Throughout the Fringe/ Live Arts Festival, Ruba Bar will be hosting an after-hours Fringe Bar. After participating in or watching a performance, festival goers can continue their buzz at a full bar hosting an array of Fringe-inspired games as well as performers and highlights from the shows.

Located oddly in a Northern Liberties neighborhood, Ruba Bar is typically only haunted by members and more closely resembles an ‘80s banquet hall than a hip NoLibs bar. I went to check out Ruba on the second night of the Festival, Saturday September 3rd. Doors opened at 10pm and the bar was already bustling with familiar art scene faces when I showed up at 10:30pm. Every night Brat Productions’ Jess Conda has orchestrated two events, one upstairs and one downstairs. Downstairs The Brothers Cromie, who I was hanging out with earlier to find out more about their show ‘AFOOT! On the Parkway,’ hosted festival-themed Quizzo. I headed upstairs for Cabaret Red Light’s preview of their upcoming play, “The Man From Orphan Island.”

After a week breather break from the Fringe Fest, Cabaret Red Light will open the newest installment in the pirate theatre burlesque series “The Seven Deadly Seas.” Instead of revealing secrets from “The Man From Orphan Island,” the actors and musicians of CRL performed a medley of skits, songs, and strips from previous shows. The series’ anti-heroes, pirates Calico Jack, Ann Bonney, and Mary Read, burst into the crowd and caroused with audience members as a means of introduction. Part of the fun of burlesque, as opposed to mainstream theater, is being able to interact with actors and shouting out your appreciation during dance sequences. People who snagged seats at the round tables or the rows of theatre seats along the wall were engaged in the performance but, unfortunately, were distracted by the loud crowd standing by the back bar.

Despite the less than ideal circumstances, the CRL crew remained focused on giving the audience a taste of the range of a treats offered by one of their plays: a live gypsy-folk band, smart dialogue, elaborate costumes, and sexy burlesque routines. Much of the pirates’ dialogue and monologues were swallowed up on the noise from the bar, losing clever touches of social commentary scattered throughout. Highlights of the preview performance included a humorous stage fight between lady pirates Mary Read and Ann Bonney, a glittering treasure dance by Annie A-Bomb, and Calico Jack’s finale performance of a laundry-line strip.

The Fringe Bar is a good opportunity not only for festival goers to mingle and schmooze but also for those overwhelmed by all the Festival’s offerings to catch preview performances and hear feedback from other audience members. Every night doors open up at 10pm, the variety of performances start up around 11pm, and action goes on until the wee hours.

Ruba Club Studios is at 416 Green Street. The Bar is open every night from September 2nd – 17th with doors open at 10pm.