Fringe Focus Taiwan 2025 is set to electrify Melbourne this October with daring, boundary-pushing works that span the full cycle of life, from babies discovering their first movements to older adults reclaiming the stage through dance.
Now in its sixth year, the program has become a cornerstone of Melbourne Fringe’s Curated Program, and this year’s edition (30 September – 19 October) promises bold encounters that embody the festival theme Action Heroes.
Three extraordinary works headline the season, each spotlighting voices and bodies often overlooked in mainstream performance.
Free Steps – Swinging Years by Su Wei-Chia and acclaimed Taiwanese company HORSE will see up to 100 Melburnians aged 65+ collaborate in a three-week residency at Meat Market before taking part in a sweeping public performance (15–18 October). The project transforms lived experiences into movement, celebrating ageing as a heroic act of rhythm, resilience, and beauty.
Another creation by Su, Free Steps – Grand Canyon, leaves the traditional stage behind for open public spaces. Performed at Queen Victoria Market (1 October), Fed Square (5 October) and Melbourne Museum (9 October), the duet between dancer and paper unfolds as a living installation, where movement becomes sculpture and rhythm shapes the landscape.
At the other end of life’s spectrum, Double and Cross Theatre brings We Need a Flower to ArtPlay (17–18 October). Designed for babies aged 0–2 and their families, this tender performance reflects the developmental journey of early childhood through contemporary and improvised dance. Structured around the stages of gravity, bones and future, the piece offers a sensory and poetic introduction to theatre.
Melbourne Fringe CEO and Creative Director Simon Abrahams says: “Fringe Focus Taiwan is one of the jewels of our Curated Program. These works remind us that heroism can be found in every body – from our littlest citizens to our eldest. That’s what Fringe is all about: celebrating the extraordinary in the everyday.”
Supported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, Fringe Focus Taiwan continues its mission of cultural exchange, presenting Melbourne audiences with intimate and epic works that challenge how we see art, life, and each other.
More information at melbournefringe.com.au.
