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Without Brian, there’s a good chance l would not be here today. His work and influence brought so many people from all walks of life and all parts of Canada together each summer to create something truly special. Because of Brian’s influence, a young stage manager from Vancouver and an engineering student from Regina met while working and volunteering at the Fringe in the early 90s, fell in love, got married, and built a life together in Edmonton. They went on to have 2 children (including me) and shared the magic of the Fringe with us as well. Thank you for the gift that keeps on giving and a place where connection continues to thrive each summer.

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Condolences to you who knew Brian and loved him. I was a young actor at U of A in some of the early Fringe years. I remember volunteering at the Fringe, working there as a volunteer doing tech and front of house. Then later acting in Fringe shows during Brian’s tenure. I went to see shows he was involved with during the winter season, if memory serves me correctly. Brian was human, accepting, so energetic, and always kind. All these positive attributes as a professional theatre maker made him a giant. I do not remember him ever being cruel. Everyone I remember adored him. What a loss for all of us.

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So sorry to lose our beloved founder of the Edmonton Fringe and the inspiration for so many others . Sensible Footwear first met Brian in Canada House in Trafalgar Square in London as we wanted to learn all about the Edmonton Fringe in 1989 . He told us that all the spots were full and we said oh , no matter , we’ll come anyway which we did ! Brian, who was up for new ways of doing things didn’t object when we created a BYOV in the Renford Inn on Whyte and positively encouraged us . We couldn’t believe our luck and after many successful Fringe tours , we made Canada home and produced 3 Canadian babies between us ! Brian affected my life deeply as an immigrant , a mother and a performer . If it wasn’t for his vision I wouldn’t still be performing and touring the Fringes all these years later . I can’t thank him enough . He made a huge impact on this country and we should all be forever grateful . To say he and his talents will be missed is an understatement. Sincere condolences to his family , children and Fringe family . Missed but certainly not forgotten ! Love Alex Dallas , and Alison Field and Wendy Vousden of Sensible Footwear . Xx

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He brought us a wonderful way to end the summer

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He brought us a wonderful way to end the summer

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Edmonton in August was the best month to be in the city. It started with the Folk Music Festival and wrapped up with Brian’s Fringe. He brought us a whole realm of theatrical stage arts and incubated generations of talented actors and writers. Some of us would binge on three or four plays a day, often sweating off a few ounces in the bus barns! Or find ourselves seated next to the likes of Elliott Gould in the more comfortable Walterdale!

From Edmonton, Fringes can now be found across Canada thanks to Brian’s initiative and the city’s fantastic theatre community who supported and nurtured this first truly community-oriented Canadian summer theatre festival.

I was privileged to get to know Brian better while sitting on the Princess Theatre Society board which was another challenge taken on to save and preserve. I applauded his well-deserved recognition of an Order of Canada after moving to Victoria.

I hope the city will recognize and honour Brian by naming a park along 104th where it all started.

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The man on  a  tightrope: An Impossible  act to follow. 

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The man on  a  tightrope: An Impossible  act to follow. 

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I am gutted to learn about Brian’s passing in Mexico. I wish Ti, Stuart and Errine my heartfelt condolences.

In the 1980’s, Brian convinced me to return to Alberta and join his venture with Chinook Theatre. At the time, I had no idea how life changing a decision that would be.

I was cast in a touring production of Blondin! written by Brian and directed by Ti Hallas. I played Harry Colcord the sidekick manager, who rode across the Niagara River on the back of Charles Blondin. a French tightrope walker and dare devil. The r and image and metaphor I’ve attached is clearest description of my relationship with Brian Paisley I can think of.

Like Blondin, Brian was a showman, a risk taker, a fearless creative artist, and an impresario in every sense of the word . He also deeply understood that theatre could be created in almost any space, anywhere, and with a few resources to support theatrical creation. This belief led to the remarkable development of Fringe Theatre Adventures.

On a personal note, we were colleagues, and collaborators and along with Ti Hallas we also became close friends-and denizens of the Chinook’s rehearsal space in the basement of the Princess Theatre.

In 1982, in a conversation that took place at the Strathcona Hotel’s bar, I’ll never forget Brian’s exuberance, announcing that the company had been awarded a big grant to produce a variety of theatre shows on a shoestring. He asked me, " if you have any ideas for a show let me. know, because I’m going to build a festival like the Fringe in Edinburgh."

That was the launching pad for Small Change Theatre, with founders Jan Henderson, Jan Miller and Frank C. Turner, and myself performing a mask show. called One Beautiful Evening about two senior citizens who fall in love at the Bingo hall in a small Alberta community..

From that spark to a massive international Fringe circuit, Brian’s crazy idea launched thousands of careers in the arts.

Like Blondin, many others since have climbed on the back of this imaginative, irrepressible, generous, tightrope walker, then inched out onto to stages in front of sell out crowds in found spaces throughout Old Strathcona.

I have no doubt that Brian’s legacy will be perpetually honoured and celebrated by the thousands of theatre fans who discovered their passion for a summer theatre festival like no other.

God Speed Brian, “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam”. May he rest in peace

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Charles Blondin carrying Colcord on a tightrope

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No photo: just a great memory of Brian picking me up at the ferry dock in Victoria and driving me along a series of winding roads to Julia’s house, where I stayed in what had been his writing studio in the back garden for a few weeks during the Victoria Fringe. I’ll always be grateful to your dad and your entire family for your kindness to me at a very challenging point in my life. Rest In Peace, old friend. You are deeply loved.

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Back row from left to right: Ti Hallas, Jan Henderson, Jan Stirling, Michael Green, Brian Paisley. Front row: Robert Astle.

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This photo dates back to the winter of 1983. Ti and Brian cast the four of us in "Clowning Around" a show written and produced by them for their school touring company Chinook Theatre. We toured this piece to elementary schools throughout Alberta and had the best time. I don't remember a tour where I laughed more.

"Clowning Around" as I recall was based around a simple call for peace; four innocent fools stumbling into conflict and resolution in a fragile world. Written during the latter years of the Cold War, and in the shadow of controversy around Regan's desire to undertake Cruise Missile testing in Northern Alberta, it was a timely and accessible piece for school audiences.

We had all met Brian and Ti in the summer of 1982 during the first ever Edmonton Fringe Festival. Michael and I were co-founders with others of Calgary's One Yellow Rabbit which had mounted its first ever production for the Fringe. Jan Henderson and Robert Astle were co-founders with Jan Miller of Edmonton's Small Change Theatre which had mounted its first ever production for the Fringe as well.

Our collaboration on "Clowning Around" led to years of creative intersections and collaborations. My interest in clown was piqued by this show and Jan Henderson soon became a mentor and co-creator. Michael and I later toured with Small Change Theatre, and One Yellow Rabbit engaged Jan Henderson to teach her stellar Baby Clown intensive to our ensemble. Michael and Brian collaborated and cavorted through many a project and visionary conversation over the decades that followed.

Without Brian and Ti generations of Canadian Artists might never have known the joys, challenges, and opportunities of becoming self-producing. The Fringe Festival opened doors to creative experimentation and innovation beyond anything we'd known in Canada. It was the start of a huge movement; the creative flare that lit the night for generations of creatives here and abroad.

I am comforted to know that Brian died a death "filled with love and dignity". Stuart and Erinne, may you find peace in knowing you did a beautiful job of caring for your Dad from near and far, and that his final days were held softly by the awareness that he was deeply loved by you.

Brian: thank you for your vision and energy. Rest in peace dear man.

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I never spoke to Brian. I knew him as a figurehead, the founder of the first Canadian Fringe Festival. I knew what he looked like, thin, ponytailed but that was about it. At my first Fringe in 1987, I would see him walking, always walking, a walkie-talkie (what else!) at his hip. Even if I had approached him, what would I say? He was Brian Paisley, the founder of the Edmonton Fringe and I was a nobody, the creator, actor and producer of my first solo show 'Emotional Baggage.' Yet without Brian's goal of creating a Fringe in Edmonton, 'Emotional Baggage' (known today as 'Excess Baggage') would not have gone on to be presented at twenty-five other Fringe Festivals across Canada, in the U. S. and to Australia and New Zealand. It's easy to see then that it's what a person does that matters, not what they say. As the Edmonton Fringe has led to the founding of numerous other Canadian Fringe Festivals, a chorus of Thank you, Brian is his due along with a hearty round of 'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow.' Thank you, Brian. In creating the Edmonton Fringe, you helped change the face of Canadian theatre. May you rest in peace.

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What a tragic loss to humanity and the arts! Deepest condolences from the cast and crew of Musicalmania!❤️ 🌹

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I staged managed a production of Waiting For Godot, directed by Brian in Fort St John in the early summer of 1980. I was working on a natural gas pipeline, 40 miles outside of town, saving money to attend The Banff School of Fine Arts that summer. Our onstage 'tree' was a massive oil well 'Christmas Tree' that weighed so much we had to add extra structural support underneath the stage floor. But that was Brian: a whirling dervish of innovation on the Northern Canadian frontier, a glimmer of light in a dark snowy landscape. A round of applause for Brian Paisley and his work here on earth!

Charles K. Pitts

Vancouver BC

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You were life-changing for me – and so many many others. Thank you. For your wonderful grin, the twinkle in your eye, your ponytail, and your beautiful artist’s audacity to believe in crazy awesome ideas.

The world needs more Brian Paisleys. My heart aches that now we have to make do with one less.

I say this knowing you were one of a kind.

You are loved. You are remembered. You are missed.

My heart is with you. And with all your loved ones.

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Brian was incomparable. My thoughts are with all of you.

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I have a very clear childhood memory of my Dad drinking a single glass of red wine most night and sitting in the dark, staring off. I’d ask him what he was doing and he’d simply reply, “thinking”. Beers were social for my Dad. Friday night beers at Swans in Victoria transitioned into Friday night beers with Charles in Peurto. They were social and meant memories of beer tents and sharing dreams and fantasies for the future. I had my first IPAs with my Dad at the Edmonton Fringe, in the beer tents. I hated the taste and probably didn’t even finish the beer in the picture. But I was happy to be treated as an equal and welcome member of this ritual. And that was always how it was, with my Dad, my opinion was respected at the age of 6 just as it was at 26. I sat at the dinner table every night and had equal opportunity to speak about my day as my parents shared theirs. Equal curiosity about my input on their own dreams and ambitions. So, cheers to you Dad. Cheers to opening up the table, always, to anyone and everyone with kindness, warmth, and respect.