Fringe World has kicked off its program of delights for 2022 and, as usual, there is too much to see and not enough time.

To help you curate your own viewing shortlist, Seesaw editors have put their heads together and used their secret insider knowledge to bring you a selection of intriguing and enthralling sounding shows from this year’s crop.

This is the second instalment of our “Hot Tips” guide. Find Part I here and Part III here.

Fancy seeing something brand-spanking new?

Check out a show making its Fringe World debut…

Tea Break
23 and 30 January @ Moana Hall

If you love a good brew, and entertainment that’s boundary-pushing but not too spicy (unless the ginger tea steeps too long), try “Tea Break” from Tenth Muse Initiative in partnership with Elmstock Tea. Emerging composer and self-described tea addict Christine Pan offers a series of new musical works inspired by the culture, history and flavours of different teas. Audiences can sip along with a cup of Jasmine, French Earl Grey, Masala Chai or Irish Breakfast, as the works are brought to life by some of Perth’s brightest young classical stars.

Read Seesaw’s review of Tenth Muse’s “Fresh Air” program, presented in November 2021.

Freeze
1-6 February @ Home Economics @ Girls School

Newcomers to Perth’s theatre scene Songbird Theatre Company bring a poignant debut to Fringe World. On a fishing trip to the North Pole, a grandparent/grandchild duo journey through questions about their own relationship and existence as they navigate the icy landscape.

Dealing with issues as diverse as dementia and climate change, Freeze sounds like it will be a thoughtful and heartfelt first offering from the company.

¡Si! 
6 February @ The Royale Theatre

Join Danza Viva, one of Perth’s most renowned Spanish Dance academies, and say “yes” to Flamenco!

Sofia Pratt directs a dance work full of fun and celebration with a troupe of female performers across the age spectrum.

In a form that blends the traditional and the modern, ¡Si! promises to captivate you with its wildness, and enchant you with its camaraderie.

Prefer something tried-and-tested?

Head down to one of these audience favourites…

She Is Strong
25-30 January @ The Gold Digger @ Girls School

Circus performers can do astounding things with their bodies, hurtling around stages with control, poise, grace and power. In She Is Strong, director Dawn Pascoe collaborates with photographer Rachel Collier to juxtapose such acts of physical prowess with stories and photographs of women’s inner strengths. Putting their vulnerability and resilience on display, the performers come together in physical shows of support that reflect the communities of care encircling them in their everyday lives.

A Simple Space
5-13 February @ The Aurora Spiegeltent @ The Pleasure Garden

Acrobatics and physical theatre company Gravity and Other Myths return to Fringe World with a performance that Seesaw editor Nina Levy described as “endearing” in her 2018 review.

Instead of using snazzy lighting, make-up and sets to produce theatrical spectacle, A Simple Space generates its “wow” through intimate and raw displays of power, precarity and play. Performing to a live percussion soundtrack, the performers infuse you with their glee.

Michael Griffiths: Greatest Hits
8-13 February @ Lotterywest De Parel Spiegeltent @ The Pleasure Garden

A lifelong lover of pop music, pianist and singer Michael Griffiths has made a name for himself through shows that celebrate divas and superstars like Annie Lennox, Cole Porter, Kylie Minogue and Madonna. In his “Greatest Hits”, he brings all his favourite tunes together in a single show-stopping performance.

Catch this Helpmann award winning musician with a live band and relive your sweetest ‘80s popstar dreams.

Pictured top is Danza Viva’s Sofia Pratt. Photo: Songy Knox

Want more? Check out What to SEE: Hot tips for Fringe in January and What to SEE at The Blue Room this Summer