Play it again: 10 returning faves at the Winnipeg Fringe

The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival kicks off in just under a week, with 172 shows on offer over the festival's 12 days.

One of the great tragedies of a festival like the Fringe is seeing a really fantastic show and realizing you'll probably never get to see it again.

But sometimes, you can.

Bringing back a past Fringe hit can make a lot of sense for performers — once a show starts selling out, some performers are forced to turn away a lot of potential audience members. 

And for touring performers especially, the Fringe can be an expensive proposition. Mounting a proven hit can be far less economically risky (if also less artistically adventurous) than touring something new.

This year, there's a bumper crop of returning Fringe favourites.

1. 2 For Tea: The comedy duo James and Jamesy continued to delight audiences last year with In the Dark and in 2014 with High Tea. But this year they're bringing back their break-out Fringe hit from 2013. Read our five-star review here.

2. African Folktales with Erik de Waal: Sure, the stories change year to year. But the title remains the same, and so does the fact that Erik de Waal is one of the most reliable bets for entertaining your young Fringers. See our reviews of African Folktales from 2014 and 2015 here and here.

3. Bizarro Obscure: Local writer/performers Christy Taronno and Sydney Hayduk delighted audiences a couple of Fringes back with this weird, wonderful show. Read our five-star review from 2014 here.

4. Eleanor's Story: An American Girl in Hitler's Germany: Praised by our reviewer last year as "exceptional," Ingrid Garner's solo hit about her grandmother's life in Nazi Berlin returns this year. See our review from 2015 here.

5. Happiness: Another 2015 hit making a comeback, Happiness is a satire of the quest to buy bliss, anchored by great performances. See our review from last year here.

6. Nashville Hurricane: Portland, Ore.'s Chase Padgett struck Fringe gold in 2013 with his smash 6 Guitars (which made a welcome return last year), and hit Fringe gold again in 2014 with Nashville Hurricane. If you missed it then, get tickets now. See our review from 2014 here.

7. Perpetual Wednesday: Another returning 2015 Fringe hit from Portland. Described by our reviewer as "wonderfully silly" and "sublime." See our review from last year here.

8. Piaf and Brel: The Impossible Concert: Golden-voiced soprano Melanie Gall has a new show for youngsters at the Fringe this year (Jazz Cat), but is also bringing back this 2012 Fringe hit.

9. Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austen and Penny Ashton: Winnipeg, it seems, cannot get enough of New Zealander Penny Ashton's musical Austen send-up — it's back for a third time. To find out why, see our 2013 and 2014 five-star reviews here and here.

10. Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Another three-peat solo performance — and another must-see if you missed it in 2012 or 2013. Tara Travis delivers a spectacular performance as all six of Henry VIII's wives. See our review from 2013 here.

The Winnipeg Fringe Festival runs from July 13-24 at venues around the downtown.