - and the impact Winehouse made on the world despite, incredibly, only having two albums to her name.

The show had a ska finish with Monkey Man - a song joyously covered by Winehouse - and by then everyone was up on their feet.

Sealife themed lanterns adorn Ventnor Park (Image: Isle of Wight County Press)

There are comedians aplenty at fringe, but a great way to enjoy taster of a few is at Pick of the Fringe.

On Sunday night a big crowd squashed into the Magpie tent and were treated to a selection of the best, compered by friend of the fringe Ahir Shah.

Ahir Shah (Image: Isle of Wight County Press)

By the end of his skit we all knew Brett from Perth quite well - he's signed up to play for Ventnor Cricket Club this season and we all know this because he sat in the front row and now knows all about audience participation!

Stevie Martin was first on, fresh from her show at the Flowersbrook Big Top, and discussing life as a Millennial - the poor thing!

Eleanor Tiernan was up next and followed the theme - she's Generation X so she didn't make a big deal about it... 
Tiernan isn't doing her own show at the fringe which seems a shame - she had plenty of content and all of it funny.

Last on was Adam Flood (complete with joke about his name being the plot of Genesis in the Old Testament) and traumatised by a recent holiday with his parents.

Fringe continues this week - don't miss out!

JC and Cathy Grimshaw providing musical entertainment (Image: Isle of Wight County Press)

The family fringe area and magpie tent (Image: Isle of Wight County Press)