Colchester Fringe Festival's showstopping ten day exhibition

Organiser Cameron Abbott-Betts and his team saw the festival achieve great numbers of audience members across its spellbinding array of performances this year.

In its fourth year, the fringe festival featured theatre, comedy, drag, dance and family-friendly performances, with 66 acts in total performing up to seven times each and nearly 200 individual performances.

Different - King John take to the stage for 'Shakespeare's worst play' (Image: Jonathan Dadds) Theatre - Fresh Knickers and a Gin and Tonic (Image: Jonathan Dadds) Organiser Cameron said: "This was our biggest and most ambitious festival to date, but I am pleased to say that in terms of audience numbers, it was also our most successful.

"The high audience numbers this year have given us confidence to keep on building. We may never reach the levels of Edinburgh, but that's not to say we can't become one of the biggest fringe festivals in England.

Brilliant - No Strings Attached saw two drag artists Aria Close and Frankie Heartless put on a show (Image: Jonathan Dadds) Jazz - Nu Jazz disco, funk and soul returned to the festival for a second time (Image: Jonathan Dadds) "We are also seeing a high level of audience members visit the festival who are based outside the city (as far as The Netherlands). Which is wonderful as it means we are helping boost cultural tourism to the city.

"For me the best part of Fringe is seeing our local artists interact and share stages with companies from all over the world.

Touching - Spit it Out covered transphobic issues (Image: Jonathan Dadds) Blend - Zhooshy Cabaret combined drag, music, dance and comedy (Image: Jonathan Dadds) "This is such a great experience for them and networks and partnerships are being formed year on year because of this.

Cabaret - Jestation follows a theatrical but bizarre story (Image: Jonathan Dadds) Quartet - Just a Bit off the Top (Image: Jonathan Dadds) "We will be back in 2025 with more surprises and exciting shows."