Tag: Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Over a thousand more Fringe shows revealed

Today, Thursday 30 March, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce that more shows for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe will be available to book at edfringe.com.

This year’s Fringe takes place from 04 – 28 August 2023 and will feature an exciting range of shows, with theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, musicals, variety, cabaret, children’s shows, events and more all represented in the programme.  

Tickets for more than a thousand shows will be released at 12:00 BST today, with more shows set to be announced on Thursday 11 May.

The official launch of the festival, including the reveal of the iconic printed programme, will take place on Thursday 08 June.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:”We’re now well on our way to Fringe 2023, and having so many more shows go live this week is yet another reason to get excited. It feels like August is just around the corner, and once again Edinburgh will be filled with artists, creatives, and people with amazing stories to tell.

“Artists are the beating heart of this festival and central to everything we do at the Fringe Society.  Our team are here to support artists at every step of their Fringe journey, including our participants hub, Fringe Central; full details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.

“From theatre to comedy, cabaret to music, children’s shows to circus; the shows going on sale today represent the breadth and depth of creativity that will be bursting from every seam of Edinburgh this August. The Fringe and all its moving parts are still in recovery, I encourage you to support the artists and their work this summer, get browsing, get booking and come and see their shows.”

Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today. The full list of shows released today can be found at edfringe.com.

Theatre

At theSpaceUK, The Quality of Mercy: Concerning the Life and Crimes of Dr Harold Frederick Shipman is a “drama examining the legacy of Britain’s most prolific serial killer, written and performed by the grandson of one of Shipman’s victims”. New Slang Productions is the company behind Tomorrow Is Not Promised at Underbelly, in which “a Black British woman finds herself homeless and alone after an earthquake”. Gilded Balloon hosts the latest world premiere from Henry Naylor, Let the Bodies Pile, displaying the playwright’s “characteristic blend of comedy and tragedy, and tackling the care homes crisis”. At Assembly, Blue by CCEGHM explores the fallout from “the death of a Black motorist during a traffic stop at the hands of a white officer”. The Edinburgh Little Theatre company presents The Court at Hill Street Theatre, a “courtroom drama [that] centres around the question of euthanasia”. And at The Royal Scots Club, crackers is “a darkly funny reflection on dealing with broken heads”.

In Modern Witches at Greenside, “lesbian actor Kate tries witchcraft to cure her relationship anxiety, but the real help comes when she accidentally summons the ghost of Virginia Woolf during a self-tape audition as the famous Modernist.” Meanwhile, Brandon Urrutia brings Lo Siento Mi Espanol Es Tremendo Mal to St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St, exploring Hispanic culture and identity.

Soundplay Theatre Productions presents Sound Clash: Death in the Arena at Pleasance Courtyard, “a contemporary Romeo and Juliet, set in a dystopian world of reggae and dancehall music”. At Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre, Leitheatre company presents A Midsummer Dream in Auld Reekie, moving Shakespeare’s original setting “from Greece to Edinburgh – the Athens of the North”.

The Counterminers are presenting two shows at Just the Tonic. In Hersterectomy, Carmel “plots to curate the perfect nuclear household” to qualify for an operation, while “fast-paced comedy” Lost and Found “follows three best friends from London, Leeds and Glasgow as they fight to find themselves, without losing each other”.

David Thill’s Exit 20:20 is at Paradise in Augustines; it follows 16-year-old Moses, whose high school board bans the graphic novel Maus. At PBH’s Free Fringe, Alexander Klaus, the One-Legged Shoemaker Man tells the story of a 16-year-old American Civil War veteran who “struggles to live a normal life on New York City’s Lower East Side”.

Comedy

Elf Lyons and Duffy present Heist at Monkey Barrel Comedy, “a ridiculous bank heist conducted in Visual Vernacular, British Sign Language with very silly and violent live sound foley”. At Laughing Horse, Raul Kohli presents his new show Kohl and The Gang, selecting “five of the best upcoming acts on the circuit right now for a late-night comedy extravaganza”. Emmanuel Sonubi is back at the Fringe with Curriculum Vitae at Underbelly, “taking us through the life he led that brought him to the stage, via his work history”. And at PBH’s Free Fringe, Harun Musho’d is explaining Why I Don’t Talk To People About Terrorism.

Fresh from Vietnam, expat Parisian Francis Renaud hosts French Bashing by a Frenchman at Paradise in Augustines, “using comedic anecdotes, cultural comparisons and a wry sense of humour”. Panamanian-born, Florida-raised and Germany-residing Abigail Paul commits Involuntary Momslaughter at Greenside, serving “a biting dark comedy show about narcissistic personality disorder”. At The Voodoo Rooms, Joe Jacobs presents TurboFleshSuck5000, “a sex-positive, carbon-neutral, HIV-negative comedy hour”. And at Just the Tonic, Ali Al Sayed and Mina Liccione – “the UAE’s King and Queen of comedy” – have a Dubai Fling.

At Assembly, Anuvab Pal works for The Department of Britishness, selling “the idea of Britishness to India… there’s trouble ahead,” while Kuan-Wen Haung comes to Gilded Balloon with Ilha Formosa, telling how he traded his beloved Taiwan for the British Isles.

“Queer feminist and bloody lefty” Kathleen Hughes brings her work-in-progress show, One of the Girls, to the Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar, asking what it means to be an independent woman. Frankenstein Pub hosts The Impro All Stars aka Stephen Frost, Ian Coppinger, Andy Smart and very special guests.

At theSpaceUK, Beehavioural Problems: Something Something Autism is a “new surrealist escapade” from Stephen Catling. In The Weegies Have Stolen the One O’Clock Gun! at St Columba’s by the Castle, “only Morningside Malcolm, quiet resident of the douce suburbs, can prevent aggro” between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Online, Clare McCartney’s Luck Court is a 25-minute sitcom pilot in which “a working-class woman in her 40s” who has been recently divorced is “left with nothing and has to start again”.

Fringe 2023 is also overflowing with faces familiar from off the telly and previous festival appearances. David O’Doherty, Ed Byrne, Frankie Boyle and Reginald D Hunter are all at Assembly; Robin Ince and Patrick Monahan are at Gilded Balloon; Ahir Shah, Jamali Maddix, Catherine Bohart and Luisa Omielan are at Monkey Barrel Comedy; Mark Watson, Rachel Parris and Rosie Holt are at Pleasance; Bridget Christie, Stewart Lee and Seann Walsh are at The Stand; and Craig Hill and John Robins are at Just the Tonic (the latter with Howl and a new work-in-progress).

Music

The Jazz Bar hosts “an unmissable exclusive performance from legendary Russian-American trumpeter and Jazz Messengers alumnus, Valery Ponomarev” in 30th Anniversary! Valery Ponomarev: The Jazz Messenger. At Frankenstein Pub, Squeeze founder Chris Difford asks What Happened? 50 Lyrical Years, charting “the journey he has taken with songs from Take Me I’m Yours to Cool for Cats and Up the Junction”.

British composer Girish Paul and his virtual orchestra present The Diary of Anne Frank: Her Journey in Music at The Old Dr Bells Baths. At the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, singer/songwriter Tim Hunter uses music to tell the story of Independent Yorkshire MP William Wilberforce, who “led the campaign to abolish the slave trade”, in The Progressive Campaign. And at Greenside, Soul Circus asks Who Walks This Path, a show that combines “interactive storytelling with original music and improvisation about loss, community, our human need for connection, and the pain and humour of the journey”.

In celebration of his 50th birthday, Scottish fiddler Alastair Savage presents “a unique series of concerts” at St Cuthbert’s Church, featuring guests Alice Allen and Laurence Wilson. Scottish Voices perform Nuadh-Òrain and Other Songs at the Scottish Arts Club – “settings of poetry in Gaelic and English by Scottish contemporary composers and poets including the premiere of a new work by poet Aonghas MacNeacail and composer Margaret McAllister”. Eilidh Steel and Mark Neal “weave together their own compositions and songwriting alongside interesting old melodies and songs from the Scottish west coast” – they’re at the Acoustic Music Centre @ UCC. And Stockbridge Church is hosting Haggis Ceilidhs, helping visitors “experience the very best Scottish ceilidh dancing with one of Scotland’s leading modern ceilidh bands”.

Fringe-goers can “experience the groovy energy, dreamy moods and relaxing sounds from South Korea’s Il Wol Dang Band” at Assembly this August, while Pharos’ Rave at Just the Tonic “is an immersive journey into the depths of electronic music, featuring hypnotic beats, intricate textures, and haunting melodies”. Arrive Alive is a collaboration between poet Blukat, music producer and DJ, Cream, along with musicians Dead Poets” – watch it online.

Memphis-born singer/songwriter/pianist Charlie Wood takes you on a live listening tour through the Blues in Trouble In Mind: 100 Years of the Blues at the Argyle Cellar Bar, while Peaks and Valleys “combine folk, punk, gypsy, and classical elements” – catch them during The Blue Hour at The Royal Oak. Pitchblenders Swing the Blues is at Valvona & Crolla, where “Christine Adams sings her favourite songs from the era of scandalous Harlem rent parties,” accompanied by “Dick Lee on reeds, guitarist Phil Adams and bassist Jerry Forde”.

The A Club at the Merchants Hall hosts The Katuns, a West Lothian band “whose catchy riffs and high-energy choruses are influenced by indie rock bands Arctic Monkeys and Nirvana”. At The Liquid Room, The Rising: The UK’s No 1 Tribute to Springsteen and the E Street Band returns to the Fringe for their 12th year. The Allman Brothers Project by Safehouse is at Stramash, including “Allman favourites Jessica, Whipping Post, Soulshine, Ramblin’ Man and Elizabeth Reed”. Le Monde is hosting a programme of tribute artists this August, with various shows dedicated to the music of Adele, the Beach Boys and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. And Bannermans plays host to a pair of shows from rock’s experimental leftfield: Absolutely (not) Free – An Evening of Zappa by Pygmy Twylyte and Beefheart – Tropical Hot Dog Night! by Orange Claw Hammer.

The Edinburgh Renaissance Band’s New Frontiers 50th birthday is at artSpace@StMarks, exploring “medieval and renaissance Europe and Central America, accompanied by sackbuts, cornetts, serpent, viols, rebecs, harps, shawms, curtals, recorders, crumhorns and voices”. St Giles’ Cathedral hosts a series of Celebrity Recitals on its world-renowned Rieger organ, with performances from Matthew Owens, Jordan English and Michael Harris. Meanwhile, St Mary’s Cathedral hosts its own series of Cathedral Celebrity Organ Recitals, with Duncan Ferguson, David Goode and Imogen Morgan performing “popular organ music on the mighty Father Willis organ.”

At St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St, Christine Hurley and Nancy Crook present Cello and Piano Recital: Music of Love, featuring compositions by Beethoven, Cesar Franck and Amy Beach. “One of the UK’s longest-established youth orchestras, conducted by Allan Young and featuring solo performers from within its own ranks,” the Perth Youth Orchestra is performing their Autumn Concert at Greyfriars Kirk. And the Royal Scots Club have a programme of classical recitals at breakfast, lunchtime and afternoon, “performed by some of the finest young talent in comfortable surroundings”.

The Sacred Arts Festival (a programme within the wider Fringe lineup) has music events in several Edinburgh church spaces, including new sacred compositions at Canongate Kirk, Schola Cantorum at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, a lunchtime choir recital at St Michael and All Saints and works by Bach and Handel at St Vincent’s in Stockbridge.

Guitarist and composer Daniel Martinez presents a concert of “emotive, exciting, moving and technically brilliant” Flamenco Guitar at Yotel Edinburgh and classical guitarist Jonathan Prag brings “music from Spain’s greatest composers” to St Columba’s by the Castle.

theSpaceUK is hosting Aca-Villa: The Love Island Musical, where “contestants navigate their road to true love through the medium of chart-topping songs, all performed a cappella”. Meanwhile Gilded Balloon is hosting at least two acapella shows this Fringe, with Aquapella representing Bath and The Oxford Gargoyles coming from – you guessed it – Oxford.

Cabaret and variety

Reuben Kaye returns to Assembly for his “queer, messy, and f*cking hilarious” late-night cabaret show, The Kaye Hole. “Destynee is a dramatic drag artist performing songs from some of the most fabulous divas and icons of all time” – you can catch her in An Evening With Drag Artist – Destynee at Planet Bar. Gilded Balloon hosts Divas: From Stage to Screen by BBD Productions, featuring “a live band and cast of fierce beltresses” celebrating “music, movies and musical theatre”. And at theSpaceUK, “gender euphoric cabaret” A Bit Too Much Hair is “a musical paradise for thems, mens, femmes, and everyone in between”.

Magical Bones returns to Underbelly with Soulful Magic – Volume Two, while magician and mind reader Tom Brace takes audiences on A Trick Down Memory Lane at Pleasance.

The Kaisa Ling Thing brings The Feminist’s Handbook for Eastern Europe to PBH’s Free Fringe, presenting “a vaudevillian blues portrait of modern life”. Blues and Burlesque at The Voodoo Rooms offers “original music by Pete Saunders (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)” alongside “classic striptease from Belle de Beauvoir”.

At Hill Street Theatre, the Machine Man Spectacle invites audience members to “participate in seven of the universe’s most spectacular machines, invented specifically to observe the human spiritual spectrum”. King of More is at Paradise in The Vault, using “music, interactions, quasi-workshop, laughter, tears and quantum physics” to explore “secret connection among all of us” in Veza.

Forth 1 returns to the Edinburgh Playhouse this August to host its annual Forth on the Fringe gala.

Dance, physical theatre and circus

In circus, Afrique en Cirque visit Assembly to display “gravity-defying moves and human pyramids, all to the contemporary sounds of African contemporary music”. Hong Kong physical theatre company Theatre de la Feuille present Fall and Flow at Underbelly, diving into “the depths of war, the power of love and hate as the futility and sorrow explode in front of you in six short stories”.

Katherine and Pierre at Gilded Balloon is “a gender-bent love story combining elements of drag with comedic dance choreography”, set to the music of Katy Perry. A/lone at Greenside is a “dynamic Australian work” exploring “the painful depths of loneliness and the profound joy of aloneness”.

At Just the Tonic, Fruit Salad is “a clown comedy of fruit-based stupidity by two Gaulier-trained comedians”. Klouns Theatre Company presents An Act of Seven Ages at Paradise in The Vault – a “clowning escapade of vignettes focused on a multitude of influences endured from birth until death”. And Släpstick return to the Pleasance with Schërzo, “a clown-esque concerto for the ages where a seemingly highbrow classical concert glissandos into a bacchanal of comical mishaps and absurdity”.

The Sacred Arts Festival presents drama at St Vincent’s with The Mysteries (reimagined by Peter Holloway), bringing to live “five Medieval guild plays” in a “warm, funny, yet gritty production”.

There’s a feast of flamenco at Fringe 2023, including Flamenco Fiesta at Alba Flamenca, 2Flamenco at Argyle Cellar Bar, Flamenco in Scotland at St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St and Flamenco Fringe at Lunch at Yotel Edinburgh. Meanwhile, over at theSpaceUK, Giorgia Marchiori and Marcelo Guardiola present Los Guardiola – The Comedy of Tango, using “the universal and timeless language of movement to tell stories inspired by the world’s best-loved tangos”.

EN-PERFECIÓN is available to watch online, tracing “its roots back to the Ankoku-Butoh movement active in Japan from the 1950s, mixing it with contemporary dance and experimental theatre”.

Children’s shows

Quebec circus clowns Brotipo return to Assembly with a family-friendly show “to make you laugh, dance and even sing”. At Gilded Balloon, Artiste is an “interactive exhibit of physical comedy and crafty clowning”, while “UK premier magician and kids entertainer” Leigh Milne brings The Crazy Puppet Magic Show to Frankenstein Pub.

The Blue Badge Bunch are back at Pleasance with ReRamped, “a hilarious, interactive game show where each game represents a disability and comedians battle it out”. One Step Ahead presents The European Extravaganza! at Greenside, “an interactive musical journey to some major European cities”. Inside The Robot: Kids vs Chaos! is “the world’s only theatrical escape room”, an “immersive, educational and hilarious spectacular suitable for ages 5+” – it’s at Just the Tonic. And Professors Lexi Con and Noel Edge present The Alphabet of Awesome Science at Underbelly, taking a “tongue-twisting race from A to Z that’s equal parts explosive, messy, hilarious, fascinating and gross”.

The Ancient Ballad of Thomas the Rhymer (Into the Woods) at artSpace@StMarks features “specially composed music performed by John Sampson, performed by Sampson, Julia Munrow and Pete Baynes”. Dragon Tales at LifeCare Centre is “an interactive storytelling show for 4–6-year-olds” using “felt puppets, percussion and harp”. And theSpaceUK features two adaptations as part of their children’s programme: Peter Pan and The Twits.

At St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St, FlamenKids is an “original, well-made, fun, passionate and highly entertaining show where you’ll experience a breathtaking professional flamenco performance of eight artists interacting with the wee ones”. Recitals for Wrigglers presents two “fun, interactive and educational shows for babies and toddlers” at Stockbridge Church: Kings and Queens and Wriggle Around the World.

Amazing Prize Family Bingo at 9 Queen Street is exactly what it sounds like: “bingo with loads and loads of prizes”. Hill Street Theatre hosts Reach for the Stars, “a fun show showcasing Edinburgh’s young talent”.

Musicals and opera

OSCAR at The Crown (Assembly) takes place “in a secret bunker far in the fascist future”, and focuses on “one of history’s most flamboyant figures” – Oscar Wilde. Greenside hosts Fierce, in which “seven famous women tell their stories” to “a soundtrack of empowering music that’s sure to smash the patriarchy”. Two separate musicals explore the life of Alan Turing at this year’s Fringe. Alan Turing – Guilty of Love is at Hill Street Theatre, while Alan Turing – A Musical Biography is at Paradise in Augustines. And theSpaceUK welcomes Les Millénniables, “a pop parody about the plight of the generation deemed ‘millennials’”.

“Oliver Harris sings the great songs from Les Misérables, Chess, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, We Will Rock You and many more” in The Greatest Show Songs at Le Monde. Forth Children’s Theatre return “for their 42nd year at the Fringe with their spooky, kooky production of The Addams Family – A New Musical” at Broughton High School. And Captivate Theatre presents a programme of musical adaptations at the Edinburgh Academy: Les Misérables School Edition, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical Jr, School of Rock and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Without is “an intimate and authentic new musical” at Underbelly, in which “a busker and a runaway find unexpected camaraderie and challenge together, discovering the importance of acceptance through conversation, confrontation and the power of music”. In On Your Bike at Gilded Balloon, “Gemma and Aidan deliver food they can’t afford for mega-corporation Eatsaroo, but things get messy when it cuts their pay and derails their budding romance”. “A Christmas Carol meets It’s a Wonderful Life meets… *NSYNC!” in Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical at Pleasance. And at Stockbridge Church, Acceptance Pending tells the story of high-school senior Angela, who “fights through the daunting US college application process” and is “met with the harsh reality of the student mental-health crisis”.

Scotland’s professional touring company, Opera Bohemia, returns with John Leo Wilkie’s highly acclaimed production of Madama Butterfly at St Cuthbert’s Church.

Spoken word

LBC presenter Iain Dale hosts a series of talks at Pleasance this Fringe, meeting with Ian Blackford MP, Penny Mordaunt MP, Wes Streeting MP, Sir John Curtice and Brian Taylor. Over at The Stand’s New Town Theatre, Fair Pley’s conversation series features Scottish Labour Party leader Anas Sarwar, “guitarist, songwriter and DJ” Bobby Bluebell and BBC 6 Music presenter Tom Robinson.

Rob Redenbach shares his Conversations with Mandela at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, “recounting his journey from casino bouncer in outback Australia to working with Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard team in South Africa”. A “lifelong friend” of David Bowie shares stories at Blackwell’s Bookshop in Bowie, Cambo & All the Hype – An Evening with John Cambridge. Confessions of a Teletubby is at theSpaceUK, with “the original LaaLaa” Nikky Smedley sharing her experiences on the children’s TV show. And “ex-Hibs, Aberdeen, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and Scotland striker Steve Archibald discusses his extraordinary football career” in Steve Archibald – An Evening With at Le Monde.

From Marlon Solomon, “the maker of Conspiracy Theory: A Lizard’s Tale,” comes How to Be an Antisemite, “a dark comedy about rising antisemitism, where it comes from and what we do about it”. It’s at Gilded Balloon, while at Hill Street Theatre, Good Grief: Five Deserts in Search of My Father is a one-man show by writer Jon Lawrence, recounting how he “walked 500km over five deserts on five continents to come to terms with the death of his father”.

Sacred Arts Festival hosts Spirituality, Faith and Belief: Voyages of Discovery, “an exploration of literary works as vehicles of spiritual discovery”, at Greyfriars Kirk, and Strafed by Splendour: Under Paolozzi’s Window at St Mary’s Cathedral, “a magnificent setting for poetry, music and an explanatory talk”.

Dean Tsang explores Our Anxious Measurements at PBH’s Free Fringe, probing “research and understanding” and questioning the “expectations placed on us and the ways apprehension can enter our lives”.

Caledonia – Words and Music for Sir Walter is a series of “short readings from Scott’s works on the themes of resilience and recovery, with contemporary choral settings of Scott’s poetry by Edinburgh composer Nigel Don”. It’s at St Vincent’s.

Festival Fringe Society honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge launches new £100k fund for artists

The ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund will support artists bringing work to Fringe 2023

Today, Tuesday 07 March 2023, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch the ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund, a new initiative to support Fringe artists, which is being led by Fringe Society President Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

This fund, supported by the Fleabag for Charity campaign, and funds donated to the Fringe Society through individual donors and our partnership with Edinburgh Gin, will distribute fifty bursaries of £2,000 which will be awarded to individual artists or companies bringing work to the Fringe in 2023. 

Not every artist has the same start in their career, but we believe that shouldn’t stop anyone having access to a stage to showcase their talent at the world’s best-loved festival. There is no Fringe without artists; without risk-taking, and without experimentation. Rooted in our vision to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat, the fund sets out to protect artists’ prospects, by removing some of the growing barriers to performing.

Honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge said: ‘For a creative, the festival is one of the most unique places on the planet to launch work, meet other artists and be discovered by audiences, agents, producers and the media.

“For me, today’s announcement is incredibly personal. Edinburgh Fringe gave Fleabag a game-changing platform for everyone involved and we are thrilled that the show can continue to pay-it-forward to the creatives of tomorrow and contribute to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to take their work to this amazing festival’.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. said: ‘We recognise how difficult the last few years have been for the cultural sector, and today’s announcement is a very direct way for us to give some support for artists performing at this year’s Fringe.

“We are massively grateful to Phoebe, and all our donors, for their generosity and ongoing support of the work of the Fringe Society. This fund is a first step in what we hope to be an ongoing opportunity for Fringe artists.

“We will be actively encouraging new donors and Fringe alumni to work with us through this simple initiative, to get support out quickly and effectively to give someone a stage’.

In June 2022 we launched the Fringe’s Future Development Goals, with new commitments and targets created.  Ensuring artists can thrive is key to this work, and today’s announcement will support Fringe artists who face the greatest barriers.  As we work to build a better, more accessible and sustainable Fringe, the fund will be used to help make a difference and support creatives to be part of this extraordinary festival. 

This fund is a pilot as part of the Fringe Society’s wider fundraising campaign for the Fringe, and our ambition is to provide direct financial support for Fringe artists every year. We recognise that these funds won’t make or break a show but should provide a little bit of financial help to those who want to take part in the Fringe.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches its review of the year 2022

Summary of the Society’s work over the past 12 months accompanied by headline findings from surveys

This morning the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches its review of the year: an in-depth look at the work it has accomplished over the past 12 months.

With unease caused by a new wave of COVID in early 2022, there was still uncertainty that a fully formed Fringe could take place this August. However, against what felt like impossible odds at times, the Fringe re-emerged in glorious technicolour, with local performers joined by artists from across the UK and 63 nations.

In June, Fringe Society President Phoebe Waller-Bridge launched the Fringe Society’s new vision – to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat. This was followed in August with the announcement of new alumni Patron, Eddie Izzard, who started her career as a street performer on the famous Royal Mile.

As the festival approached,activities to celebrate the Fringe’s 75th anniversary took place, through memories collected from audiences and artists over the years.

The popular street events programme expanded into new areas of Edinburgh’s city centre, with over 3,200 performances taking place, and the Fringe Central participants’ hub opened its doors to over 2,100 arts industry, media, producers and visiting delegations.

Projects such as Fringe Days Out and the Children and Young People ticketing scheme returned as the Society continued with local schools and community groups.  These vital initiatives supported children, young people, and those across Edinburgh who might not otherwise get to experience the Fringe.

By the end of August, over 2.2m tickets had been issued, and artists from 63 countries had performed in over 3,400 shows across Edinburgh.

Read the Fringe Society’s full review of the year 2022 at:

https://edfringe.shorthandstories.com/fringe-review-2022.

Following a year of heightened interest in the Society’s work, today the Society also announce the headline results from a mass feedback project, launched in September.

A significant part of the Society’s annual evaluation is surveying a broad group of stakeholders.  This year was no different, with the largest listening drive since 2019.  The Society commissioned Scotinform to facilitate surveys to registered artists, audience members, venues, workers, arts industry and media, who combine to create the Fringe ecosystem.

More than 10,000 responses across the surveys were received, with results now being used to support the development of new projects, and to target our future plans. These vital data insights also give us the evidence base we need to advocate for focused support and address some of the challenges identified by the Fringe community.

The positioning of the festival continues to be strong: 76% of audience members agreed that the Fringe is one of the most important cultural events in the world. When asked for motivations for attending the 2022 Fringe, respondents cited seeing a variety of events/performances (76%) and enjoying live performance after the pandemic (49%).

Edinburgh’s residents continue to be vital to the festival: 65% feel the Fringe makes the city a better place to live, alongside 75% who feel it makes Edinburgh a better place to visit.  With the cost-of-living crisis likely to extend into 2023, 66% of audiences would like ticket offers or discounted tickets, with 91% of Edinburgh residents interested in a discount for EH postcodes.

The live experience continues to be a major motivator, with only 7% agreeing that they would like to see more online shows at the Fringe. As we look ahead to 2023, there is continued optimism from audiences, with 81% of respondents stating they are likely to come to the Fringe in 2023.

Unsurprisingly, following the intense interest in a Fringe app for 2023, 46% of audience respondents said they felt an app would have improved their Fringe experience, with 66% stating they would use an app in the future. This aligned with artist feedback, with 71% stating a Fringe app is very important to them. Work on the 2023 app is already underway and details on its functionality and launch timings will be announced in the new year.

For artists, the Fringe continues to be a core platform for artists’ careers, with 82% of those attending the Fringe for the first time doing so for professional development reasons. For returning Fringe artists, experiencing the Fringe was the biggest motivator, with 82% citing this as the main reason.

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Accommodation continues to be a concern for many performers: 87% of artists felt that affordability of accommodation and living costs will be a barrier to future participation in the Fringe; however 70% of artists said they are still likely to bring a show to the Fringe in the future.  Interestingly, 17% of artists did not engage directly with the Society, and as such were not aware of the full offering of services available to them such as Fringe Connect and Fringe Marketplace.

While a small sample of workers responded to their survey, the Society continues to review how we reach and support this group more.  Recognising work undertaken in support of the Real Living Wage, 77% of Fringe workers said they were paid on or above this benchmark at this year’s festival. 91% were also satisfied that they had a line manager to seek help from, if and when they needed it.

In addition to the statistical information, Scotinform evaluated free text responses across the surveys.  In general, there was an appetite for more information to be shared with all respondents, at more regular points of the year. 

Advance detailed information was clearly sought, and as such The Society is refining its communications strategy to ensure first time, and returning artists, have the year-round support they need to attend the Fringe in the future. 

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s easy to forget how tumultuous this year has been – between Omicron variants, the cost-of-living crisis and de-stabilising world events, it feels miraculous the Fringe happened at all.

“The fact that it did is a testament to the concerted effort and support of a cast of thousands, including artists, audiences, venues, media, staff, volunteers, crew, sponsors, elected officials and the city of Edinburgh itself.

“Improvements can always be made, and the insights and data gained from our recent listening exercise are already being taken forward.

“We recognise that there are ongoing challenges, and our team are working hard behind the scenes to continue to advocate for our artists, and to support audiences as they plan for Fringe 2023.”

Review-of-the-Year-2022Download

First steps towards recovery as the Festival Fringe comes to a close

TICKET SALES SLUMP BY A QUARTER

The 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe draws to a close today having brought together artists, international arts industry and media, and both loyal Fringe fans and new audiences. 

After some of the most challenging years on record for the sector, the hard work and effort of the artists, venues, producers, promoters, arts and media industry, and staff should be recognised and celebrated.

The lead up brought with it understandable anxiety, as Fringe-makers took on the risk and uncertainty of returning in a year like no other. Audience patterns have changed, industrial action caused significant disruption to rail travel and refuse collection, and affordable accommodation in Edinburgh was at crisis point. This year’s festival has been a colossal and collective effort.

We recognise and thank the residents and businesses of Edinburgh and the Lothians, home to the Fringe for the last 75 years. Residents of our historic city accounted for 39% of all tickets issued (+4% on 2019), and their support and commitment to the festival is evident.  Overseas audience attendances also increased, accounting for 10% of all tickets issued (+2% on 2019).

While the number of tickets issued is testament to the commitment of those who put on the shows and the audiences who came to see them, far beyond what we could have imagined at the start of the year.

The growing cost of Edinburgh for artists points to the need for long-term recovery, investment, and support to ensure the sustainability and longevity of one of the world’s most important cultural events.

Some clear challenges have emerged, and we need a collective approach to address these, or the future of this long-running beacon for cultural connection and development will be in jeopardy.

This year’s Fringe saw an estimated 2,201,175 tickets issued across 3,334 shows which were performed by artists from 63 countries. The festival welcomed diverse work from Scotland, the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, with 13 showcases including work from Canada, Finland, Belgium, Taiwan, South Korea, Ireland – North and South, Denmark and Australia.

The 2022 programme tackled themes and issues such as mental health, gender and gender identity, neurodiversity, disability, feminism, lockdown, experience of migration, LGBTQ+, politics, race and racial identity and work for children; with upcoming talent showcased alongside well-known performers and international work.

The Street Events programme was extended into new sites, with 3,284 performances by Street Performers across the programme.  These included 650 Taster Stage slots on new sites in St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square in St James Quarter.  170 shows were represented, with five additional slots given to community groups and schools.   

Over 35 professional development events for Fringe participants were delivered in partnership with 16 external organisations in Fringe Central, our dedicated centre for artists at the heart of the Fringe, and on Fringe Connect, our online home for artists.

The Arts Industry office accredited 1,354 producers, programmers, bookers, talent agencies, festivals and others from 45 countries, looking to find work, tour it and support artists beyond the festival itself. They were joined by over 770 of the world’s media, and 147 delegates who participated in Screen Fringe.

The communities, learning and access team worked on a number of key initiatives, including loaning out 150 sensory backpacks for autistic children and adults.  BSL interpretation took place in West Parliament Square on five days of the festival, and a dedicated Changing Places toilet was located beside George Square.

The Society worked with over 30 Edinburgh charities and community groups to distribute over £60,000 of Fringe vouchers and Lothian bus tickets, enabling residents from across the city to experience the festival, many for the very first time.  In addition, over 900 schoolchildren came to the Fringe as part of our schools’ outreach work.

Shona McCarthy, CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “Our enormous congratulations go out to everyone who came together to create the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

“This year’s festival is the first step in what will be a long road to recovery and renewal.  The hard work of thousands of artists, and hundreds of venues, producers and staff has combined to deliver the 75th anniversary festival during one of the most challenging summers on record.

“We recognise the significant amount of work that is still required to support the long-term sustainability of this phenomenal Festival.  As we review and discuss all the learnings from this year, our focus this autumn will be on planning for the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe.  

“Collectively we will work to advocate for greater support for those at the heart of the Fringe – our artists.  The eyes of the world look to this historic city every August, and we need to work together to ensure the Fringe is the best place for creatives to express their ideas, audiences to support them and for people across the sector to develop their skills and careers for the next 75 years.”

Benny Higgins, Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, added: “I add my congratulations to those that worked tirelessly this August to deliver the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  The importance of this festival cannot be underestimated.  Artists use the Fringe as a place to perform, connect and springboard onto their next career opportunity. 

“Recovery takes time, and that is why in June we launched our future development goals.  The Society acts to offer anyone a stage and everyone a seat, and there is much to do in the coming months.  We need to ensure the Fringe is the best place for thriving artists, while ensuring fair work and good citizenship. 

“Our digital experience will be key to delivering our climate action targets, and we need to do more to ensure who you are, and where you’re from, is not a barrier to attending or participating in the Fringe.”

As a charity, the work of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society would not be possible without the valuable support of our partners, sponsors and funders.

We are hugely grateful to the support of partners City of Edinburgh Council, EventScotland, Creative Scotland, The Scottish Government, British Council, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, St James Quarter and Nuveen. 

Our thanks to sponsors TikTok, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Edinburgh Gin and Cirrus Logic. Our continued appreciation also to our Fringe Angels, Patrons, Friends and supporters who help make the Fringe happen each year.

Next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 04 – 28 August 2023.

Eddie Izzard is announced Patron of Fringe charity

Eddie Izzard has been appointed as the first alumni Patron of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

As our first Patron, Eddie will represent the idea that the Fringe Society is the charity that underpins the Fringe and supports the Fringe to fulfil its vision to ‘give anyone a stage and everyone a seat‘. 

In 1981, while studying Accounting and Financial Management at Sheffield University, Eddie first came to Edinburgh, and the Fringe, with a vision of emulating her Monty Python heroes who had all played there, but it took her 10 years to get shortlisted for the Perrier Comedy Award in 1991 (now the Edinburgh Comedy Awards).

Eddie performed at the Fringe twelve times over thirteen years to get her career to take off – in sketch comedy, street performing, and finally in stand-up comedy.

Eddie is now recognised around the world, having played in forty-five countries, in four languages, and in venues like Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl.  She has also acted in such diverse Hollywood films as Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen, Six Minutes to Midnight, Valkyrie, Victoria & Abdul, Whisky Galore and The Lego Batman Movie, as well as Sky’s hit drama Stay Close.

Winner of both Primetime Emmy and International Emmy awards, and nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor, Eddie is a global champion for creativity, and a vocal supporter for those starting out.

Eddie Izzard said: “The Edinburgh Fringe gives people from all around the world – a wonderful, open door opportunity to perform and be seen.  But it is also physically and mentally as tough as hell.  It took me eight Fringe festivals to start breaking through, and ten festivals to finally arrive! 

“But the Fringe Festival taking place in the dramatic and historic capital city of Edinburgh gives it something else.  It gives it grandeur.  It is this grandeur, coupled with young people’s intense creative struggle, that has made the Edinburgh Fringe what it is today.  A legend.”

Shona McCarthy, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chief Executive, said: “Eddie’s enthusiasm and passion for what the Fringe represents is inspiring, and she speaks from the heart and personal experience of its challenges. We are delighted to welcome her as a Patron of the Fringe Society. 

“As someone who has performed at the Fringe since the 80s, she has experienced the festival as an emerging artist, as a street performer, and as a returning performer at the top of her game.

“As an organisation created to support artists in navigating, and maximising their time at the Festival, Eddie’s involvement, through her role as Patron, will resonate with many looking to develop their careers.  It is a privilege to have Eddie on board, supporting the work of the Society and working with us to achieve our Fringe development goals and commitments.”

Yesterday’s announcement follows the 2021 appointment of Phoebe-Waller Bridge as the Society’s first honorary President.

In the coming months we will recruit a range of patrons from our Fringe alumni to join Phoebe and Eddie in championing the Fringe vision and development goals.

We want the Edinburgh Fringe to be the best Festival in the world for artists and audiences alike, and it is both welcome and necessary to have the support of brilliant Fringe alumni to help make that happen.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022 programme launched

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF MOMENTOUS MOMENTS

Today, Thursday 7th July, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch the official 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme.

After the challenges of the last two years, it feels more important than ever to celebrate the diverse selection of work on display at the Fringe, spanning the genres of theatre, dance, circus, physical theatre, comedy, music, musicals, opera, cabaret, variety, children’s shows, spoken word, exhibitions and events.

As published in June, our shared vision for the Fringe is to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat.

This year’s programme features work across 3,171 shows, from 58 countries, with themes tackling some of the most topical issues in the world today. 

From migration, refugees and displaced people, to race and identity, women’s safety, disability, mental health and climate change, as well as an exploration into gender, queer identity and drag, true crime and more along the way.

As might be expected, lockdown and wider isolation are prominent themes, as well as a focus on parent and child relationships through various generations. Joyously, this year’s Fringe brings together many well-known names, as well as emerging talent, in work both homegrown and international.

New for 2022 is an extension of the popular Fringe Street Events, which will invite audiences to enjoy performances in new locations, including St Andrew Square and St James Quarter.

In addition, Fringe Central – the festival’s home from home for Fringe artists, journalists, venue operators, creative industries, and visiting curators – is moving to St James Quarter for the first time.

In previous years this dedicated participants’ hub has played host to over 1,000 national and international media representatives, alongside 1,200 arts industry professionals looking for shows to book as well as co-commissioning and touring opportunities, making the Fringe one of the world’s foremost places for performing artists to do business, and to find opportunities to share their work in other festivals and on stage and screen.

Launching the 2022 Fringe Programme, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “As we celebrate the festival’s 75th anniversary year, the launch of today’s programme reflects the regenerative nature of a cultural icon that has weathered many storms since its inception.

“Featuring 3,171 shows from 58 countries, this year’s programme represents a glorious return to fully live shows in theatres, venues and public spaces across Edinburgh, in one of the greatest annual celebrations of culture and creativity in the world.

“As a festival which offers anyone a stage and everyone a seat, we can’t wait to welcome artists, writers, staff, crew, venues, producers, creatives, residents and audience members together this August, after two years of uncertainty and reinvention.

“We are hugely thankful to all our sponsors and supporters – those who have backed us through the tough times and those who have come on board to ensure the Fringe returns to its full stature in its celebratory 75th year.

“Venues, producers and artists have created an amazing array of performances and events which dig into some of the most topical themes being discussed in the world today. This is an opportunity for us all to laugh, cry, celebrate and be entertained together, living in this one incredible moment and looking ahead to the future of the Fringe and the many momentous moments yet to come.”

Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “It’s fantastic to see the Fringe unveiling such a varied and exciting programme for its 75th anniversary celebrations this year.  Over the decades, as part of the Edinburgh Festivals, the Fringe has been pivotal in shaping and promoting our cultural identity on an international stage.

“To support the return and delivery of Fringe 2022, the Society has received £1.58 million through our PLACE Resilience Fund with £305,000 of this going towards maintaining the Society’s arts industry and media services and supporting the Fringe street events.

“The remaining £1.275 million in the fund has gone to venue producers so that they can continue to programme work of the highest quality.  This benefits artists, workers and audiences by protecting jobs an increasing local employment as well as promoting accessibility, sustainability, diversity and inclusion.

“I would encourage everyone to visit the Fringe this year, and to do so safely and with consideration for those around you.”

Cllr Cammy Day, Council Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said:“This is a very special year for the Fringe, not only does it see the return of a jam-packed programme of artists and performers from across the globe, it is also marks 75 years of this remarkable festival. The Fringe’s varied programme promises to impress, entertain and educate audiences of all ages with performers visiting the capital to showcase their work and meet new audiences.

“This year also marks the fifth year of Fringe Days Out where people have the opportunity to enjoy the Fringe. Through partnerships with schools, community groups, charities and organisations Fringe vouchers, bus tickets and additional support is provided to offer residents the choice to visit the festival. I would encourage everyone to explore this year’s programme– it’s not to be missed.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a fantastic platform for artists, performers and communities to connect, enjoy and share memorable experiences. 

“It is also a key part of Scotland’s portfolio of world-class events and having the Fringe in our calendar further strengthens the country’s position as a leading events destination and the perfect stage for events.

“The launch of the 2022 programme is a wonderful milestone as we celebrate 75 years of this amazing event and return of an international cultural icon. Whether it’s comedy, music or theatre, now is the time to plan and enjoy experiences that stir the emotions and elevate in-the-moment moods.”

James Stafford Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.

“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”

Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “The Johnnie Walker Princes Street team is delighted to be on board as Official Partner of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in its momentous 75th year.

“2022 is a big year for us, too, as we’ll enjoy our first summer open, and we can’t wait to help entertain the festival crowds when they arrive come August. We’re very much looking forward to hosting our own unmissable programme of events in our ‘Label Studio’ space as part of our ‘Pick of the Fringe’ series.

“Our guests can expect to enjoy an exciting and diverse mix of comedy, music, and theatre, paired with some of the most creative cocktails and tastiest drams Scotland has to offer.”

PICTURES: Neil Hanna Photography

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches revamped 2022 Street Events

This year’s celebration of street performance will feature new locations across the city centre, supported by a new Street Performer Charter, and partnership with TikTok

Today, 22 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch a revamped and expanded street events offering for 2022, in the festival’s 75th anniversary year.

In addition to the long-established performance areas on the Royal Mile and the Mound Precinct, this year’s street events will also take place at new locations in East Princes Street Gardens, St Andrew Square, Multrees Walk, and Cathedral Square outside St James Quarter.

Visitors to the street events will be able to follow a route taking in each of the performance sites following a map within the official printed Fringe programme. The street events will be delivered by Unique Events, who are managing the programme on behalf of the Fringe Society, for the second year.

The return of the street events programme is being supported by EventScotland (part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate), and Creative Scotland, and the launch follows last week’s announcement of the Fringe Society’s new partnership with TikTok, which supports the expanded street events programme.

With activation planned across these sites, TikTok will provide a ‘taster stage’ in both St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square, where artists from registered Fringe shows can perform short snippets of their shows, giving festivalgoers a free taste of their performance.

TikTok will live stream from these stages, enabling artists to be found by digital audiences from around the world. On the Royal Mile, two new screens will stream the TikTok content, and will also be available free to registered artists to promote their show digitally, via digital posters on the screens.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society, said: “We are excited to reveal our new and expanded plans for this year’s Street Events, one of the most visible aspects of the Fringe, enjoyed by audiences every year. The new route will allow audiences to meander through Edinburgh’s majestic Old Town and New Town, while enjoying artists in different locations.”

As part of today’s launch, the Fringe Society has also published the Street Performer Charter, a set of values shared by the Fringe Society and the street performing community, as represented by the Street Performers’ Council.

The Charter, which includes commitments from the Fringe Society and street performers, will facilitate fair, open decision making between the two groups. Among its various commitments, the Charter works towards increasing accessibility of street events, taking social responsibility for pay, sustainability goals, and improving health, safety and mental wellbeing among street performers.

Shona McCarthy continued: “I’m incredibly pleased to see the publication of the new Street Events Charter, developed in collaboration with the Fringe Society, and the street performer community.

“The Fringe and street events are within each other’s DNA and part of the cultural heritage of beautiful Edinburgh. This collective step establishes a great template to work more collaboratively at ensuring the Fringe is the best possible version of itself for the next 75 years, both for artists and residents.”

A spokesperson for the street performing community said: “The street performer charter marks a new chapter in what we anticipate will be an artist-led street festival for the people of Edinburgh and its many visitors to enjoy.

“We are excited to be working with the Fringe and their partners, to keep alive the long history of street performance that is at the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe, as we celebrate 75 years.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “As one of Scotland’s most recognisable cultural assets, EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of the Fringe street events. It is an integral part of the festival, providing audiences with the chance to connect with performances and get a taste of the Fringe for free.

“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to experience events, and after the challenges of the last two years, now is the time to plan and enjoy experiences like the street events that stir the emotions and elevate your mood.”

James Stafford, Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.

“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”

Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “St James Quarter is a welcoming cultural and lifestyle hub for art, culture and fashion and we’re passionate about supporting Edinburgh’s world-renowned cultural offering and its vibrant events calendar.

“It’s a privilege to be working with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and we look forward to hosting some of the amazing street events on Cathedral Square.”

Funding to support Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers

£1.275m Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund developed, thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE programme)

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to announce that 13 Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers have been awarded a share of £1.275 million through the Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund, developed thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE) programme.

The fund, designed to support resilience, recovery and creativity across the festival in its 75th anniversary year, is part of a £1.58m award to the Fringe through PLACE. The remaining £305k has been allocated to support the ongoing resilience of the Fringe Society and includes £55k to support the delivery of Street Events during August.

Venues in receipt of the Resilience Fund are Assembly, BlundaBus, Gilded Balloon, Greenside, Just The Tonic, Laughing Horse, Monkey Barrell Comedy, Pleasance, Scottish Comedy Festival, Summerhall, theSpaceUK, Underbelly and ZOO.

The awarding panel was chaired by the Fringe Society, and included the expert advice of Creative Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland.

Commenting on the fund, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s fair to say that the last few years have been the most challenging in our festival’s history. Now, as we prepare to enter our 75th anniversary year, creatives across the Fringe landscape are working hard to ensure that this incredible festival not only survives, but continues to work hard to be the best version of itself.

“This support from Scottish Government is absolutely vital in helping us to achieve that goal: allowing producers and creatives across the landscape to not only recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic, but to offer enhanced support to artists, workers and volunteers; to continue to programme creative and innovative work; to improve accessibility; to tackle affordability and to ensure that this festival remains true to its founding principles of openness and inclusivity.”

Scottish Government Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, I’m pleased that £305,000 from our Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE) Fund will support the activities of the Festival Fringe Society and their street events this year.

 “In particular I want to congratulate the 13 producers who will share the Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund. The last few years have been difficult for the venues putting on events so this support will help to ensure the continued success of this flagship summer festival.”

How the funding will support creativity and resilience across the Fringe: 

To address recovery and resilience challenges for the Fringe, funding was considered across four key pillars: Creative Programming; Risk Management; Fair Work and Sustainability.

With this funding, Summerhall are planning a range of creative work at the festival, including supporting two under-represented artists to make new work in response to 75 years of the Edinburgh Festivals.

To address sustainability, they aim to lead the way as a flyer free venue and will implement e-ticketing. Within their workforce, they are looking to create a brand-new Fringe Learning Management System, which will help onboard workers through online learning.

BlundaBus’ funding will support their return to the Fringe after the pandemic. They actively work to programme and support alternative and experimental artists, as well as artists for whom cost is a barrier to participation, offering both performance and ‘green room’ spaces to support artists.

Since 2019 they have been working to develop a programme of work centred around women and LGBTQ+ performers. They are champions of the Pay What You Want ticketing model to support affordability at the festival, and embed sustainability across their practice by reducing single use items and prioritising sustainable materials in their infrastructure.

Greenside’s funding will allow them to continue operating as an open programming venue, giving artists from non-professional backgrounds a route to access the festival.

It will also support them to increase staff pay further, from Living Wage to paying every team member above the Real Living Wage; facilitating the creation of an additional 24 Festival jobs paid above the Real Living Wage.

To address sustainability, they will move to e-ticketing, transition their programme from print to digital, and look to reduce omissions across their technical operation.

Just The Tonic will use the funding to support their programming of high-quality comedy and to support and underwrite costs for artists who are still recovering from the pandemic.

In 2022, their venue The Tron will be programmed with female performers only, with the aim of addressing gender imbalance in the comedy sector. They will continue their Pay What You Want ticketing model to help with affordability, and as part of their commitment to fair work, all staff will be paid Living Wage.

Support for theSpaceUK will allow them to mitigate costs for artists who have been impacted by the pandemic, whilst keeping access to the festival affordable for creatives.

As a champion of both emerging and established artists, they will continue their commitment to open access programming and supporting new and original writing. They will continue to operate as a Living Wage employer and to offer a programme of staff training.

With their funding, Gilded Balloon will continue to support emerging artists and their development. In consolidating their programme, they plan to reduce the number of overall shows to allow for increased turnaround times between shows (allowing for a better experience for artists, staff and audiences alike).

While all staff are already paid the National Living Wage and above, this fund’s support will enable them to increase the number of staff on site and reduce staff hours. They are also investing in e-ticketing to support sustainability and are reducing the number of flyers produced by investing in digital marketing.

Laughing Horse have received support for the delivery of a range of activities associated with the Free Festival. To address sustainability, they are looking to fully replace their printed programme with an app and improved mobile website.

They will run mental health support sessions for performers and staff before and during the Fringe, and they have committed to a BSL interpreter for several performances to improve access to deaf audiences.

Funding will also support them with equipment costs and with the hiring of paid ticketing staff.

Underbelly’s funding will allow them to increase their minimum pay offer for temporary festival staff from the National Living wage (which they already pay) to the Real Living Wage.

They will also use the funds to hire additional short-term staff to support their existing team during the busy Fringe period, thereby improving working conditions and reducing working hours.

To address sustainability, the support will allow them to invest in e-ticketing. They plan to enhance their accessibility programme with extra captioned shows and a range of shows with BSL interpreters.

Support will also help with the build and maintenance of their temporary venues, and accommodation for their staff during the Fringe.

Monkey Barrell are looking to use their funding to continue to programme diverse and inclusive line-ups, whilst creating greater opportunities for local acts, unrepresented performers and those from non-privileged backgrounds.

They are looking to create a community focused artistic hub to enable creatives to come together at the festival. As of 2022, all year-round staff previously on Living Wage are now paid the Real Living Wage.

This fund will allow them to extend this to all temporary staff during the Fringe, and to create a staff development programme to upskill and develop their wider team.

ZOO’s programming in 2022 is aimed at better reflecting the lives of under-represented or minority audiences, and support from this fund will allow them to subsidise core costs for creatives.

Work by disabled artists is already central to their programming, and this funding will allow them to improve access to their audiences with enhanced BSL, audio description and captioned performances.

They will continue their commitments to paying staff Living Wage and above and to paying freelancers above the recommended rates. They will also continue to support their volunteer programme – which includes budget to address areas such as transport, access needs and childcare.

Funding will allow for Covid mitigations – such as enhanced cleaning, and provision of masks and hand sanitiser.

Pleasance will use the funding to reduce the financial risk to artists attending the Fringe – with targeted interventions which will support debut and early career creatives.

They plan to increase the number of employees in their workforce, reduce working hours during the festival, reduce the ratio of volunteers to paid staff, and provide increased opportunities for staff training. Some funding will also be used to invest in key infrastructure to improve their offering to artists and audiences, such as a reinforced Wi-Fi network to be able to facilitate e-ticketing.

Funding for The Scottish Comedy Festival will enable them to continue their work in programming local acts at the Fringe. Their model is centred around affordability and mitigating financial risk for the artists, and they are especially keen to support working class performers.

To further support affordability, their programme will continue to feature a mixture of Pay What You Want and Pay What You Can shows.

Assembly’s funding will be used to support artists’ attendance at the festival, by assisting with core costs such as accommodation, marketing and underwriting risk. Their programme, which celebrates 40 years at the Fringe this year, includes emerging artists and those from diverse backgrounds, as well as established performers.

Assembly Festival is a Living Wage employer and will use this fund to support increased training for staff and will also use it to mitigate against rising costs. They also aim to undertake research into post-pandemic audience behaviours and will continue their work as a sustainability champion.

Fringe Days Out launched for 2022

Project celebrates five fantastic years

Today, Friday 13 May, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launched Fringe Days Out, its flagship community engagement programme, for the fifth year.

Generously supported by Baillie Gifford, Fringe Days Out involves partnerships with 33 schools, community groups, charities and organisations around Edinburgh, and provides Fringe vouchers, bus tickets and additional support to help marginalised communities engage with the festival.

Since starting as a pilot programme in 2017, nearly 10,000 people have been given the opportunity to have a Fringe Day Out at one of the world’s greatest celebrations of arts and culture – right on their doorstep.

Commenting on the launch, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It is so important to us that Fringe Days Out is back for another year.

“This project started out as a modest thank you to people in Edinburgh for hosting the Fringe. We feel it only makes sense that Fringe Days Out should make the festival available to those who feel on the fringes of the city and the arts, no matter their background or circumstances.  

“This project is about breaking through the barriers that stand in the way of people and communities in Edinburgh engaging with the arts. And while there is undoubtedly more work to do in making the Fringe fully inclusive and accessible, I am proud of this step along the way.” 

Testimonials from some of our partner organisations:

The Broomhouse Hub (Youth and Families): A community hub providing services in Southwest Edinburgh

“We are all delighted that Fringe ’22 is taking place and we can’t wait to get involved. The young people and families we work with will again soak up what is a great atmosphere.

“We have been involved with Fringe Days Out from the beginning, and we receive great support from the Fringe Society.”

Vintage Vibes: An Edinburgh-based charity tackling loneliness and isolation

“Fringe Days Out has allowed the removal of barriers for people to engage with the Fringe. Some of our VIPs [Vintage Vibes’ over-60s community members] had lost a bit of confidence to go along or decided it was no longer for them – which certainly isn’t the case!

“We had one VIP who attended a show with her volunteer a few years ago; she said afterwards that getting along to a show like that again, such as she had in her youth, had made her feel herself for the first time in years, and brought her back to the ‘land of the living’!”

Capability Scotland: Delivering care, support and education for disabled adults and children across Scotland

“It’s great having different people of different cultures from all over the world visit and perform.”

“What an amazing journey: watching our service users choose what they would like to go and see, trying new things and having an adventure with their friends… enjoying themselves, talking about what they saw at the Fringe and writing about it in their newsletter.”

“It’s been great seeing the performers, dancers and musicians put smiles on our service users’ faces and getting them to interact with each other, all with fun and laughter!”

Background:

Fringe Days Out launched in 2017 as part of our Fringe Blueprint, a series of commitments published to mark the festival’s 70th anniversary. The Fringe Society wanted to say thank you to the people of Edinburgh for hosting the Fringe, and to ensure that every single resident felt welcome at the festival; as such, we carried out research to discover which communities might have typically felt excluded from the festival.

Working from the results of this research, we made initial contact with 26 community organisations and charities to help us better foster local connections; five years on, the programme has grown to include 30 community groups and three schools.

How does it work?

The Fringe Society provides Fringe Days Out partner organisations with free ticket vouchers for the Fringe and bus passes, so that cost is not a barrier to participation and engagement with the Fringe.

By providing people with Fringe ticket vouchers, we empower them to explore the full Fringe programme, inviting them to see any show at the Fringe.

Some Fringe Days Out participants are often unfamiliar with the city centre; this programme gives them the support and opportunity to travel outside their immediate neighbourhood, developing their confidence and experience of the city, without the potential barrier of paying for transport. For groups that experience challenges around bus and tram access, we also now include some budget for taxis.

The community organisations we work with are long-term partners of the Fringe Society, enabling the groups to take the time they need to build up knowledge, experience and confidence in the festival. Community members may go on an organised group trip one year, feel confident in attending alone the next, and end up organising group trips themselves by the third. The stories we hear and the numbers we saw grow each year between 2017 and 2019 reflect this.

Fringe Days Out 2017 – 2021 (including schools)  

 2021*2019 2018 2017 
Visits (estimated)  5243,805  3,009  2,585  

*Excluding schools as these couldn’t visit the festival in 2021. Instead, we facilitated digital shows in the classroom with our school partners; these numbers are not included.

Purpose of Fringe Days Out:

Our aim for this project is simple: to ensure that everyone involved has a good day out at the Fringe. The success of the Fringe relies on Edinburgh and its residents, and we are committed to finding more ways for even more local people to engage with and enjoy the arts.

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves through creativity and experience the thrill of live performance, and that the Fringe is an incredible opportunity to do this. No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone is welcome.

About Fringe Days Out Partners:

The Fringe Society works with a broad range of individuals and groups including young people, single parents, isolated elderly people, disabled people, ethnic minority communities, refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQIA+ people and many more.  

Examples of some of our partner organisations include Citadel Youth Centre, Vintage Vibes, Multi Cultural Family Base and Dads Rock.

The groups we work with are trusted partners in their communities who have built long-lasting relationships with their members. These relationships are crucial to the success of Fringe Days Out: by having open conversations with people they know and trust, participants can feel encouraged to take more risks in whether they choose to go and what they choose to see.

These conversations also help the Fringe Society better understand what else they can do to open doors and enable communities to celebrate culture and creativity on their own terms.

Pictures: Lesley Martin & Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022: First tickets available

  • 283 Fringe shows revealed
  • More shows to be announced monthly, as the world’s greatest celebration of arts and culture returns for its 75th anniversary this August

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced that the first set of shows for the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe are available to book at edfringe.com.

The 75th anniversary of the Fringe takes place from 5th – 29th August 2022 and will feature an exciting range of shows, with theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, musicals, variety, cabaret, events and more all represented in the programme.

Tickets for 283 shows have now been released, with more shows set to be announced on Thursday 07 April, Thursday 05 May and Thursday 09 June.

The official launch of the festival, including the reveal of the iconic printed programme, will take place in early July.

Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book now. The full list of shows released this month can be found at edfringe.com.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s always a hugely exciting moment when the first set of Fringe shows are announced, and this year, it feels more important than ever to celebrate the breadth of creativity and freedom of expression that these shows represent.

“We know that so many artists are still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, and getting your tickets early is a brilliant way to support them at this vital time. It’s also an important investment in the value of culture and creativity, and with some shows offering free and Pay What You Can options, the Fringe remains an essential access point to culture for many.

“I can’t wait to see the programme continue to unfold as we get closer to August, and to see Edinburgh filled with live performance once again as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of this magnificent festival.”

Theatre

At theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, acclaimed mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe “with a new duo of hilarious and interactive murder mysteries, which you – the audience – must solve”. At the same venue, UK Underdog is a solo show based on true events in a London, Jewish boy’s life. “Bullied and humiliated at school, Steve Spiro realises his strength to move forward, but that ultimately comes at a price”.

BAFTA award-winner Jack Docherty is at Gilded Balloon with Nothing But: a darkly comic tale which grapples with lost youth, love, fatherhood, sex, secrets and truth.

At Underbelly, My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) is the “joyous, chaotic, autobiographical story of actor, writer and social-media sensation Rob Madge”.

Assembly has a range of theatre to book from today, including Watson: The Final Problem, in which Sherlock Holmes’ pal tells his tale of long-buried secrets; and Myra’s Story, in which a middle-aged, homeless Dublin street drinker relives her back story.

Comoedia at Greenside is a celebration of traditional Italian masked theatre, as the most famous characters of Commedia dell’arte come together in a one-man show. At the same venue, two women use nothing but their imaginations, a skull and some fancy scarves to bring together A Two Woman Hamlet.

At theSpace on North Bridge, GirlPlay is “an exploration of love and sex spun out in slam”. On a night of firsts, Lucy opens the door to a world of relationships and sex that she had only ever dreamt about. But is the reality all she had hoped it would be?

Online, Transatlantic is a true story of the French immigrant experience. “Cookie is taking care of the last of her uncle’s estate in New Mexico. As she goes through her family’s belongings, she goes on an emotional journey that echoes the many trips back and forth that she and her family have taken between France and the US.”

Plus, from award-winning writer Lita Doolan comes Audrey’s Art Club. “Audrey wants to know what doodling’s got to do with love and goes back to her lover’s childhood home to find answers.”

Comedy

The Stand has a wide roster of shows on sale today, including Seann Walsh: Is Dead, Happy Now? and Stewart Lee: Basic Lee – a work-in-progress show in which “Lee enters the post-pandemic era in streamlined stand-up mode”. Also catch rising Scottish star Gareth Waugh with Doozy and Jo Caulfield with Bad Attitude.

At Assembly, Fern Brady will be tackling big issues such as “death, shagging, marriage and ageing” in her show, Autistic Bikini Queen.

David O’Doherty is back with his show whoa is me and “all of the misplaced confidence of a waiter with no pad”, while Susie McCabe returns with a brand-new show. In Born Believer, the comedian has decided to leave cynicism behind to be an “all-new positive Susie (optimistic at best, positive is pushing it)”.

Jason Byrne is at Underbelly with Unblocked, as “the constipation of Covid has been cleared, live entertainment has been colonically irrigated and readied up for us all”. At the same venue, Foil, Arms and Hogg return to the Fringe with a mix of sketch comedy, audience participation and improvisation. Plus, Richard Stott: Afterparty sees the stand-up contemplate whether he’s missed the boat. “His friends have families, six-figure salaries and houses. He has a level-two food hygiene certificate and acid reflux.”

Gilded Balloon is home to double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Andrew Maxwell’s Krakatoa, as well as Justin Moorhouse’s brand-new show Stretch & Think, which “may contain yoga, getting older, Madonna, shoplifters, labradoodles, middle-aged cyclists, The Menopause, running, hating football fans but loving football, not drinking, funerals” and a lot more. Plus, catch Sian Davies,winner of Best Debut Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2020 and Funny Women runner-up. Her show is all about time, growing up and finding your place in the world.

There’s a range of Laughing Horse shows available to book from today. Shows including Annie and Angela’s Disco Divorce Party: “a drag-infused comedy of musical mirth celebrating friendship and new beginnings”, and Comedy Queers: “a spicy late-night mix of outrageous queer comedians, cabaret and drag acts”. Plus, there’s stand up from the likes of Nathan Cassidy and Dave Chawner.

Fringe stalwart Nina Conti returns to Pleasance with The Dating Show, in which “finding true love can’t be promised, but big laughs are guaranteed”. And after a UK and Australia tour and an Amazon special, Taskmaster runner-up and accidental YouTube cult leader Mark Watson brings his show This Can’t Be It back to where it began (at last year’s “mini Fringe”).

Also on Pleasance’s bill is Angela Barnes: Hot Mess (“trying to live your best life, as it turns out, is really bloody hard”); Ivo Graham: My Future, My Clutter (“bumbling wordsmith and tripe factory returns to discuss three years of heavy-duty pranking / parenting / procrastinating since Dave’s 2019 nominations for Best Comedy Show and Joke of the Fringe”); and NewsRevue, which will return to the EICC to “parody politics in a post-pandemic world”.

At Just the Tonic, Daniel Sloss and Kai Humphries bring their hit podcast, Sloss and Humphries On The Road, to the festival. Plus, Fringe veteran Craig Hill returns with I Always Knew I Had It In Me, and rising Scottish star Connor Burns isat the festival with his show, Live, Laugh, Loathe.

At Queen’s Hall, Henning Wehn returns with It’ll All Come Out in the Wash: a show that promises to “give everything a good rinse and witness him wring sense out of the nonsensical”.

Music

At theSpaceTriplex, California-based Hip-Hop Orchestra, Ensemble Mik Nawooj (EMN), presents music from their new album, Death Become Life, which fuses hip-hop and classical (think full strings, woodwind, French horn and soprano).

There’s also a range of Night Owl Shows to choose from, including 007 Voices Of Bond (featuring hits such as Goldfinger, Skyfall, Diamonds are Forever, Live and Let Die and many more); Back to Black: The Music of Amy Winehouse (which promises to take you on a moving journey through a modern legend’s career); and California Dreams (featuring an immersive trip through California in the late 60s and 70s, with hits by The Mamas & The Papas, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, The Byrds and more). All are happening at theSpace UK.

Acoustic Music Centre has a range of shows on sale from today. Acts include The Willow Trio: a band of three clarsach players – Sophie Rocks, Sam MacAdam, Romy Wymer – who will be presenting a mix of Gaelic music and original new work.

The Strange Valentines are a Nova Scotian folk duo, blending acoustic instrumentation and their signature stunning two-part harmonies to tell provocative stories.

Plus, up-and-coming harpist Romy Wymer presents traditional tunes from Scotland and Netherlands in her Fringe / AMC debut. Romy recently earned second place at the World Harp Competition (2021) and was a semi-finalist in the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year (2022).

Cabaret and Variety

Pleasance is home to West End star and multi award-winning magician Ben Hart, as he returns to Edinburgh with his show Wonder. Using only the simplest of props and the minds of the audience, Hart conjures a show that is “always amazing, sometimes shocking and shines a light into the darkest corners of your imaginations”.

Mat Ricardo is at Gilded Balloon with The Extraordinary Gentleman: “a unique, hilarious and unmissable one-man show” from the acclaimed variety artist.

Best of Burlesque is back at Assembly, with award-winning striptease, cabaret and variety from the 2022 Fringe, plus international special guests.

Dirty Tricks – How the Illusionati Rule the World is at Greenside. In this show, The Great Baldini demonstrates “how the illusionati rig elections, launder money and orchestrate assassinations: a wholly (im)plausible conspiracy theory”.

At theSpace @ Symposium Hall, Sue Kelvin stars in Bette Midler and Me: a tribute show to Midler, covering her life and songs from the perspective of a lifelong fan. Expect musical hits, plus highlights from Midler comedy routines and a puppet version of Beaches.

Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus

Underbelly Circus Hub returns to the Meadows this year, and with it comes Circa: Humans 2.0:“asymphony of acrobatics, sound and light”, described as “a tightly woven choreography of bodies, pulsing with music”.

Also on the Meadows, Hotel Paradiso is “an irresistibly colourful, loud and fun show for all the family” from contemporary circus company, Lost in Translation. Featuring circus skills, physical comedy, theatrical storytelling and slapstick, this show “sees the staff family tackle the scheming banker as he tries to possess the Hotel Paradiso”.

Cirque Berserk! is at Pleasance. Showcasing “traditional circus thrills and skills”, Cirque Berserk! combines “contemporary cirque-style artistry with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action”, as “this astoundingly talented international troupe includes over 30 fearless acrobats, aerialists and daredevil stuntmen”.

At Assembly, Muse is a circus piece which attempts to answer the question, “what does it mean to be a woman?” Plus, The Black Blues Brothers sees “five extraordinary acrobats perform their comedy tribute to the cult movie The Blues Brothers”. Expect breathtaking jumps, fire, somersault routines, human pyramids and more.

Intambo is at Greenside. This show features Ruciteme Karyenda Culture de Buyenzi: a group of Burundian drummers, founded in 1987. Starting with 27 members, the members range in age from 8 to 50, and they will be performing an old, traditional Burundi dance that used to be played for the Kings.

Also at Greenside is Éowyn Emerald & Dancers. Éowyn presents Your Tomorrow: “an entertaining and deeply intimate jazz dance for two performers”.

Children’s shows

Peppa Pig – My First Concert is at Assembly. This interactive introduction to a live orchestra is “an accessible, exciting concert designed for the youngest audience members, with Aurora Orchestra.”

Also at Assembly, Yellow Bird Chase follows “a clownish maintenance crew” who find a magical bird and a mad chase begins. Appropriate for the whole family and accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

Plus, from the creative team behind the Hairy Maclary show, young audiences can now see all three of Nick Sharratt’s Shark in the Park books live on stage.

At Pleasance,The Smeds and the Smoos is an exciting adaptation of the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. On a far-off planet, Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love and zoom off into space together, how will their families get them back?

At Underbelly, the Amazing Bubble Man Louis Pearl is back. Louis “explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerised”.

Fox Tales: The Pied Piper is at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall. In this family puppet show, Hans the Storyteller, Reynard the Fox and Gripp the Raven give “a hilarious new telling of the classic fairy tale, The Pied Piper of Hamelin”. Expect “jokes, ridiculous rhymes, mischief and nonsense”.

At the same venue, Den of Enquiry “is a fun, light-hearted show that gets kids talking about democracy”.

Musicals

In Soho Boy at theSpace @ Symposium Hall, “young, trendy Spencer leaves home and hits Soho like a whirlwind in a journey of love, laughter, heartbreak and happiness”. This work is a “modern tale of the gay scene, which can be harsh and lonely, surrounded by glamour, sex and songs”.

At theSpace @ Niddry St, Julie: The Musical is an original, new musical telling the life and adventures of historical LGBTQ+ icon Julie D’Aubigny. “One of the first public figures to live as an openly bisexual woman, she seduced nuns, dueled multiple men at once, burnt down convents, was bribed by princes, innovated opera – all before she turned 30.”

Now in its 10th year, The Improv Musical is at Gilded Balloon. Each show is a completely improvised, never-before-seen musical on its opening, and closing, night.

At Greenside, Raft follows four women, seemingly trapped on a raft in the middle of the ocean, hunted by a mystical sea monster. “An original one-act musical around abuse, bravery and friendship.”