Edinburgh Festival Fringe
edinburgh festival fringe also referred edinburgh fringe fringe edinburgh fringe festival world largest performance art festival spanned day featured scheduled performance different show across venue different country show largest section comedy representing almost show followed theatre show established unofficial offshoot fringe edinburgh international festival take place edinburgh every august combination edinburgh festival fringe edinburgh international festival become worldleading celebration art culture surpassed olympics world cup term global ticketed event openaccess unjuried performing art festival meaning selection committee anyone may participate type performance official fringe programme categorises show section theatre comedy dance physical theatre circus cabaret childrens show musical opera music spoken word exhibition event comedy largest section making onethird programme one modern time highest public profile due part edinburgh comedy award festival supported edinburgh festival fringe society publishes programme sell ticket event central physical box office website offer yearround advice support performer society permanent location fringe shop royal mile august also manage fringe central separate collection space dedicated providing support fringe participant time festival fringe board director drawn member edinburgh festival fringe society many fringe participant – performer venue operator election held year august board member serve term four year board appoints fringe society chief executive formerly known fringe administrator director chief executive operates chair phoebe wallerbridge whose show fleabag performed fringe adapted television named firstever president edinburgh festival fringe society planned fringe festival suspended along city major summer festival came result covid outbreak early month year concern spreading virus festival took place – august though much reduced size show person online festival took place – august marked return prepandemic level show fifty livestreamed nextup comedy first time ever since founding fringe effort stay true fringe society vision equality inclusiveness festival scheduled august fringe started life eight theatre company turned uninvited inaugural edinburgh international festival international festival using city major venue company took smaller alternative venue production seven performed edinburgh one undertook version medieval morality play everyman dunfermline abbey mile north across river forth fife group aimed take advantage large assembled theatre crowd showcase alternative theatre although time recognised first edinburgh festival fringe meant two defining feature future fringe established beginning – lack official invitation perform use unconventional venue originally group referred festival adjunct also referred semiofficial festival following year robert kemp scottish playwright journalist credited coining title fringe wrote second edinburgh international festival round fringe official festival drama seems private enterprise afraid u going home evening word fringe fact used review everyman critic remarked shame show far fringe festival still referred similar term small f fringe official festival many praiseworthy extra including presentation scottish community drama association edinburgh university dramatic society – dundee courier august since yet fully developed much early year fringe gone unrecorded except anecdote benefit official organisation student university edinburgh set dropin centre ymca cheap food bed night made available participating group latenight revue would become feature fringe began appear early first one new drama group show series sketch taking place donald pleasences ebb tide among talent appear early fringe revue ned sherrin ken loach dudley moore oxford theatre group due many reviewer able attend fringe event late night official festival finished fringe came seen revue year official programme fringe created john menzies compiled list show title event omnibus festival brochure printer c j cousland first publish listing guide funded participating company entitled additional entertainment since name fringe still yet regular usage year fringe attracting around dozen company meeting held discus creating small organisation act brain fringe scotsman called official unofficial festival first attempt made provide central booking service student university although lost money blamed taken part famous actor donald wolfit performed solo show strong lonely part international festival yet fringe programme leading question value fringe away fringe artist theatre thing fringe art formal organisation progressed formation festival fringe society push organisation led michael imison director oxford theatre group constitution drawn policy vetting censoring show set society produced first guide fringe show nineteen company participated fringe year time provided complete counterfestival programme although effort still made gain publicity international festival programme ymca became established first central fringe ticket office long afterwards came first complaint fringe become big director gerard slevin claimed would much better ten hall licensed fringe began establish reputation size variety tension formal international festival became mutual benefit artistic credential fringe established creator traverse theatre john calder jim haynes richard demarco original objective maintain something festival atmosphere edinburgh year round traverse theatre quickly regularly presented cuttingedge drama international audience edinburgh international festival fringe august set standard company fringe aspired traverse occasionally referred fringe venue got away reflecting current status permanent integral part edinburgh art scene pleasance venue since first year fringe also important setting artistic tone christopher richardson founder pleasance theatre trust became major fringe figure john cairney credited pioneering oneman fringe show show based robert burn man although elspeth douglas reid done one woman theatre early american nancy cole played gertrude stein continued first two decade fringe performing group used performing space venue however late concept sharing venue became popular principally mean cutting cost soon became common hall host six seven different show per day obvious next step partition venue two performing space majority today major venue fit category many year fringe club variously high street teviot row house provided nightly showcase fringe fare allow audience sample show earlier year club also provided significant space afterhours socialising time edinburgh strict licensing law meant pm pub closing time time main ticket office university chaplaincy centre royal mile centre high street although fringe associated high street area like new town west end morningside also prominent period problem began arise fringe became big student volunteer deal eventually fringe society became constituted body employed first administrator john milligan started work january originally parttime basis became clear week role would permanent milligan responsible number innovation remain place today numbering system venue fringe map brochure also credited establishing cooperative spirit fringe left direction alistair moffat number company performing rose new venue st columba newington came board moffat also expanded street performance aspect brought sponsorship deal particularly local brewery way fringe ascended current position largest art festival world deliberate policy moffat found difficult promote fringe merit given society position neutrality increasing show number therefore way attracting attention point fringe operated two fulltime member staff office moved converted shop basement high street international festival direction john drummond became accommodating towards fringe late successful fringe performer transferred perform work festival included richard crane faynia williams produced sellout version brother karamazov festival successful fringe early saw arrival supervenue – location contained multiple performing space william burdettcoutts set assembly theatre empty georgian building assembly room george street formerly eif festival club investment staging lighting sound meant original amateur student theatrical left behind year ymca south st andrew street important venue since early day closed however subsequent rise prominence assembly room meant balance fringe old town new town prince street middle fringe sunday started high street moved pressure popularity holyrood park fringe sunday held second sunday fringe company performed free outgrown even holyrood park showcase took place meadow continued watershed comedy fringe first year perrier award ran known edinburgh comedy award alternative comedy scene also beginning take shape previously comedy fringe taken form student revue standup becoming feature according alexei sayle fringe entirely university revue play single piece standup comedy tony allen arrived comedy began ascent would see become biggest section programme moffat resigned fringe society administrator succeeded michael dale changed programme layout helped fringe consolidate following year circuit became prominent venue run actor touring company operated south side city expanded piece empty ground popularly known hole ground near usher hall site church building pooles synod hall converted cinema saltire complex subsequently built early new traverse theatre opened seat marquee auditorium hosted among thing opera even though organiser told place artform venue also took nearby heriotwatt student association little lyceum total hosted company next year became tented village several smaller tent malcolm hardee made debut part greatest show leg enterprise lost £ criticism related overcharging overcrowding inadequate facility circuit repeated demonstrated potential temporary venue fringe familiar sight even rise super venue still theatre done shoestring several cultural entrepreneur raised stake point venue like aurora st stephen church stockbridge could hold head major world festival however fringe housed circuitassembly commercially marketed attracted complaint including traverse theatre founder richard demarco felt fringe allowed either venue according former fringe administrator michael dale feeling smaller venue may lose case may overstated episode supervenues assembly room particular way go yet student show continued thrive national student theatre company national youth music theatre cambridge mummer oxford theatre group bradford university producing wellreceived new work among professional company almeida theatre atc cheek jowl cherub cliff hanger entertainment machine hull truck kick theatre lumiere son medieval player trickster regular fringe joined international festival edinburgh tattoo film festival promote edinburgh festival city first time moffatt believed growth fringe would stop due lack venue limit seemed reached group began find efficient way sharing space venue could fully utilised seven different group throughout day sharing led rise bigger centralised venue rent increased venue like heriotwatt student union doubling rent three year promoter karen koren established gilded balloon comedy venue former j r allans department store cowgate late licence made home latenight socialising comedian raucous latenight show late n live started society moved high street expanded headquarters – high street royal mile extension leading back towards former wirework building basement became new ticket office current headquarters high street act included jim rose circus performed tokyo shock boy performed fringe club ceased operation various venue still provide best fest similar computerised booking system first installed early allowing ticket bought number location around city internet began impact launch fringe official website sold half million ticket online following year half price ticket tent run association metro newspaper started offering special ticket price different show day sold ticket first year fringe faced biggest crisis far computerised ticketing system failed event surrounding failed box office software led resignation fringe director jon morgan one full year post resultant financial loss suffered fringe society estimated £ forced meet reserve although source report £ event attracted much comment uk world medium debt emerged year went independent report criticised board current previous fringe director failure management inability provide basic service board eventually decided post director instituted lieu fringe administrator would abolished replaced chief executive reinforce fringe head basic administrative function report failure commissioned accountancy firm scottmoncrieff several venue use ticketing system partly due issue commission ticket revenue distributed reinforced failure main box office year incident conspired add negative publicity fringe sunday – vast free showcase event held meadow – cancelled sponsor could secured big four venue assembly gilded balloon pleasance underbelly also decided market edinburgh comedy festival drew criticism quarter interim period tim hawkins formerly general manager brighton komedia took charge established edinburgh book festival fringe manager kath mainland appointed february stabilise situation becoming fringe first chief executive comedy finally surpassed theatre biggest section programme comedy entry thespaceuk launched multispace complex royal college surgeon new allyearround multiarts festival venue containing ten performance space opened former royal dick veterinary school name summerhall initiative called fringe colour founded jess brough response termed overwhelming whiteness edinburgh festival shona mccarthy led derrys term uk city culture took kath mainland chief executive along edinburgh festival fringe could go ahead planned due ongoing coronavirus pandemic fringe returned fewer show restriction due covid pandemic fringe venue come shape size use made nearly viable space available regular theatre eg traverse bedlam theatre function room eg assembly room church church hall eg quaker meeting house paradise augustine lecture theatre including notable george square theatre conference centre university room space bar pub temporary structure famous spiegeltent udderbelly school public toilet back taxi doubledecker bus even audience home group operate venue also diverse commercial others notforprofit operate yearround others exist run venue fringe local others based london elsewhere transfer edinburgh august performer perspective decision perform typically based mixture cost location close proximity main fringe hub around university seen advantage philosophy venue – specialise amateur school college production semi wholly professional show registered programme taking place different venue main venue operator broadly split four group big four – assembly gilded balloon pleasance underbelly term big four adopted label case longstanding venue underbelly relative newcomer founded operate multiroom venue complex often across multiple site tend specialise comedy briefly controversially tried rebrand edinburgh comedy festival modern fringe – besides big four term less used modern fringe number operator running multiroom venue sometimes operating across one site include thespaceuk c venue greenside venue sweet venue tonic zoo venue pqa venue monkey barrel paradise green may specialise certain genre run programme across genre thespaceuk c venue zoo venue greenside venue although focusing new writing rather comedy one larger thespaceuk hosted show fringe making largest operator number show modern fringe free venue – promoter use different financial model instead charging performer hire room audience attend make space available free audience making donation end show enjoyed promoter tend operate pub club – room made free use way boosting bar taking original free fringe set comedian peter buckley hill response increasing cost performer appearing fringe main free promoter alex petty laughing horse free festival although term free fringe originally referred buckley hill operation often used shorthand free venue pay want – comedian bob slayer introduced new model fringe hero fringe venue punter could buy ticket advance guarantee seat pay want pwyw exit model mixture paid free enables performer find paying audience without risking large marketing spend phil kay tom binns miss behave among first established act embrace model along adrienne truscott edinburgh comedy award panel prize pwyw show adam hess nominated best newcomer promoter tonic pleasance c venue since introduced model venue gilded balloon adopted pwyw counting house previously free festival venue since returned model also continue single independent venue sometimes hosting one show sometimes limited period fringe pedestrianised area high street around st giles cathedral fringe office becomes focal point theatre company hand flyer perform scene show attempt sell ticket performance run alongside fringe street event feature street performer thousand busker high street mound precinct many show first monday tuesday festival different venue operate independent ticket offer throughout festival many notable original show originated fringe helped establish career many writer performer including rowan atkinson steven berkoff jo brand billy connolly ben elton eddie izzard stephen fry stewart lee tim minchin tadeusz kantor alan bennett dudley moore peter cook jonathan miller performed royal lyceum theatre beyond fringe introducing new wave british satire heralding change attitude towards politician establishment ironically show put together edinburgh international festival rebuff emerging fringe title alone helped publicise fringe especially went london west end new york broadway next month tom stoppard play rosencrantz guildenstern dead first performed full version fringe noted actor derek jacobi starred sixthform production hamlet well regarded fringe attracted number major touring company joint stock theatre company leading innovative touring company time brought two production fringe – great celestial cow sue townsend fire lake karim alrawi fringe saw breakout performance craig ferguson bing hitler parody überpatriotic native folk singer seemed infect every public performance scotland st century show debuted fringe gone wider fame notoriety include stomp theatrical show black watch national theatre scotland jerry springer opera saw production angry men staged assembly room using established comedian role twelve juror directed produced guy masterson starred owen oneill role made famous henry fonda juror number eight stephen frost phil nichol bill bailey also featured version one flew cuckoo nest beset problem including lead actor christian slater contracting chicken pox original director guy masterson quitting project opened masterson replaced terry johnson production neil simon odd couple starring bill bailey alan davy also directed guy masterson staged assembly hall meeting place mound church scotland taken assembly theatre transformed seat theatre tattoo setup edinburgh castle served seat venue oneoff performance ricky gervais standup show fame gervais accused greed taking audience away smaller show gervais donated profit show macmillan cancer support fleabag phoebe wallerbridge first performed solo show underbelly later became tv series phoebe wallerbridge later announced president edinburgh festival fringe society shermannicholls original musical production love bird made premiere pleasance hannah gadsbys show nanette edinburgh comedy award credited challenging standup comedy convention subsequently developed worldwide audience via netflix toby marlow lucy moss six musical debuted fringe ahead national tour show would later go west end broadway arthur smith paul merton barry cryer richard herring among comedian performed edinburgh fringe festival anyone else arthur smith performed regularly festival year since paul merton performing regularly festival since barry cryer performed edinburgh fringe since richard herring performed fringe since nicholas parson attended first fringe yearold hosted longstanding happy hour show death aged first chair board director lord grant high court judge gave way actor andrew cruickshank succeeded jonathan miller elizabeth smith baroness smith widow former labour leader john smith current chair benny higgins succeeded professor sir timothy oshea first fulltime fringe chief john milligan worked art council researcher bbc scotland left run craigmillar festival succeeded alistair moffat involved running first st andrew festival organised small festival hometown kelso moffat left become head art scottish television replaced michael dale worked moffat st andrew festival recommended apply worked cambridge art theatre young vic dale departed become head event glasgow garden festival succeeded deputy mhairi mackenzierobinson left pursue career business hilary strong served position became director greenwich theatre followed paul gudgin – jon morgan – kath mainland – november mainland announced decision step chief executive take role executive director melbourne festival early announced successor would shona mccarthy headed derrylondonderry uk city culture took position march fringe made career many artistic organisational side fringe william burdettcoutt karen koren anthony alderson charlie wood ed bartlam director socalled big four venue become well known cultural scene fringe open access festival role fringe society solely facilitate festival concentrating mainly challenging logistics organising large event alistair moffat fringe administrator – summarised role society said direct result wish participant society set help performer come edinburgh promote collectively public come together group could invited way artistically vetted performed done left entirely fringe group approach sometimes referred unjuried festival open access art festival fringe festival year approach led adverse criticism quality fringe much criticism come individual art critic national newspaper hardline aficionado edinburgh international festival occasionally edinburgh international festival fringe position debate may summed michael dale fringe administrator – book sore throat overdraft noone say quality like overall much matter actually point fringe fringe forum idea achievement unique uk whole world else could attempted let alone work view middle ground perennial debate point fringe complete artistic anarchy venue influence decide content programme traverse aurora nova used run venue production group fringe time sprout fringe festival unjuried participating fringe requires registration payment registration fee use fringe venue example registration fee £ outdoor space also require registration notably royal mile thus artist perform outside auspex fringe either individually part festival association venue either outdoors nonfringe venue started deborah pearson continuing codirectorship andy field pearson primary fringe fringe festival held forest support battersea art centre bac support several organisation including jerwood foundation queen university canada aim encourage experimentation reducing cost performer – charging space providing accommodation applied audience show pay festival th anniversary year fringe society consulted stakeholder across festival – artist venue resident government body – create shared vision set value vision “to give anyone stage everyone seat” rooted equality inclusiveness designed inspire fringe stakeholder pull direction three value also established guide behaviour decision everyone involved fringe fringe society said would “live champion uphold necessary” three value • celebrate performing art • open • look concept fringe theatre copied around world largest celebrated spawned festival adelaide fringe established second biggest world national art festival machanda formerly grahamstown south africa edmonton international fringe festival number event continues grow particularly u canada case edinburgh fringe addition festival proper officially known edinburgh festival fringe preexisting festival added new york international fringe festival est word come word festival august adelaide fringe began official partnership edinburgh fringe field drama edinburgh fringe premièred several play musical notably rosencrantz guildenstern dead tom stoppard moscow station starred tom courtenay recently six musical toby marlow lucy moss year attracted number company made repeated visit fringe helped set high artistic standard included london club theatre group scotland childrens music theatre later national youth music theatre jeremy james taylor national student theatre company communicado red shift grid iron fitchburg state university fringe also staging ground american high school theatre festival field comedy fringe provided platform allowed career many performer bloom various member monty python team appeared student production subsequently rowan atkinson stephen fry hugh laurie emma thompson latter three cambridge footlights atkinson oxford notable company included complicite national theatre brent recent comedy performer discovered include rory bremner fascinating aïda reduced shakespeare company steve coogan jenny eclair league gentleman flight conchords al murray rich hall many performer spoken highly fringe effect career magician paul daniel first appeared fringe twilight career commented ive become edinburgh publicity agent tell everybody youve got freedom put show led periodically controversy individual taste sexual explicitness religion contravened brought conflict local city councillor occasional performing group deliberately tried provoke controversy mean advertising show led censorship sexual explicitness show organiser continued defend festival role open platform contacted controversial youtuber mark meechan request clarify fact banned ran contrary punch line one joke mids occasional top show charged £ per seat average price £–£ price frequently £ reached £ first time onehour show reason people put forward increase include increasing cost hiring large venue theatre licence related costs—and price accommodation expensive performer well audience early st century two organisation — free fringe laughing horse free edinburgh fringe festival — introduced free entry show collect donation end performance show came banner growing rapidly also pay model forest fringe pay want introduced bob slayer hero fringe discussed putting show fringe big venue costly performer due registration fee venue hire cost accommodation travel edinburgh recent year venue cost need expensive marketing increasingly challenged free independent venue change happening fringe performer increasingly negotiate big venue festival also networking opportunity training ground springboard future career advancement exciting fun performer well spectator putting show costly venue well due theatre licence fee risen preceding three year eight time high fee english city starting £ venue people rising £ venue people fee cited punitive smaller venue sitespecific performance figure julian caddy featured sitespecific show venue inchcolm island swimming pool apex international hotel criticism increasing commercialism paytoplay fringe venue charge act perform advance fringe many case venue cost venue rent guarantee compulsory marketing various deduction mean performer charged make back ticket sale stewart lee stated guardian decade fringe utopia artist performer – profitobsessed promoter tearing piece hero fringe previously called alternative fringe set bob slayer statement paytoplay venue fringe commentator agree fringe change independent promoter leading change comedy section grown recent decade become biggest section programme fringe marked first time comedy made largest category entertainment led criticism changed nature fringe separated root richard demarco complained infestation standup comic epidemic cure overwhelms possibility serious theatre others commented large proportion newer audience drawn almost exclusively standup comic particularly television comedy star famous venue starting regard noncomedy event peripheral july campaign set raise awareness challenge alleged poor working condition fringe campaign received support city edinburgh council unite union among others february shona mccarthy chief executive fringe society stated producer promoter unfairly vilified campaign many group fringe ultimate goal favourable review—which apart welcome kudos may help minimise financial loss putting show edinburgh based newspaper scotsman integral fringe since start become known comprehensive festival coverage august originally aimed review every show fringe selective simply many show cover although see almost every new play staged part fringe theatre programme fringe first award many year scotsman art editor allen wright familiar figure fringe today young critic award named honour scottish medium outlet provide coverage include herald scotland sunday sunday herald scottish edition metro scottish art entertainment magazine list skinny fest magazine also provide extensive coverage onwards fringespecific publication emerged threeweeks founded fest followed year later turn millennium joined online publication specialised fringe broader remit include chortle broadway baby fringe review fringe guru wee review tv bomb latter two merged defunct festival medium network founded act trade organisation independent medium member broadway baby festival preview fringe guru fringe review hairline ifringe threeweeks podcast network whatsonstage prolific reviewer broadway baby published review threeweeks published review august scotsman review list published review scotsman prolific reviewer followed wee review londonbased broadsheet also review particular guardian independent art industry weekly stage publish large number edinburgh review especially drama programme since british comedy guide collated comedy review many publication possible gathered review publication different publication growing number award fringe show particularly field drama scotsman introduced prestigious fringe first award award established scotsman art editor allen wright encourage new theatre writing given new play new translation several awarded three week fringe – usually celebrity prestigious ceremony herald angel archangel awarded team art writer herald performer show deemed worthy recognition similar fringe first given week fringe stage awarded stage award acting excellence since around dozen award given year including special award given first time winner special award date include chris goode pip utton total theatre presented total theatre award excellence field physical visual theatre since category award given vary year year notable addition inclusion wild card award chosen festivalgoing public amnesty international introduced amnesty freedom expression award carol tambor best edinburgh award best drama introduced eligible award show must received four five star rating scotsman must previously played new york prize put show new york threeweeks editor award introduced given ten thing excited threeweeks editor year bobby launched broadway baby given best show festival decided broadway baby judging panel second type bobby launched called technical bobby awarded technical achievement fringe lighting set design edinburgh musical theatre award introduced musical theatre matter encourage writing production new musical fringe perrier award comedy came existence award cambridge footlights two award category since added perrier mineral water manufacturer ended long association succeeded scottishbased company intelligent finance also withdrew could replaced award temporarily funded promoter nica burn rebranded edinburgh comedy award eddy dlt entertainment sponsor donald eleanor taffner best comedy show dlt entertainment best newcomer award victoria wood foundation sponsor panel prize malcolm hardee award three category comic originality cunning stunt act likely make million quid presented originally ten year – taken british comedy guide initial oneoff malcolm hardee award made fringe year hardees death american musical comic reggie watt year since funniest joke fringe awarded along list top award currently sponsored tv channel dave first fringe featured eight company performing five venue company growth festival began slow company giving performance giving statistic edinburgh festival fringe concluded largest record performance different show venue ticket sale amounted around million fulltime member staff show theatre largest genre term number show overtaken comedy major growth area last year fringe comedy biggest artform number show followed theatre exact breakdown comedy theatre music childrens show cabaretvariety dancecircusphysical theatre spoken word event musicalsopera exhibition fringe issued estimated ticket performance show venue day fringe issued estimated ticket performance show fringe ticket performance show addition ticketed programmed event fringe street event run day festival primarily royal mile mound precinct list edinburgh comedy award winner joke fringe list fringe festival melbourne international comedy festival laugh dale michael sore throat overdraft illustrated story edinburgh festival fringe edinburgh precedent publication isbn fisher mark edinburgh fringe survival guide make show success london methuen isbn moffatt alistair edinburgh fringe london johnston bacon isbn bain fringe year greatest show earth scotsman publication ltd mcmillan j carnegie j traverse theatre story – methuen publishing london official website festival edinburgh follow fringe project collection university maryland library