Forest Fringe was set up in 2007 in Edinburgh, with its aim to provide a space for young experimental artists and actors to perform. While the festival itself is based there, it has taken on an Irish hue for this incarnation of the micro festival that is running in Dublin’s Lir for three nights only.

At the entrance to the venue you are asked to make a choice, as you can’t see all the events that are running! Once you have chosen your arm band (Green, Yellow or Black) your path is decided for the night. There are a number of theatrical events taking place, and a variety of art exhibitions and video installations throughout the building. You are more or less given free range of the building, with some of the installations taking place in the teachers staff room and other class rooms!

Of the theatrical events, three are prerequisite, with everyone seeing them either in smaller groups or in the main studio space. Dan Canham’s 30 Cecil Street is a dance piece, in which he creates a space to perform through. His dance is perfectly in time with a backing track, and is playful and imaginative. Kieran Hurley’s Hitch tells the tale of his trip to the G8 summit in 2009, as he hitched his way from Scotland to Italy to protest using video and photo montage. Action Hero’s ‘Watch me Fall’ was the highlight of the night, as the daredevil prepares to do the impossible on his BMX bike!

The performances vary in quality, but 30 Cecil Street and Action Hero were the most impressive of the show. I’m a fan of theatrical events that take over a space, and allow the patron to ramble, and this certainly provided a good view of the new Lir Academy. Hopefully, this micro festival will return next year, as it was the perfect antidote to the madness of Dublin during office party season!

Forest Fringe finishes tonight at Lir, with tickets from €20-30.