Durham Free Fringe
Durham Free Fringe aims to offer performance spots to all who apply, which has been made possible by the addition of two venues. Redhills Durham Miners Hall will be the hub for the many spoken word acts taking part. Meanwhile, The Market Tavern joins The Holy GrAle as a second pub-based venue, and these spaces will host the majority of music events. The Holy GrAle and Market Tavern will begin hosting events on Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th July, Redhills will then run from Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August. The Sunday will also feature a music finale at the Holy GrAle.
Here’s the line up for Redhills on 31st July:
Liam Overend: Do Poets get Encores?
If you haven’t done so already, forget the poems they taught you at school; you’ll find none of that here. Instead, let Liam share with you his heart-warming anecdotes and poetry inspired by real life events (mainly his), from changing nappies, fighting with a cactus, being terrorised by peacocks and a brief bout of Bell’s Palsy. 3.15 p.m. (40 min)
Luke Caley: Spiritual Traveller in the ghetto
A performance about educating people on the importance of helping the elderly and the most vulnerable in the ghetto while creating a peace movement worldview and creating a humanistic mind heart and soul to create alignment and safety in the ghetto through self awareness self knowledge and helping charities. 4.00 p.m. (30 min)
Stories from the Streets: Brogan Brannan
Born in Somerset, raised in Scotland, sullying the north east for the past 6 years, Brogan is a spoken word poet and performer with salty rants, structured rhymes and no reservations. Her work often illuminates how deeply personal experiences are often universally felt and she doesn’t shy away from the grisly details. Grab her anytime she’s not on stage to buy a QR code to download her audio album and take some pieces of her home! 5.20 p.m. (30 mins)
Stories from the Streets: Dan Husband
‘Stories from the Streets’ strays away from the one hour show to be broken down across a weekend, whilst allowing other spoken word talent and opportunity to showcase their style alongside me! Think less all my ramblings, think more ‘Husband Material presents:’ D.L. ‘Dan’ Husband is a North East England born & bred writer, poet and performer. With two collections (HMVI & HMV II) published alongside a score of individual pieces in various publications, he pens poetry and prose with acid in the inkwell & compassion in the heart. Unflinching writing and performances at various venues and Fringe festivals discussing addiction, homelessness, life, love, growth and all that lies in between. He has also featured on BBC upload ‘best of 2025’ show and the Northern Voices podcast. “He’s absolutely FAB” (Emma Millen, BBC UPLOAD) Get after his work @husbandmaterialpoetryandprose Guests: Gary the Hat, Gaeran Southern, Kev Robson, Adam Berkeley Miners’ Hall: 31st July, 6.00 p.m (50 min)
Erasmus Croc’s and Aaron Wright’s Guide To Life Aaron Wright
Erasmus Croc is the world’s first poetry crocodile, performing alongside his young protégé, Aaron Wright. Together they present their guide to life, the universe and everything through spoken word, poetry, low-tech props and bubbles. Expect tales of possessed tumble dryers, blinged-up slugs and other surreal wonders. Soak in sumptuous visuals and audacious auditory skills as a crocodilian delivers rhythm and rhyme, aided and abetted by his star pupil. A playful, poetic, and joyfully strange Fringe experience. 7.10 p.m (60 min)
Tom Priestley
Comedic poetry aimed at celebrating and criticising the poetry scene. Filled with observations of mundane every day life whilst satirising social habits. Think John Cooper Clarke meets George Carlin. 8.15 p.m. (60 mins)
