With both festivals taking place during the month of October, it just made sense for them to link up.
This year, for the first time ever, Melbourne International Games Week and Melbourne Fringe Festival are teaming up to present a series of interactive events and performances.
Even though their mediums are a little different, both festivals celebrate abounding creativity and thinking outside of the box. From tarot card readings to VR swingset sessions, the events they’re presenting together are a prime example of what makes Melbourne so special. They’re whacky, wonderous and one-of-a-kind – you have to be there to get the full picture.
Find Melbourne’s latest film, TV, literature and gaming news here.
Here are all of the Melbourne International Games Week x Fringe Festival events so you don’t miss one moment of this perfect pairing.
Free
Edgar Rice Playground
- Oct 4 to 14
- Fringe Festival Hub: Trades Hall
Ready players? The Edgar Rice Ritual is an interactive physical-digital installation game where one to four players work their way through a jungle of hanging LED lights and Playstation Move Controllers. The glowing vines will change colour and you’ll have to focus hard to follow them to the end goal. Communication is key, as there will be obstacles, challenges and one big twist at the end. The Best in Fest Grand Prize Winner at Come Out and Play New York will be open to all at Trades Hall.
Cult of the Lamb: The Ritual
- Oct 5
- Fed Square
Kicking off at 8:30pm, this immersive performance will see the cutesy-creepy characters from the beloved Nintendo game Cult of the Lamb come to life, bouncing around Fed Square with glee. There will be large-scape puppets, projections and a DJ set by the game’s soundtrack designer, River Boy. The Ritual will be part of one of the crown jewels of Games Week, Big Games Night Out, which will be going down from 5pm until late on Thursday, Oct 5.
Ticketed
She Kills Monsters
- Oct 5 to 14
- The MUST Space
Written by Qui Nguyen, this high-energy comedic theatre performance is a homage to 90s pop culture, role-playing games, cosplay and all things nerdy. It follows Agnes, who, a year after her younger sister passes away, stumbles upon her Dungeons and Dragons notebook. Inside it, she uncovered an action-packed fantasy world full of forces of good and evil that give her a new perspective on the person her sister once was.
TattleTales: Immersive Tarot Storytelling
View this post on Instagram
- Oct 4 to 15
- Fringe Festival Hub: Trades Hall
Do you want to find out what your future holds? In this hour-long, fully-improvised show, a mystic draws tarot cards that determine where the story goes and what destiny may hold. Every night is different and each show is spellbinding. The winner of Adelaide’s 2023 Spirit of the Fringe award, this one is likely to be a hit.
The Artist: Finding the Muse
- Oct 6 to Oct 22
- Fringe Festival Hub: Trades Hall
Creativity isn’t always as effortless as it seems. The Artist has been criticised for lacking originality. To prove the haters wrong, she’s leading a behind-the-scenes tour through Trades Hall that’ll uncover her process of Finding Inspiration for her latest Performance Art piece. Guests, who are invited to criticise The Artist through digital integration, will be taken on a walking tour as they hunt for the ever-illusive Muse.
Volo: Dreams of Flight
- Oct 4 to Oct 22
- Fed Square
Up, up and away! Pilot one of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous flying machines in this soaring immersive activity. Don a VR headset, make your pick out of the four available air vessels and hop on the playground swing to experience the high-flying delight before you parachute back down to earth. This piece was made in partnership with the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund.
For more information, check out the full programs for Melbourne Fringe Festival and Melbourne International Games Week.
